http://www.naturalnews.com/Review_400032_Miracle_Noodle_glucomannan_Konjac.html
Review: Miracle Noodle Really Is Zero Carbs, Zero Calories
By Mike Adams, January 28, 2009
Key concepts: Miracle Noodle, Glucomannan and Konjac
We've received quite a few questions about the Miracle Noodle product (www.MiracleNoodle.com), mostly from readers wondering if the noodles are any good, and if they're really zero calories.
Good news on both counts: The noodles are good, and they really are zero calories! How is this accomplished?
We asked the Miracle Noodle company to send us a few samples so I can try the product myself, and they promptly sent over a few bags of their noodles in various sizes. I then used the noodles in a few recipes, including a soup recipe and an Italian pasta recipe. My verdict? They're great!
But you have to understand the context here: They don't taste like wheat noodles or grain pasta. In fact, they have virtually no taste at all. They're made out of konjac root, the source for glucomannan, which is used as a natural fiber in some nutritional supplements. This root has traditionally been used throughout Asia as part of a healthy diet, so it's not new to the food supply.
What's new is turning it into the shape of various noodles and using them as a replacement for traditional pasta. In that context, the noodles look like pasta and even have a similar texture as pasta, but they contain zero calories and no carbs.
For some, the lack of taste might be a problem. If you're expecting Miracle Noodles to taste like spaghetti, you'll be disappointed. Rather, the key about working with Miracle Noodles is to let the sauce carry the taste and recognize that the noodles themselves are basically there as placeholders.
That's actually a good strategy for dieting, by the way: Eating more glucomannan causes you to feel full (physically) before you've eaten very many calories. So your brain is somewhat tricked into thinking you ate a huge meal, but in reality the caloric energy in that meal is dramatically reduced compared to a traditional pasta meal.
Eating a noodle meal with Miracle Noodles in place of traditional pasta could easily reduce the total calorie count of the meal by 500, and possibly more. Just as importantly, it will also reduce the glycemic index of the meal considerably, and that's great news for anyone working on controlling their blood sugar levels (diabetics in particular).
In all, the Miracle Noodle product gets a thumbs up from me. The only downside is that it's packed in plastic bags, and there is a legitimate concern for bisphenol-A contamination in plastic packaging these days, so I hope to see the company introduce a BPA-free plastic container in the future.
Miracle Noodles are available in various physical formats: Angel Hair, Fettucini, Orzo Pasta, Linguini and several others. See their website for details: www.MiracleNoodle.com
Disclaimer: I have no financial ties to the Miracle Noodle company and earn nothing from the sale of this product.