Konnyaku (in Japanese Kanji, 蒟蒻) is also commonly called Konjac or Devil's Tongue. It is a perennial plant from the IndoChina Peninsula.
The dried corm of the Konnyaku plant contains around 40% Glucomannan, a high purity vegetable fibre. Glucomannan is also called Konnyaku Mannan.
Glucomannan is also one of the dietary fibers of polysaccharides composed with the ratio of 1:2 Glucose and Mannose respectively. In powder form, it is colourless and odourless, highly absorbability and steady water retention property. Recently due to having such characteristics, it is getting attention as the new application material.
Konnyaku has been a Japanese traditional food. In Japan, Konnyaku has been used for more than 1500 years. Konjac has almost no calories but is very high in fibre. Thus, it is often used as a diet food. It is also proven that intake of Konnyaku will help to reduce blood sugar in diabetic patients.
For over 100 years, Japanese have used the konnyaku vegetable as a beauty treatment for their delicate skin. |