Is Konjac Pasta a Healthy Choice?

Konjac pasta has become a popular low-calorie, low-carb and gluten-free alternative to traditional wheat-based pasta. But is it good for you? Also known as shirataki, the Japanese-style noodle is made from konjac, a yam loaded with glucomannan fiber, and offers several health benefits.

“It’s rich in fiber, so it can help with digestive health,” says Jennifer Kerner, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian at University Hospitals. “It can also help people manage weight, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.”

4 Health Benefits of Konjac Pasta

The wheat flour used in regular pasta is mainly made up of starch, so it’s low in fiber. Konjac flour is lower in starch and contains more soluble fiber, which slows digestion.

Including konjac pasta in your diet can help:

Support Gut Health

As fiber passes through your stomach and intestines, it can help build good bacteria in your gut and keep harmful bacteria away. “Most people should aim to eat about 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day,” says Kerner. “Konjac noodles can help you reach this goal.”

Control Weight

This type of pasta can be helpful if you’re trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight. “The fiber from konjac noodles swells in your digestive tract, which can help you feel full after eating a meal,” says Kerner. “Satisfaction with less calories can help with weight management.”

Lower Cholesterol

Eating a diet rich in soluble fiber can be especially beneficial if you’re managing high cholesterol or diabetes, she says. Some studies have shown that glucomannan fiber may lower total cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, which is the “bad” cholesterol that can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Manage Diabetes

“Many people with diabetes want to feel satisfied while also maintaining control of blood sugar after a meal,” says Kerner. Eating high-fiber foods, like konjac pasta, that are low in carbohydrates can help people with diabetes feel full and stabilize blood sugar. Unlike starch- and sugar-based carbohydrates that spike blood sugar after eating them, high-fiber carbs have a more neutral effect on blood sugar.

Are There Any Downsides to Eating Konjac Pasta?

It’s difficult for the digestive system to break down dietary fiber, and most fiber passes through your stomach and intestines undigested. “If a person eats too much fiber, or if they quickly increase their fiber intake after regularly eating a low-fiber diet, it can lead to bloating, diarrhea and increased gas,” says Kerner. The same can happen if you eat large portions of konjac pasta or if you eat it every day.

To help avoid side effects, Kerner recommends adding just one or two servings of konjac pasta to your diet per week so your body can get used to the fiber content. “The portion and frequency can be increased gradually depending on how well you tolerate the fiber,” she says, “but this is not a food that anyone should eat daily or in large amounts.”

Additionally, swapping a low-calorie food like konjac pasta for other carbohydrate-containing foods may make it hard to get enough energy from your diet. Konjac pasta also contains less protein and essential nutrients (like B vitamins or iron) than regular pasta, so it’s generally less nutritious. And lastly, konjac absorbs a lot of water and doesn’t dissolve easily, so Kerner encourages being mindful about chewing it to enable smooth swallowing and easier digestion. “Make sure to chew the pasta well,” she says, “and eat at a regular pace so you can feel the sensation of fullness.”

How to Enjoy Konjac Pasta as Part of a Healthy Diet

When you purchase konjac noodles at the grocery store, they’ll likely come packaged in water. Kerner says it’s best to rinse them after opening the package and then cook them in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes before draining them in a colander.

“You can create a cold pasta salad by rinsing them with cold water, blotting them dry with a clean tea towel and then dressing them with a sauce and tossing in vegetables and a protein,” she says. If you want a hot dish like pad thai or stir fry, she suggests preparing the drained noodles in a saute pan. “You can also add them to a soup or stew,” she says. “They won’t lose their texture when soaked in a broth.”

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The clinical dietitians at University Hospitals have the knowledge, advanced training and experience to help patients develop healthy eating plans to optimize overall health and prevent or manage certain health conditions.