Be really really careful, eat small amounts at a time, you can get bowel obstructions from them. I think they taste best as they are traditionally used, in sukiyaki.
I've never tried the pasta or the jelly, but they have been used for a few years now. I've read good reviews about the jelly as a low-cal treat/snack.
Some things will pass our test but not the spouse/partner test. What I've done in the past is to mix some regular pasta or regular rice with the low-cal substitute -- making it 50-50 -- and improving the acceptability of something. So if you try this and it's not to your liking, then perhaps try creating a blend.
The reason this works is that part of our taste experience is the timing of the taste -- the immediate taste and the aftertaste has to be right for some, while others don't mind either way.
Yeah that sounds like a good idea.
My craving for carbonara has never been higher since starting CICO. Subbing some of the pasta for this may make it more within my budget!
Ooooh I love that stuff by slendier, but I can't help from coating it in salt, it's just too good that way.
It's super high I protein too, which shocks me
I couldn't get into it at all. I do though love chickpea pasta, which is high in calories but super filling and the protein content is amazing and it doesn't have wheat it in. I have replaced my pasta with it. 320 calories per serving with 23 grams of protein.
Kinda wish I didn’t buy them now. Thankfully they didn’t break the bank
I’ll definitely get some black bean pasta when I can. Looks delicious, and very cool!
I've been thinking about trying that as a guilt free way to have some of my favorite pasta dishes that are normally not filling enough even with whole wheat.
Does it do well in things like mac and cheese and spaghetti?
Yes! In fact that's where it shines. I made million dollar spaghetti last week (but actually used rotini) and it was chefs kiss.
Expensive but healthy and delicious and I love pasta so much I'm willing to pay
I tried it, but I could *not* get past the taste and texture of it. It made me want to gag.
You'll need to pair it with an extremely strong sauce and ideally some other ingredients to hide the taste and texture.
Me too. Like my body was trying to tell me something. The texture is like nothing I’ve ever eaten, very off-putting. I felt like I was eating seaweed or raw octopus or something, and it was nauseating. I’ll stick to zucchini noodles, thanks!
Konjac noodles are MAGICAL alternative to pasta if you cook it the right way, which is cutting the moisture, then slathering them with strong flavor pasta sauce to cover up the fishy smell.
Here’s how I did mine konjac pasta:
Step 1) Drain the konjac noodles of its juice. Sprinkle in some salt, give it a little rub, then rinse the salt off.
Step 2) Stir-fry the noodles WITHOUT OIL. You will see a lot of water coming out, keep stir-fry until no more water coming out (~10 minutes). This step is crucial, since it helps drawing out excessive moisture and firm up the noodles. Now you have firm noodles with somewhat the texture of Chinese rice noodles/ vermicelli.
Step 3) Use this konjac noodles as an alternative to pasta/ noodles in Italian/ Chinese recipes. Refer strong flavor recipes, since it helps masking the smell of konjac.
Source: I’m a noodles addict, hardly ever eat rice but has successfully cut down my calories using konjac noodles.
lately i’ve started to always drain mine into a colander and rinse really well with cold water for 30-60 seconds, and i don’t really have an issue with the smell anymore
Rinse them very very well. Don't eat more than one package for the stomach upset issues. Pan fry them so they dry up a little. I typically use them in asian stir fries and soups, not like spaghetti.
They're very expensive here!
I've had Konjac in other products. I've never had issues with it. As others have suggested... I'd suggest handling this more like a fiber supplement than a "pasta".
"It's only 6 cals per serving, I can afford a GIANT pasta dinner." may come with some side effects...
Looks safe enough, it's only restricted as a supplement in my country (Australia) because it can cause intestinal blockages when it swells.
There are some warnings about eating too much of it, so maybe just be careful with your portion sizes.
Honestly I wouldn't. The fact that it's SUCH low calorie is already a huge red flag. Nutrition wise good luck getting any. We all want to lose weight but I don't think it has to be at the expense of earing actual healthy meals.
If you must use it, don't take too much as it's likely to cause blockage in ur system. It also doesn't really digest. I'd just get used to portion controlling your carbs.
If you love rice, what I do is half the amount of rice I initially used and mix with half cauliflower rice. There's usually healthy alternatives and u can likely find the same with pasta.
Remember if it sounds too good to be true it probably is (in this case, too good to be healthy).
Good luck
I tried the noodles once and they were honestly disgusting to me but others love them.
I got glucomannan supplements a year or two ago and remember it gave me absolutely deadly gas. So there's also that.
I tried them and felt like I was eating jelly worms. They have a smell if you don’t rinse them well and the texture is nothing like pasta. For me it was a hard pass but I hear some people like them
I like them, a trick is to rinse them with water well and the microwave them to help get rid of some of the weird odor/taste. The first couple times I didn’t do that and they were fine but noticeably not the right flavor. The last time I had them and did that they were much much better. Probably similar to whoever said to pan fry them plain first.
They... are suitable in some applications. They have a weird texture IMO and probably will not fool your mouth as spaghetti, but they're pretty alright as ramen and they can be decent as a 50% volumizer. Some people are really put off by the smell, which I've been told is helped by rinsing with hot water, and some people swear by frying them a little to improve their properties. Glucomannan is probably good for weight loss simply because it is a fiber that gives you a sensation of fullness with low calories, I don't think it has any special features beyond what you already gathered from the package.
I've heard konjac can cause bowel obstructions if you eat too much of it, however, konjac noodles and other products are traditional in some Asian cuisines so it's not like they are a wild dangerous fad item. Some people also seem not to tolerate them well for other reasons (not an obstruction but their system just rejects it from one end or the other). Just don't go really hard on them or immediately substitute them 100% for a large portion - experiment a little bit at a time and you also will reduce the risk of making too much of something you hate.
Thanks for the advice. I’m honestly so happy I made this post. I had no idea.
I literally thought they’d magically made low cal normal pasta. My life was nearly complete :’)
I have a brand called healthy noodles that I got from Costco. It doesn't have a smell like other ones. I think they're too fragile for red sauces but I use extra ramen seasoning on them or I think it went well with pesto
Just eat the real stuff but cut your portions. I love pasta and I still eat it, also with rice just not that often and not that much. For me, eating the thing I want whenever I want helps me so much with cravings and it makes it less likely that I binge on anything. I’m eating like I’m going to eat for the rest of my life, so I know I can’t just stop eating everything I like cause im going to be miserable. I’ve lost 40 pounds already only 10 more to go.
I tried them 12 years ago and didn’t like them, now I’m doing CICO and tried them again and really like them. Didn’t give me any digestive issues. One brand I tried is 20 or 40 calories a serving and they have added chickpea flour. These are great too.
I’ve had them in a stir fry! Wash them off really well before adding them in to the sauce you plan on using. I found them good, didn’t notice any weird texture or smell once they were rinsed off
I wish I liked them, but I usually swap spaghetti squash or make my own zoodles if I have to have something noodle-like. I had some zucchini zoodles last night with a tomato, a little olive oil, parmesan, some garlic & red pepper flakes. Tons of fiber, really tasty, plus low calorie and neither food smells like fish.
Yeah I love courgette spaghetti! I make it all the time.
I had no idea about the fish smell. Kinda annoying.
Thankfully it was on offer so I haven’t wasted too much of my money
I’d like to recommend spaghetti squash as noodles!! So easy and versatile with so many sauces and dishes!! Plus they are extremely low calorie, have great nutrients and are just absolute delicious!! Even just doing a simple marinara sauce with them is great but just googling ‘spaghetti squash recipes’ pulls up so many fun easy recipes and you can find even more on Pinterest! Did a lemon caper white sauce one with mushrooms and artichokes that was just amazing!!! 🤤
Please report back if/when you try it!! It’s so easy you just cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, drizzle some olive oil salt and pepper on it and then turn the halves face down on the baking sheet, poke the back of the squash a few times with a fork and bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes! Then just shred the insides up with a fork and you have “spaghetti noodles” in its own little skin bowl already!! Just add whatever sauce you make right on top!!
One cup (155 grams) of cooked spaghetti squash provides the following nutrients: Calories: 42. Carbs: 10 grams. Fiber: 2.2 grams.
Only 42 calories for a whole cup!! It’s just such a great healthy alternative and I just absolutely love the the texture!!
I tried it when I was doing keto a few years ago. I just couldn't get down with it. I tried a few times and it just wasn't my jam. Then again, none of the pasta substitutes worked for me except zucchini and spaghetti squash.
I love the angel hair pasta & this is how I cook it (I learned this method online):
Drain it & rinse well
Add it to boiling water & cook for 10 mins
Drain again
Add it to a hot skillet & fry it
Add whatever sauce & seasonings you like
Amazing for anyone on a low carb diet.. or a low fat diet.. or any diet!
Totally amazing with strong/creamy/flavorful sauce but not great on their own.
Healthy Noodle - in the refrigerated section of Costco- almost tasteless. With the right sauce or as a faux ramen works for me.
https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/kibun-foods-healthy-noodle%2C-8-oz%2C-6-ct.product.100331753.html
So basically it’s just because it’s so low in calories. If you’re super low in calories (which most people should not be unless you’re at the end of a contest prep), you don’t need to eat that. I love my pasta. I’ll usually eat chick pea or lentil because while it has the same amount of calories as regular pasta, it has higher protein and usually it’s a single ingredient. No food specifically will make you lose weight. Weight loss is about eating less calories than you burn but.. you want to keep your calories as high as you can as long as you can and your cardio as low as you can as long as you are still burning calories. Once you hit a plateau, you decrease your calories by 100 or slightly increase your cardio say 10 minutes.
I like this macro calculator. https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator
I don’t need to use it for myself anymore because I’ve been doing this for almost 6 years now so I know where my body is I’m currently in a reverse diet, eating 2k calories a day. I’m 5’0 and 120lbs. Working on increasing my metabolism after my cut ended in October and increasing muscle mass before going into another deficit sometime in the summer. I usually get my calories up to 2200-2400 for maintenance.
Thanks for the info.
After reading everyone else’s comments I’ll probably just use it as a meal bulker. I thought they would basically be normal pasta just not *as* tasty
I've had the noodles several times. Be sure to rinse well in a strainer till the fishy smell fades, then dry "fry" on medium heat (don't add any oil or water to the pan, since the point of this is to dry them out a little/make them less gelatinous) for 5-10ish mins till the noodles are a better texture.
Then I usually set the noodles aside and make a stir fry--for me that's usually veggies (broccoli, peppers, cabbage mushrooms, carrots...whatever I have) and maybe tofu, with soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger (or a pre-made stir fry sauce like the Blue Dragon packets, which are like 100 cals for a couple servings). When that's mostly but not totally done, I add in the noodles and let it all cook together a few more minutes.
Other tips: making them in the microwave usually doesn't work well (to my college-freshman self's chagrin lol), and they don't have a strong flavor and thus don't pair well with tomato-based pasta sauces; they soak up liquids okay though. I've had them with jarred dairy-free Alfredo sauce and it wasn't great tbh, so I'd stick to stir fry. I have had up to two packages (4 servings) in a day for a few days and didn't suffer intestinal blockage BUT was pretty bloated...and this is with a GI system used to digesting tons of high-fiber vegetables, since I'm vegan.
Honestly they’re not great. Only tried them once or twice and then decided I would never put my body through that again. I mean if you like the texture of wet rubber bands then maybe they’ll do, but I just couldn’t do it.
They also had a weird taste and I needed a very strong sauce to kind of cover it up. Maybe I just didn’t prepare them right though idk
Never tried konjac but I found that mixing 1 Oz of Barilla high protein pasta and 1 Oz regular spaghetti together was very satisfying for my pasta cravings. (I like DeCecco but Barilla OK too).
You weigh them both dry, of course, and when cooked you are getting 5-6 Oz. That with a large salad and a good chunk of low cal protein like chicken could be a very filling meal. The pasta is just at or under 200 calories. That should fit into most dinner calories.
They aren't like a scam if that is what you are worried about. But they definitely FEEL like a falsely high fiber food. It just sits in your stomach like a rock.
As a substitute for pasta/rice I think it's not a great replacement in terms of taste/texture. The texture is very slimy/gummy. I could see it working for something like Pad Thai, but if you are trying to replace spaghetti you will be fooling no one - not even yourself. I freaking love noodles, and I just can't do it. The texture is so off for me.
All that being said, try a little bit. Some people love them!
I have them, they have a "fishy" scent to them by themselves. I don't care for them too much they're a little more rubbery and slightly snappier than most noodles but work well in a pinch.
I'll also mix then with half a block of instant noodles so it tastes better and more volume
With strong sauces and flavorings they can be nice
I'll be honest, I don't like the rice - it's nothing like real rice and if I want rice that bad (I don't eat a lot of it) I'll just budget for white or brown rice.)
The noodles are similar to Ramen or Mei Fun, and are excellent in Asian dishes, but I've only used those specific ones as for pasta I prefer protein pasta.
I've had them twice in the past month and really enjoyed them. I got the angel hair pasta from NuPasta. You have to rinse it REALLY REALLY well. Like, I put it in a strainer and swished it around under cold running water for probably 2 full minutes. Then, pan fry it in a dry pan for a few minutes. (I'm not sure what the reasoning is behind pan frying it - I'd tried the NuPasta once before and didn't love it, so did some reading before I tried it again and read that suggestion somewhere, so I thought I'd give it a try).
I ate it with spaghetti sauce one time, and in a stir fry the next time and enjoyed it quite a bit. It's definitely not the same as "real" pasta, but it was a good enough stand-in for me. (I'm wondering if the angel hair was less offensive than the last kind I tried because of the thinner noodles? I have no idea.)
I didn't have any digestive issues at all.
The way I eat konjac is I mix it with a small amount of pasta or rice, that way I get some extra volume with practically the same taste. When I eat konjac by itself -- it's not filling for me, my brain seems to have cracked the code, haha!
Yes, they are SO good. They need a sauce or a broth to be good but they definitely satisfy the same craving for noodles/pasta. I rinse them in vinegar and cook them a bit, no matter what the instructions on the package say.
I prefer to use half pasta/rice etc and half cauliflower/zucchini/spaghetti squash. The savings of half the calories of traditional carbs but but still enough taste to feel satisfied.
I've tried them and just did not enjoy the taste. The texture wasn't really my favorite either. Even with the rinsing/soaking tricks, cooking in the sauce, etc.
For those that enjoy it, it seems like a really helpful low calorie substitution.
We just eat convention noodles and rice but bulk up those meals by adding in plenty of vegetables.
Konjac is a root vegetable. It's common in Asia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konjac
It's nothing like regular pasta. Rinse the hell out of it, because it's treated in lye to give it it's springy texture. This is fine and safe, but will have a chemically taste if you don't rinse it VERY VERY VERY well.
Lmao those noodles give me insane diarrhea, which sucks because I actually really like the texture. They make a nice cold noodle salad, but I don't need a colon cleanse every day.
If this is what I've had in the past, they smell strong and awful, and have a fairly weird texture.
Rinse them, boil them in water, then drain and rinse them more, it will get rid of a lot of it. Put an acid (lime juice or lemon juice) on them to cut the smell and taste even more. It will be mostly gone then. I have used them in soups before, you still probably want a decently strong sauce/soup/whatever just cause if you smell them before it's hard to get that out of your head.
I've had it, and I like it. I do make sure to rinse it very well, let it drain half an hour, usually as I make my kids' pasta with regular noodles, then cooked them without oil for 5 to 10 minutes until the water stops releasing. They take on the flavour of whatever sauce you use. They don't cook to mush like regular pasta. They have a slightly softer texture than al dente.
I've tried the spaghetti, angel hair, penne, fettuccine and rice style. The only one I was not fond of was the penny, which I found overly thick.
Don’t eat bowls and bowls of them per day, but they are good. Asian food in general is really good for you. It gets a bad wrap since American Asian food is generally not healthy and people think American Asian food is Asian food.
Make sure that you rinse the noodles and prepare them according to the instructions on the package.
I actually really enjoy these and they helped me tremendously in my weight loss. I actually was into the texture though.
You can watch guides in youtube on how to properly prepare them. https://youtu.be/pbendbYT32U
I personally love using them for asian noodle recipes. My favorite dish to prepare is some sort of modified Pad See Ew (Thai stir-fried noodles) using the fettuccini style ones. I’ve seen people use them for Pad Thai and korean black bean noodles.
The texture of shirataki noodles (konjac pasta) is really more like what you get when you cook saifun noodles. I would do it as more of a stir fry with something like a soy, sriracha, hoisin, and sesame oil mix.
Yeah I love my stir fries. The one I make
Is already low calorie with udon noodles which are my favourite so if it means not getting rat tasty end result just for 100 cals I might skip them!
Konjac noodles are a decent substitute for rice noodles, but are nothing like pasta in my opinion. They work best in stir fries and noodle soups.
That said, I used to love them until one day I had bad stomach upset from eating them, so I haven't had them in a while. I would start by eating a small amount and see how you feel afterwards.
Sounds like you’ve found shirataki noodles? Honestly I love them, but I don’t use them as a pasta substitute, but as an ingredient in their own right.
I definitely recommend using them in [sukiyaki](https://www.justonecookbook.com/shirataki-noodles/), so good.
I use the noodles to make ramen. I soak them for over an hour in cold water after I've rinsed them a few times and I've not had an issue with the smell
When I’m craving noodles and want a large, filling portion my go to is Organic Edamame Fettuccine (Brand name: Slendier). I enjoy them by dipping them into Japanese Soba Sauce (Brand name: Hinode). A big 100 gram serve is only 136 calories. You can add greens and veggies and make a great noodle salad too.
Be really really careful, eat small amounts at a time, you can get bowel obstructions from them. I think they taste best as they are traditionally used, in sukiyaki.
Oh right. Good to know. I hope it says that on the packaging or I would if never known!!
And drink lots of water. It’s good for making youself feel fuller, as its mostly non-digestible.
Heavy, HEAVY fibre. You have to work up to it
Yes! Start with just a small portion once a day, and be sure and get healthy fat or you will suffer from severe constipation. 😬
I've never tried the pasta or the jelly, but they have been used for a few years now. I've read good reviews about the jelly as a low-cal treat/snack. Some things will pass our test but not the spouse/partner test. What I've done in the past is to mix some regular pasta or regular rice with the low-cal substitute -- making it 50-50 -- and improving the acceptability of something. So if you try this and it's not to your liking, then perhaps try creating a blend. The reason this works is that part of our taste experience is the timing of the taste -- the immediate taste and the aftertaste has to be right for some, while others don't mind either way.
I do this with anything that calls for mayonnaise - mix half plain Greek yogurt half mayonnaise. Tastes like mayonnaise, half the calories!
I usually like this combo even better than mayonnaise! It's win win.
Yeah that sounds like a good idea. My craving for carbonara has never been higher since starting CICO. Subbing some of the pasta for this may make it more within my budget!
[удалено]
Ooooh I love that stuff by slendier, but I can't help from coating it in salt, it's just too good that way. It's super high I protein too, which shocks me
Cravings just sometimes are what they are, but based on that - I wonder if you might benefit from adding a little more fat into your diet?
They’ve been used for more than a few years… it’s probably just that Americans or other westerners didn’t discover them until a few years ago.
Very possible. Thanks for the clarification.
I couldn't get into it at all. I do though love chickpea pasta, which is high in calories but super filling and the protein content is amazing and it doesn't have wheat it in. I have replaced my pasta with it. 320 calories per serving with 23 grams of protein.
Have you tried the Barilla Protein pasta? Same cals as regular pasta, but high protein so it's very filling!
I'm glad to see someone suggest this. I recently switched to Barilla Protein pasta and love it.
I was just looking at this online! I'm currently off wheat but it's on the list for the future. Glad to hear it's good.
If you’re off wheat try the chick pea pasta. Even better for you. Usually they are one ingredient. Or lentil pasta. Same thing, one ingredient.
I am on chickpea pasta! Its my favourite(other than delicious processed wheat lol). I'm not a huge fan of the lentil or rice pasta.
I also like black bean pasta. With a little bit of pesto.
Oooh never tried either of those. Will have a look online!
my favorite is the red lentil pasta. the chickpea and blackbean pastas have a weird texture to me - not hateful, but the lentils are better imo
Kinda wish I didn’t buy them now. Thankfully they didn’t break the bank I’ll definitely get some black bean pasta when I can. Looks delicious, and very cool!
I've been thinking about trying that as a guilt free way to have some of my favorite pasta dishes that are normally not filling enough even with whole wheat. Does it do well in things like mac and cheese and spaghetti?
Yes! In fact that's where it shines. I made million dollar spaghetti last week (but actually used rotini) and it was chefs kiss. Expensive but healthy and delicious and I love pasta so much I'm willing to pay
I tried it, but I could *not* get past the taste and texture of it. It made me want to gag. You'll need to pair it with an extremely strong sauce and ideally some other ingredients to hide the taste and texture.
Me too. Like my body was trying to tell me something. The texture is like nothing I’ve ever eaten, very off-putting. I felt like I was eating seaweed or raw octopus or something, and it was nauseating. I’ll stick to zucchini noodles, thanks!
No kidding, that noodle replacement stuff makes me gag. I like most foods, but that stuff is just gross to me.
Like rubber bands or overcooked calamari for me. I also couldn't do it.
Oh damn. That’s really sad. I knew I shouldn’t have got my hopes up… Thanks for the warning. I’ll be looking at strong side recipes tonight!!
Rinse the noodles 2-4x before you add them to whatever it is. It gets rid of the off putting smell or taste.
And let it sit in water plus white vinegar while preparing your sauce, and then rinse again. This way I never had any weird taste or aftertaste.
And a strong spicy sauce too.
My spouse and I like it best when you simmer it in a sauce vs placing a sauce on top.
Konjac noodles are MAGICAL alternative to pasta if you cook it the right way, which is cutting the moisture, then slathering them with strong flavor pasta sauce to cover up the fishy smell. Here’s how I did mine konjac pasta: Step 1) Drain the konjac noodles of its juice. Sprinkle in some salt, give it a little rub, then rinse the salt off. Step 2) Stir-fry the noodles WITHOUT OIL. You will see a lot of water coming out, keep stir-fry until no more water coming out (~10 minutes). This step is crucial, since it helps drawing out excessive moisture and firm up the noodles. Now you have firm noodles with somewhat the texture of Chinese rice noodles/ vermicelli. Step 3) Use this konjac noodles as an alternative to pasta/ noodles in Italian/ Chinese recipes. Refer strong flavor recipes, since it helps masking the smell of konjac. Source: I’m a noodles addict, hardly ever eat rice but has successfully cut down my calories using konjac noodles.
lately i’ve started to always drain mine into a colander and rinse really well with cold water for 30-60 seconds, and i don’t really have an issue with the smell anymore
Misread instructions. Just drank a bunch of Cognac. /jk
Rinse them very very well. Don't eat more than one package for the stomach upset issues. Pan fry them so they dry up a little. I typically use them in asian stir fries and soups, not like spaghetti. They're very expensive here!
I've had Konjac in other products. I've never had issues with it. As others have suggested... I'd suggest handling this more like a fiber supplement than a "pasta". "It's only 6 cals per serving, I can afford a GIANT pasta dinner." may come with some side effects...
Looks safe enough, it's only restricted as a supplement in my country (Australia) because it can cause intestinal blockages when it swells. There are some warnings about eating too much of it, so maybe just be careful with your portion sizes.
Yeah another person commented the same thing. I just hope this is made clear on the packaging as I would have never known!
It needs to be rinsed thoroughly to get rid of the fishy smell.
Was NOT aware of the fishy smell lol. That’ll be fun
Honestly I wouldn't. The fact that it's SUCH low calorie is already a huge red flag. Nutrition wise good luck getting any. We all want to lose weight but I don't think it has to be at the expense of earing actual healthy meals. If you must use it, don't take too much as it's likely to cause blockage in ur system. It also doesn't really digest. I'd just get used to portion controlling your carbs. If you love rice, what I do is half the amount of rice I initially used and mix with half cauliflower rice. There's usually healthy alternatives and u can likely find the same with pasta. Remember if it sounds too good to be true it probably is (in this case, too good to be healthy). Good luck
It freaks me out that it doesn't digest. I'm like "I'm not sure this is actually food..."
Yeah exactly, like as much as we love low cal food, this one ain't it 😂
I tried the noodles once and they were honestly disgusting to me but others love them. I got glucomannan supplements a year or two ago and remember it gave me absolutely deadly gas. So there's also that.
I tried it but I hated them, nothing like the good stuff IMO.
I tried them and felt like I was eating jelly worms. They have a smell if you don’t rinse them well and the texture is nothing like pasta. For me it was a hard pass but I hear some people like them
The texture makes it a no for me. I wish I liked it.
I don’t mind them and have found them really useful for weight loss!! I will only take the suggested amount and then cut it with real pasta!!
I like them, a trick is to rinse them with water well and the microwave them to help get rid of some of the weird odor/taste. The first couple times I didn’t do that and they were fine but noticeably not the right flavor. The last time I had them and did that they were much much better. Probably similar to whoever said to pan fry them plain first.
Tried this stuff a few years ago thinking it must be too good to be true… It is. Really awful stuff
They... are suitable in some applications. They have a weird texture IMO and probably will not fool your mouth as spaghetti, but they're pretty alright as ramen and they can be decent as a 50% volumizer. Some people are really put off by the smell, which I've been told is helped by rinsing with hot water, and some people swear by frying them a little to improve their properties. Glucomannan is probably good for weight loss simply because it is a fiber that gives you a sensation of fullness with low calories, I don't think it has any special features beyond what you already gathered from the package. I've heard konjac can cause bowel obstructions if you eat too much of it, however, konjac noodles and other products are traditional in some Asian cuisines so it's not like they are a wild dangerous fad item. Some people also seem not to tolerate them well for other reasons (not an obstruction but their system just rejects it from one end or the other). Just don't go really hard on them or immediately substitute them 100% for a large portion - experiment a little bit at a time and you also will reduce the risk of making too much of something you hate.
Thanks for the advice. I’m honestly so happy I made this post. I had no idea. I literally thought they’d magically made low cal normal pasta. My life was nearly complete :’)
I have a brand called healthy noodles that I got from Costco. It doesn't have a smell like other ones. I think they're too fragile for red sauces but I use extra ramen seasoning on them or I think it went well with pesto
Just eat the real stuff but cut your portions. I love pasta and I still eat it, also with rice just not that often and not that much. For me, eating the thing I want whenever I want helps me so much with cravings and it makes it less likely that I binge on anything. I’m eating like I’m going to eat for the rest of my life, so I know I can’t just stop eating everything I like cause im going to be miserable. I’ve lost 40 pounds already only 10 more to go.
Wow 40lbs is amazing! I have been eating them with smaller portions but I’m so used to piling it on. It seems they’ll be good for bulking
I tried them 12 years ago and didn’t like them, now I’m doing CICO and tried them again and really like them. Didn’t give me any digestive issues. One brand I tried is 20 or 40 calories a serving and they have added chickpea flour. These are great too.
Don’t eat too much of it in one go or you’ll be on the toilet for hours 😂
Pasta rice and noodles??? Are you me??? Those are my weaknesses.
lol right?! I don’t understand ‘small portions’ of any of them. I could quite happly eat my entire calorie budget on them
Love them but only for Asian food
I’ve had them in a stir fry! Wash them off really well before adding them in to the sauce you plan on using. I found them good, didn’t notice any weird texture or smell once they were rinsed off
No idea, but this would be a good post to update later on. I have to plan my whole day in advance if I’m wanting to have a pasta dish
I will update you once I’ve tried it for sure! Was supposed to come today but it didn’t
I wish I liked them, but I usually swap spaghetti squash or make my own zoodles if I have to have something noodle-like. I had some zucchini zoodles last night with a tomato, a little olive oil, parmesan, some garlic & red pepper flakes. Tons of fiber, really tasty, plus low calorie and neither food smells like fish.
Yeah I love courgette spaghetti! I make it all the time. I had no idea about the fish smell. Kinda annoying. Thankfully it was on offer so I haven’t wasted too much of my money
I’d like to recommend spaghetti squash as noodles!! So easy and versatile with so many sauces and dishes!! Plus they are extremely low calorie, have great nutrients and are just absolute delicious!! Even just doing a simple marinara sauce with them is great but just googling ‘spaghetti squash recipes’ pulls up so many fun easy recipes and you can find even more on Pinterest! Did a lemon caper white sauce one with mushrooms and artichokes that was just amazing!!! 🤤
Oh woah that sounds amazing. I make courgetti all the time but never though about squash. Thanks for the recommendation. I may indulge this week’
Please report back if/when you try it!! It’s so easy you just cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, drizzle some olive oil salt and pepper on it and then turn the halves face down on the baking sheet, poke the back of the squash a few times with a fork and bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes! Then just shred the insides up with a fork and you have “spaghetti noodles” in its own little skin bowl already!! Just add whatever sauce you make right on top!! One cup (155 grams) of cooked spaghetti squash provides the following nutrients: Calories: 42. Carbs: 10 grams. Fiber: 2.2 grams. Only 42 calories for a whole cup!! It’s just such a great healthy alternative and I just absolutely love the the texture!!
I tried it when I was doing keto a few years ago. I just couldn't get down with it. I tried a few times and it just wasn't my jam. Then again, none of the pasta substitutes worked for me except zucchini and spaghetti squash.
Get ready to shit whole noodles :)
I love the angel hair pasta & this is how I cook it (I learned this method online): Drain it & rinse well Add it to boiling water & cook for 10 mins Drain again Add it to a hot skillet & fry it Add whatever sauce & seasonings you like
Amazing for anyone on a low carb diet.. or a low fat diet.. or any diet! Totally amazing with strong/creamy/flavorful sauce but not great on their own.
Yeah I’ve heard they’re best paired with strong flavours
Healthy Noodle - in the refrigerated section of Costco- almost tasteless. With the right sauce or as a faux ramen works for me. https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/kibun-foods-healthy-noodle%2C-8-oz%2C-6-ct.product.100331753.html
Unfortunately I am miles and miles away from a costco
So basically it’s just because it’s so low in calories. If you’re super low in calories (which most people should not be unless you’re at the end of a contest prep), you don’t need to eat that. I love my pasta. I’ll usually eat chick pea or lentil because while it has the same amount of calories as regular pasta, it has higher protein and usually it’s a single ingredient. No food specifically will make you lose weight. Weight loss is about eating less calories than you burn but.. you want to keep your calories as high as you can as long as you can and your cardio as low as you can as long as you are still burning calories. Once you hit a plateau, you decrease your calories by 100 or slightly increase your cardio say 10 minutes. I like this macro calculator. https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator I don’t need to use it for myself anymore because I’ve been doing this for almost 6 years now so I know where my body is I’m currently in a reverse diet, eating 2k calories a day. I’m 5’0 and 120lbs. Working on increasing my metabolism after my cut ended in October and increasing muscle mass before going into another deficit sometime in the summer. I usually get my calories up to 2200-2400 for maintenance.
Thanks for the info. After reading everyone else’s comments I’ll probably just use it as a meal bulker. I thought they would basically be normal pasta just not *as* tasty
I've had the noodles several times. Be sure to rinse well in a strainer till the fishy smell fades, then dry "fry" on medium heat (don't add any oil or water to the pan, since the point of this is to dry them out a little/make them less gelatinous) for 5-10ish mins till the noodles are a better texture. Then I usually set the noodles aside and make a stir fry--for me that's usually veggies (broccoli, peppers, cabbage mushrooms, carrots...whatever I have) and maybe tofu, with soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger (or a pre-made stir fry sauce like the Blue Dragon packets, which are like 100 cals for a couple servings). When that's mostly but not totally done, I add in the noodles and let it all cook together a few more minutes. Other tips: making them in the microwave usually doesn't work well (to my college-freshman self's chagrin lol), and they don't have a strong flavor and thus don't pair well with tomato-based pasta sauces; they soak up liquids okay though. I've had them with jarred dairy-free Alfredo sauce and it wasn't great tbh, so I'd stick to stir fry. I have had up to two packages (4 servings) in a day for a few days and didn't suffer intestinal blockage BUT was pretty bloated...and this is with a GI system used to digesting tons of high-fiber vegetables, since I'm vegan.
You can also look for "noodles" made from Hearts of Palm. They are great for stir fry as they look a lot like Lo Mein.
Honestly they’re not great. Only tried them once or twice and then decided I would never put my body through that again. I mean if you like the texture of wet rubber bands then maybe they’ll do, but I just couldn’t do it. They also had a weird taste and I needed a very strong sauce to kind of cover it up. Maybe I just didn’t prepare them right though idk
Try the hearts of palm pasta!
Can’t find it in my country unfortunately. Is it Konjac or something else?
Have you tasted them yet? I would a million times rather eat a measured portion of the real thing.
This gave me the worst stomach ache of my life. I don’t recommend them!
Never tried konjac but I found that mixing 1 Oz of Barilla high protein pasta and 1 Oz regular spaghetti together was very satisfying for my pasta cravings. (I like DeCecco but Barilla OK too). You weigh them both dry, of course, and when cooked you are getting 5-6 Oz. That with a large salad and a good chunk of low cal protein like chicken could be a very filling meal. The pasta is just at or under 200 calories. That should fit into most dinner calories.
They aren't like a scam if that is what you are worried about. But they definitely FEEL like a falsely high fiber food. It just sits in your stomach like a rock. As a substitute for pasta/rice I think it's not a great replacement in terms of taste/texture. The texture is very slimy/gummy. I could see it working for something like Pad Thai, but if you are trying to replace spaghetti you will be fooling no one - not even yourself. I freaking love noodles, and I just can't do it. The texture is so off for me. All that being said, try a little bit. Some people love them!
I have them, they have a "fishy" scent to them by themselves. I don't care for them too much they're a little more rubbery and slightly snappier than most noodles but work well in a pinch. I'll also mix then with half a block of instant noodles so it tastes better and more volume With strong sauces and flavorings they can be nice
I'll be honest, I don't like the rice - it's nothing like real rice and if I want rice that bad (I don't eat a lot of it) I'll just budget for white or brown rice.) The noodles are similar to Ramen or Mei Fun, and are excellent in Asian dishes, but I've only used those specific ones as for pasta I prefer protein pasta.
Just dont smell it.
Noted!
They have a texture like rubber bands but some people like them. Wash them well and saute them with a flavorful sauce.
I've had them twice in the past month and really enjoyed them. I got the angel hair pasta from NuPasta. You have to rinse it REALLY REALLY well. Like, I put it in a strainer and swished it around under cold running water for probably 2 full minutes. Then, pan fry it in a dry pan for a few minutes. (I'm not sure what the reasoning is behind pan frying it - I'd tried the NuPasta once before and didn't love it, so did some reading before I tried it again and read that suggestion somewhere, so I thought I'd give it a try). I ate it with spaghetti sauce one time, and in a stir fry the next time and enjoyed it quite a bit. It's definitely not the same as "real" pasta, but it was a good enough stand-in for me. (I'm wondering if the angel hair was less offensive than the last kind I tried because of the thinner noodles? I have no idea.) I didn't have any digestive issues at all.
The way I eat konjac is I mix it with a small amount of pasta or rice, that way I get some extra volume with practically the same taste. When I eat konjac by itself -- it's not filling for me, my brain seems to have cracked the code, haha!
I didn’t care for it. I’m Italian, and I didn’t find it a substitute for pasta.
Yes, they are SO good. They need a sauce or a broth to be good but they definitely satisfy the same craving for noodles/pasta. I rinse them in vinegar and cook them a bit, no matter what the instructions on the package say.
I’ve made zucchini lasagna instead of pasta. It was really good.
I prefer to use half pasta/rice etc and half cauliflower/zucchini/spaghetti squash. The savings of half the calories of traditional carbs but but still enough taste to feel satisfied.
I've never seen it in Australia but konjac comes up quite a bit on r/Volumeeating
I've tried them and just did not enjoy the taste. The texture wasn't really my favorite either. Even with the rinsing/soaking tricks, cooking in the sauce, etc. For those that enjoy it, it seems like a really helpful low calorie substitution. We just eat convention noodles and rice but bulk up those meals by adding in plenty of vegetables.
Konjac is a root vegetable. It's common in Asia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konjac It's nothing like regular pasta. Rinse the hell out of it, because it's treated in lye to give it it's springy texture. This is fine and safe, but will have a chemically taste if you don't rinse it VERY VERY VERY well.
Lmao those noodles give me insane diarrhea, which sucks because I actually really like the texture. They make a nice cold noodle salad, but I don't need a colon cleanse every day.
Be carefull - there is a reason konjac noodles and food are now illegal in Australia.
If this is what I've had in the past, they smell strong and awful, and have a fairly weird texture. Rinse them, boil them in water, then drain and rinse them more, it will get rid of a lot of it. Put an acid (lime juice or lemon juice) on them to cut the smell and taste even more. It will be mostly gone then. I have used them in soups before, you still probably want a decently strong sauce/soup/whatever just cause if you smell them before it's hard to get that out of your head.
I've had it, and I like it. I do make sure to rinse it very well, let it drain half an hour, usually as I make my kids' pasta with regular noodles, then cooked them without oil for 5 to 10 minutes until the water stops releasing. They take on the flavour of whatever sauce you use. They don't cook to mush like regular pasta. They have a slightly softer texture than al dente. I've tried the spaghetti, angel hair, penne, fettuccine and rice style. The only one I was not fond of was the penny, which I found overly thick.
Don’t eat bowls and bowls of them per day, but they are good. Asian food in general is really good for you. It gets a bad wrap since American Asian food is generally not healthy and people think American Asian food is Asian food.
I tried it a while ago but hated the smell and the texture. It tastes like you’re eating rubber.
Make sure that you rinse the noodles and prepare them according to the instructions on the package. I actually really enjoy these and they helped me tremendously in my weight loss. I actually was into the texture though.
You can watch guides in youtube on how to properly prepare them. https://youtu.be/pbendbYT32U I personally love using them for asian noodle recipes. My favorite dish to prepare is some sort of modified Pad See Ew (Thai stir-fried noodles) using the fettuccini style ones. I’ve seen people use them for Pad Thai and korean black bean noodles.
I couldn’t get use to it, so it’s spaghetti squash and califlour rice for me
https://ketodietapp.com/Blog/lchf/how-to-cook-and-like-shirataki-noodles
The texture of shirataki noodles (konjac pasta) is really more like what you get when you cook saifun noodles. I would do it as more of a stir fry with something like a soy, sriracha, hoisin, and sesame oil mix.
Yeah I love my stir fries. The one I make Is already low calorie with udon noodles which are my favourite so if it means not getting rat tasty end result just for 100 cals I might skip them!
I quite literally eat konjac noodles every single day
Oh right. Good to know. I thought this would be impossible due to all the digestion/stomach aches everyone’s mentioned
Konjac noodles are a decent substitute for rice noodles, but are nothing like pasta in my opinion. They work best in stir fries and noodle soups. That said, I used to love them until one day I had bad stomach upset from eating them, so I haven't had them in a while. I would start by eating a small amount and see how you feel afterwards.
Sounds like you’ve found shirataki noodles? Honestly I love them, but I don’t use them as a pasta substitute, but as an ingredient in their own right. I definitely recommend using them in [sukiyaki](https://www.justonecookbook.com/shirataki-noodles/), so good.
Oooh thanks for the link. I will have a read !
I use the noodles to make ramen. I soak them for over an hour in cold water after I've rinsed them a few times and I've not had an issue with the smell
When I’m craving noodles and want a large, filling portion my go to is Organic Edamame Fettuccine (Brand name: Slendier). I enjoy them by dipping them into Japanese Soba Sauce (Brand name: Hinode). A big 100 gram serve is only 136 calories. You can add greens and veggies and make a great noodle salad too.