Glucomannan
Glucomannan is a natural, water-soluble dietary fiber extracted from the roots of the elephant yam, also known as konjac.
It is available as a supplement, in drink mixes and is also added to food products, such as pasta and flour. It is also the main ingredient in shirataki noodles.
Glucomannan comprised 40 el dry weight of elephant yam, native to Southeast Asia. It has a long history of use in herbal blends and traditional foods such as tofu, noodles and konjac jelly.
Glucomannan has an exceptional ability to absorb water and is one of the most viscous dietary fibers known.
It absorbs so much liquid that a small amount of glucomannan added to a glass of water turns the entire contents into a gel. These unique properties are believed to mediate its effects on weight loss.
How does glucomannan help with weight loss?
Glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber. Like other soluble fibers, it is believed to promote weight loss in several ways :
- It is very low in calories;
- It takes up space in the stomach and promotes a feeling of fullness (satiety), reducing food intake at the next meal;
- It delays the emptying of the stomach, helping to increase satiety;
- Like other soluble fibers, it reduces the absorption of proteins and fats.
It also feeds friendly bacteria in your gut, which convert it into short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, which in some animal studies has been shown to protect against fat gain .
Feeding your gut bacteria may also have other benefits. Studies have shown a correlation between altered gut bacteria and body weight.
Glucomannan differs from most other soluble fibers in that it is exceptionally viscous, making it particularly effective for weight loss.
Other Health Benefits
In addition to promoting weight loss, glucomannan may improve some heart disease risk factors.
According to a systematic review of 14 studies, glucomannan can lower :
- Total cholesterol by 19 mg/dL (0.5 mmol/L).
- LDL "bad" cholesterol by 16 mg/dL (0.4 mmol/L).
- Triglycerides of 11 mg/dL (0.12 mmol/L).
- Fasting blood glucose of 7.4 mg/dL (0.4 mmol/L).
It mainly reduces blood cholesterol by decreasing the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines.
According to this research, adding glucomannan to the diet could potentially reduce the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Being a water-soluble fiber, glucomannan has also been successfully used to treat constipation.
