Like most other cuisine from around the world, Chinese food is not inherently high or low in calories. Generally, the caloric load varies by dish. And as in most cuisines, Asian dishes that include noodles or pasta tend to be higher in calories. However, toss out your old conceptions about noodles and calories. Shirataki noodles offer the noodle experience without the noodle calories. Though shirataki noodles originated in Japan over 2,000 years ago, they have become everyday food items for Chinese, Japanese and other Asians. They are referred to as moyu, or juruo, in China.
Ingredients
Shirataki noodles are made from the fleshy underground stems, or tubers, of the Asian konjac plant. The knojac plant is a type of yam, so unlike most noodles, which are made from grains, shirataki noodles are made from a vegetable. The konjac tubers are dried, ground and then made into flour, which is used to make the shirataki noodles.
Nutrition and Calories
These translucent noodles have virtually no calories, fat, starch, sugar or gluten. Although they have carbohydrates, these carbs are not digested and are simply eliminated. Shirataki noodles comprise primarily glucomannan fiber. Glucomannan fiber has more than 16 types of amino acids, including seven essential amino acids that cannot be produced internally. It is low in fat and has no cholesterol. Glucomannan is a water-soluble fiber, so it controls blood sugar, lowers your triglycerides and decreases LDL cholesterol. The fiber cleanses your digestive tract and enhances the growth of good bacteria in your gut. It functions as a prebiotic, promoting the growth of Lactobacillus bifidus in your lower intestine. Nutrients in shirataki noodles include potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, pantothenate, niacin, folic acid, fatty acids and vitamins A, B-1, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, D and E. While most noodles can be thought of as empty calories, meaning they have calories but little nutrition, shirataki noodles have plenty of nutrition, but no calories.
Further Fiber Benefits
When you are trying to lose weight, calories become your nemesis. If they don't get you at your current meal, they're out there waiting, biding time, until they ambush you with a snack attack or at your next meal. Your appetite can potentially sabatoge your well-laid diet plans. Shirataki noodles, however, can give you an edge. The glucomannan expands in your stomach, giving you a sense of fullness. The fiber slows digestion, slowing the release of glucose into your bloodstream, which helps to sate your cravings for between meal snacks.
Gluten Free
Shirataki noodles have no wheat, soy or gluten. Consequently, those who have celiac disease, wheat allergies or wheat intolerance, can include these no-cal noodles in their diet plan.
Preparation
Shirataki noodles are absent of flavor, so they absorb the essential flavors of the sauces and ingredients you use to top the noodles. They are somewhat chewier than typical wheat noodles, but remind yourself they have no calories and you'll find a way to get past that drawback. The noodles come in various forms -- including angel hair pasta, rigatoni, fettuccine, spaghetti, linguine, lasagna, tapioca pearls, mini-pearls, penne and sagnarelli -- so you can use them with your favorite recipes. The noodles don't need to be cooked. They come in liquid filled bags. Rinse them off well under running water, drop them into boiling water for a few moments to heat them up, and they are ready to serve. Top them with vegetables, lean meats and low calorie sauces, and you've got a nutritious, low-carb, low-calorie meal that will fill you up while giving you the experience of doing something you shouldn't while dieting: eating pasta.
Availability
You might not find these noodles at your corner grocery, which is something of a mystery, given the potential mass appeal of healthy, no-cal noodles. Still, shirataki noodles are available online and at specialty stores that carry Asian or health foods. Once you've tried them, found that your body tolerates them and decide you like them, you can stock up. They have a shelf life of up to one year, according to Konjac Foods.
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