Monday, February 13, 2012

Shirataki Noodles: A Gift From The Food Gods



A few days ago, I visited a little store called "Nature's Storehouse" in Canton, NY.  They're quite the health shop, who sell every supplement you could ever desire, and every healthy food that seems to skip over the shelves of more common, "mundane" grocery stores.  I found various grains like amaranth, chia seeds, and quinoa, as well as various seaweed types like dulce flakes.  But upon entering that store I was really only looking for one thing: Shirataki noodles.  These noodles are a dieter's dream food, having only 1 net carb per serving, and between 5-20 calories per 4oz depending on whether they are enhanced with tofu or not.  I'm here to tell you today that my search was not fruitless, and I came back to my dorm with three 8oz bags of tofu shirataki noodles.  Let me tell you all right now, THESE THINGS RULE!

First, let's explore a little and find out what shirataki actually is.  Shirataki noodles are thin, gelatinous noodles made from a yam native to Japan called the Konjac Yam.  They happen to be extremely low carbohydrate, due to the fact that they're composed almost exclusively of soluble fiber, which can't be digested by your body (or at least they're not able to be used as an energy source.)  That means they have almost no calories as well, and each of my 8 oz bags has 40 calories.  Let me tell you folks, 8 oz is plenty of noodles, and will go with any meal quite nicely.  They'll fill you up pretty darn quick too, another plus.

So what's the difference between traditional shirataki noodles and tofu shirataki noodles?  Well, by themselves, shirataki noodles have zero carbs, and practically no calories, making them the ideal choice for the super strict dieter.  However, plain shirataki noodles have a bit of a strange texture to them, and can bit a bit "rubbery" to bite into.  Food production industries found that by adding a small amount of tofu to the noodles, the texture can be softened, and at the same time a tiny bit of carbohydrates and protein is added to the noodles as well.  As mentioned before, 4 oz of tofu shirataki noodles still only has 20 calories, so it's really NO big deal at all, and honestly it's nice to get at least a few nutrients into what basically is just a "filler food."  Tofu shirataki noodles (while still rare) are also much easier to find than plain shirataki noodles.



Just for fun, here are the nutritional facts for shirataki noodles and tofu shirataki noodles.

3 oz of plain shirataki noodles:


Nutrition Facts
Calories 2(8 kJ)
% Daily Value 1
Total Fat0g0%
Sat. Fat0g0%
Trans Fat0g
Cholesterol0mg0%
Total Carbs.0.5g< 1%
Dietary Fiber0.5g2%
Sugars0g
Protein0g


4 oz of tofu shirataki noodles:


Nutrition Facts
Calories 20(84 kJ)
% Daily Value 1
Total Fat0.5g< 1%
Sat. Fat0g0%
Trans Fat0g
Cholesterol0mg0%
Sodium15mg< 1%
Total Carbs.3g1%
Dietary Fiber1.5g6%
Sugars0g
Protein1g
Calcium100mg

And also for fun, here's 2 oz of regular angel hair spaghetti:


Nutrition Facts
Calories 200(836 kJ)
% Daily Value 1
Total Fat1g2%
Sat. Fat0g0%
Trans Fat0g
Cholesterol0mg0%
Sodium0mg0%
Total Carbs.42g14%
Dietary Fiber2g8%
Sugars1g
Protein7g

Big difference right?  If you want low carb pasta, there isn't much substitute for shirataki noodles.  They're easy to get creative with as well.  I'm such a seafood lover that in my dorm the other day I cooked a package of tofu shirataki noodles with a can of drained clams, and two sliced mushrooms.  I added some chili powder, mixed it all up, threw it in the microwave, and before I knew it I had a delicious and filling meal that had 30 g of protein at less than 200 calories.  I'm sure the seafood lovers amongst you can appreciate my creation, and I assure you I was in heaven.



I ran across this recipe the other day and think it a remarkably creative example of using shirataki noodles to their full extent.  Looks delicious!

http://shirataki-noodles.recipesilove.com/2011/11/grilled-tofu-and-chicken-with-tofu-shirataki/

To wrap things up, let me say this:  Shirataki noodles really are a miracle food.  I can't wait to combine them with all sorts of other recipes and ingredients, because after seeing what can be done with them I realize I've barely scratched the surface of their potential.  If you can, I EMPLORE you to pick some up ASAP.  You won't regret it.  They're delicious, easy to cook, low calorie, low carb, and could very easily help your diet out BIGTIME.

Love shirataki, be creative, and as always, GOOD LUCK!


5 comments:

  1. Shirataki Noodles are increasing in popularity as a wonderful additive to diet menus around the globe. These noodles are calorie and carb free.

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  2. Most definitely! I'm actually going to go pick up some more right now. Thanks for the comment!

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  3. I don't know much about Japanese kitchen... Ive heard of Shirataki from the anime Gintama, and I really want to try it :) I hope the recipe isn't too difficult. I don't practice cooking outside the Papa's Games website lol this shouldn't be too hard I think.

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. I have tried shirataki noodles from miracle noodle and this brand is by far the best. Not to mention it is soy free. I can even eat two bags and it never raises my blood sugar. My whole family loves these noodles and is so happy to have these because we are all grain free. Thank You Miracle Noodle for making such a high quality product!

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