Low-Calorie Konjac

[Anchor Lead]

It’s hard to resist the temptations of delicious but fattening foods. What if there was a low-calorie option on the menu that would still fill you up? Konjac might just be the answer. If you haven’t heard of it before, you’re not alone. We’ll introduce it to you on today’s close up.

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There are really lots of tasty foods in the world. However, binging on fatty foods is the quickest way to gain weight. Konjac is the food Korean people turn to when they need to lose weight. Konjac is made with large starchy corms from a plant of the same name. The corms are dried and ground first. The addition of water makes the powder sticky. After being mixed with a coagulant, the substance is left for four hours until it hardens. The konjac now has become semitransparent It looks like jelly.

[Soundbite] Prof. Yoon Mi-eun(Dept. of Food and Nutrition, Sahmyook University) : "Konjac is a great food for weight loss, since more than 95 percent of it is water and its calorie counts is less than 10kcal per 100 grams."

Konjac is a representative low-calorie food. It calorie count is even lower than sweet potatoes and chicken breast. Despite its low-calorie benefit, the problem is that konjac is tasteless. But there are various ways to make it tastier.

[Soundbite] Ryu Ji-na(Culinary Expert) : "This is konjac rice. Its addition to ordinary rice or other grains helps lower calorie counts."

This is konjac rice. Konjac rice significantly lowers the calorie count of ordinary rice, adding a better mouthfeel. Here are some good recipe suggestions for applying konjac. Let's make pizza first. It is difficult to imagine how it will taste. A wide sheet of konjac is parboiled in boiling water. And cuts are made on one side of the konjac to help the seasoning permeate well. The konjac is boiled down in water and soybean sauce. The side with cuts should be placed face down in the pot. Tomato sauce is applied and mozzarella cheese and various vegetables are placed on the konjac. It is microwaved for a minute and a plate of konjac pizza is ready. Next, let'ss make a bowl of pasta with konjac and sweet pumpkin. The dish will be made with konjac noodles. A sweet pumpkin is cooked after its seeds are removed. The well-cooked sweet pumpkin is blended with milk and water to make a yellow cream sauce, which is just as sweet and soft as it looks. Stir-fired mushrooms and onions are mixed with this sauce. Cooked konjac noodles are mixed with the sauce and boiled for some more time. Pizza or pasta made with konjac can be good options for those seeking to lose weight.

[Soundbite] Park Se-ra(Seoul Resident) : "It is good for those who are dieting, since its taste is healthy and light. It is a low-calorie food with a great deal of dietary fiber."

It is possible to enjoy the benefits of konjac with healthy cooking. Konjac fills you up, not out. Take advantage of the low-calorie food to the fullest if you are worried about weight gain.