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Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Shapely New Konjac Shirataki Noodles

Ever since I first started blogging about the amazing low-carb Japanese wonder noodles called shirataki earlier this year, people can't seem to get enough of them. Well, they're now going to be able to enjoy a LOT more variety thanks to the release of 12 new shapes of Konjac brand of shirataki pasta noodles.

I reviewed Konjac Shirataki previously and have since made consuming it a regular part of my diet because it is so filling as well as loaded with healthy amounts of soluble fiber (a whopping 9g per bag!). If you desire weight loss or you just want to start eating something that is good for you, then Konjac shirataki noodles are HIGHLY recommended from this low-carber. :D

For some shirataki recipe ideas, check out the finalists in my recently-concluded "Livin' La Vida Shirataki" Recipe Contest. These shapely new Konjac Shirataki noodles will make eating shirataki that much more fun while you are getting the soluble fiber your diet desperately needs.

Here are some of the new shapes and my comments about each of them:


Konjac Hand Knot Pasta

This is one of the most odd-looking noodle shapes I have ever seen. Frankly, I'd never heard of "hand knot pasta" before seeing this and haven't got a clue what kind of recipe you would use this noodle in. Anyone care to enlighten me on this?


Konjac Angel Hair Pasta

Above all others, this is my favorite noodle shape. It works so well with Italian or Asian recipes and the texture is exactly like what you would expect it to be. Love it, love it, love it!


Konjac Trofie Pasta

I had never heard of this one before, but it's basically just a big thick spaghetti noodle. Again, this one woud be a great choice for Italian recipes and will absorb the spaghetti sauces, garlic, etc. very well.


Konjac Rigatoni Pasta

You know, I was thinking about how incredibly funny it is that a low-carb pasta alternative from Japan is creating all of these Italian noodle shapes. Hee hee! Who knew there was such an awareness of what rigatoni is in the Far East? :)


Konjac Lasagna Pasta

Okay, this one intrigues me more than any of the other shapes because it sounds promising. It's thick enough to be a great lasagna noodle and I will DEFINITELY look forward to making my first Konjac Shirataki lasagna very soon.


Konjac Penne Pasta

Look out macaroni & cheese fans, this pasta shape could fit the bill for you with some melted cheese to make that dish a regular one for you to eat again. Except this time, IT'S HEALTHY!!!


Konjac Sagnarelli Pasta

The first thing I thought of when I saw this pasta shape was dumplings, as in chicken & dumplings. It's certainly worth a shot and the shape and size is perfect for that kind of recipe.


Konjac Mini Pearl Pasta

Hooooowwwwdyyyy! Sorry, when I heard the name of this pasta, I immediately thought about the old television series Hee Haw. Ha! Seriously, I was hoping they would make a version of Konjac shirataki pasta that could be used as a rice substitute and this one fits the bill perfectly.


Konjac Fettuccini Pasta

Fettuccini has gotten a bad rap over the years when it has been put in combination with alfredo sauce. But now you can enjoy that famous dish without worrying about that. You've found a better way to eat it now!

Also available from Konjac, but not pictured are spaghetti, linguini, and ditalini (I don't know diddly squat about what this is!) pasta noodles. The possibilities are truly endless and all these new shapes of Konjac shirataki are yet another way to pump a little variety into your low-carb lifestyle.

You'll DEFINITELY want to stock up on these new pasta shapes, so click here to learn more about a special 20-bag Konjac Shirataki deal, which includes a mix-and-match deal, from our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur.

8-30-06 UPDATE: LOOKING FOR MORE ABOUT SHIRATAKI NOODLES? I have compiled ALL of my best posts on these amazing Japanese wonder noodles in this blog post to provide you with LOTS of great recipes, reviews of the various kinds of shirataki noodles, specific places where you can buy shirataki, and MUCH MUCH MORE! Check it out and THANKS for visiting my blog!

11 Comments:

Blogger Jimmy Moore said...

LOL! I actually thought they looked like shrimp, diamondwife! Hee hee! Oh what fun we have with our low-carb food, eh? THANKS for commenting!

6/14/2006 11:09 PM  
Blogger TESS said...

When make almost bread pudding, instead of using cottage cheese i puree a bag of the mini pearls in the blender. Cuts the carbs and calories even more.

6/15/2006 6:04 AM  
Blogger Jimmy Moore said...

THANKS for writing, Linda. No, Konjac shirataki does not have any tofu in them (that's the House Foods brand) and they are made with glucomannon (yam) flour. These have a net zero carbs and are quite versatile. I LOVE 'EM!

6/15/2006 10:27 PM  
Blogger Jimmy Moore said...

THANKS A.J. and CONGRATULATIONS on your success via livin' la vida low-carb! WOO HOO!

As for the Konjac shirataki, it may "look" gross and obviously not be as good as Dreamfields (another fave!). But for people who want and need a pasta substitute without even the 5 digestible carbs that are in Dreamfields, this stuff's a godsend.

I really like the soluble fiber content of Konjac shirataki and the fact that I'm not hungry for hours and hours after eating it. That's a good thing when you're trying to lose and/or maintain your weight.

THANKS again for sharing your comments. Don't let the new shapes scare you, they really are quite fun!

6/17/2006 8:38 AM  
Blogger Jimmy Moore said...

Let me look into that for you, Diva! THANKS for letting me know.

6/29/2006 7:48 AM  
Blogger Jimmy Moore said...

Hey Shirataki Diva,

I inquired about your concerns with Elaine Payne at Low-Carb Connoisseur and she said she'd be happy to talk with you about the expiration date issue you are having with the Konjac shirataki. E-mail her at lowcarb@carol.net.

Here's what she wrote to me:

Hi Jimmy,

The Konjac shirataki packages do not appear to have expiration dates on them, only the House Foods shirataki packages have dates.

The House Foods Shirataki bags we currently have in stock have dates that say September or October 2006.

If you would like to suggest that this person contact me, I
would be happy to try and help them sort this out.

Elaine


So there you go, Diva! Let me know if you need any more assistance with this. Elaine will take good care of you from here.

6/29/2006 1:46 PM  
Blogger RazzTJazz said...

I used the hand tied noodles in thhe Beef and Asparagus Shirataki Toss. I really liked it. it made the dish look a little different but also made it fun (and manageble to eat). My freinds were facinated by the noodles. I loved them.

I also used pork instead of beef. The only thing with the recipie is that it said cook noodles according to package. No instructions on package so I did what the webisites were saying but then added water to cook/steam the asparagus.

9/17/2006 5:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looking for true carb content of pure (no tofu) shiritake noodles.

I know the package says (no carbs), but this is impossible. If I chew on a piece of carrdboard box, it has a carb content.

US law allows foods with very low carb per serving (<0.6 grams, I think but am not sure) to label the serving as "no carbs." Clrealy for someone counting carbs very closely, this is misleading.

Food and nutritional data tables do not seem to include this food. Does anyone have a credible reference besides the manufacturer's supplies nutrition fax box?

4/23/2008 4:34 PM  
Blogger Jimmy Moore said...

THANKS Dr. Dana. When the manufacturer says "no carbs," what they mean is no "net" carbs. Glucomannon is a fiber-based food product, so these shirataki noodles are almost exclusively fiber carbs. I believe there are 3g of fiber in each serving and that is the totality of the carb counts. Hope this clears up your misunderstanding. :) THANK YOU for writing!

4/23/2008 4:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Jimmy:

Thanks for the reply and I'm sure you are a great inspiration to many!

I'm still having a question with this but I'm betting you and your readers can help me out. Here's my challenge:

By US law, the "net carbs" designation doesn't exist and must be listed outside of the nutrition facts box. (This is a numerical designation that Atkins and crew developed, as I'm sure you know). The actual carb count is supposed to be contained within the box. Why do I care?

"Net carbs" can be a misleading designation. For example, psyllium husks are just about a perfect 1:1 carbs to fiber ratio, making them "zero net carbs." No impact on blood sugars or ketones, right?

Truth is, different people extract different amounts of the carbs from fiber food more or less efficiently. I've seen "too much" psyllium knock a patient out of ketosis, something that shouldn't be possible with "zero net carbs." For others, it doesn't have this effect. (For example: AJ commenting above says Dreamfield's pasta with 5 grams net carbs doesn't rock her boat, but Scott elsewhere on this forum says the same stuff spikes his blood sugars and knocks him out of ketosis).That's why I take "net carbs" with at least half a grain of sea-salt! It's also the reason I want to know the REAL carb content of pure konjac noodles, which at this point I believe should be counted as 1 gram fiber per one ounce noodles until someone sees how they react to it.

My question for you and your readers is, who has experienced that these noodles do NOT affect their ketosis or blood sugar and how many have found that they DO affect same? Actual user feedback, not just comments on what the label says, will be most helpful to me.

Thanks!
Dr.Dana Myatt

4/23/2008 5:31 PM  
Blogger Jimmy Moore said...

The impact of Dreamfields pasta really does vary from person to person and so that's why I don't recommend people still losing weight to consume this product as part of their low-carb efforts. In maintenance, if it does not impact your blood sugars, then I don't see a problem with it and it can be an enjoyable experience for people who miss real pasta.

As for too much fiber kicking people out of ketosis, it is possible I suppose. I've never worried about fiber because it does not impact me. There are those in the low-carb community who count ALL carbs--from fiber and sugar alchols--while there are many more who don't count fiber, but they do count sugar alcohols. It goes back to that individual reaction thing again for the people following this way of eating.

This is fascinating subject and I may have to devote an entire blog post to it, Dr. Myatt. THANKS for sharing your feedback. :)

4/23/2008 5:37 PM  

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