I discovered this food item only last month, before the Passover holiday. The 200 gr pack was lying on a shelf in the health store. It made me curious as it boasted 9 calories per 100 gr, no glutten, no sugar, no salt, no stabilizers - no additives whatsoever - only fiber . Almost too good to be true (it even had a label with 'kosher le Pesach' on it). The pasta comes in various forms: noodles, rice, couscous. I chose the noodles package for trial.
They say the product in our health store is not the original, but a local version - and a much better one - a version that got rid of an initial bad (fishy) smell that comes from the konjac plant upon which this product is based.
instructions on the back of package
Well, after opening the pack, removing the water and giving the pasta a good rinse, I divided it in two parts, and left the second half in the fridge for next day consumption. I warmed the stuff in a pan; next, threw it into a small pot with 1 and a half glass of boiling water and a 1/2 flat teaspoon of organic veggie soup powder (Holland 'naturfood' powder is the only brand I use in my kitchen)- and, voila, a little soup with noodles for only 9 calories.
It was delicious. Really. One warning though: drink much water after that as these noodles tend to absorb the liquids in the stomach and this might cause problems for certain people. I heard there were consummers complaining of nausea following the eating of a skinny pasta dish. Me, I wasn't familiar with the water warning, and yet I felt nothing wrong.
There are suggestions to combine this pasta with various sauces and veggies to improve its taste and texture. It's possible, of course, and it could work very nicely, but there's no need to, and I wouldn't recommend that to those who want it as a tool in their weightloss process - 'the less, the better'.
front and back of package
Anyway, I shall definitely try it again (pity it's a bit pricey in our parts) and then decide whether to include it in my regular menu . I intend to eat the pasta soup in the evening, because it's a light meal and because it gives a sense of fullness that'll, hopefully, keep me well away from food until next day.
Interesting product. Would you buy again at the price point, or woudl you just avoid pasta if you had the intolerance issues (gluten, salt et.)?
ReplyDeleteI have no intolerance issues to anything, Thank God. I'm just constantly looking for products that could help me maintain the desired body weight, especially in winter. This is very important to me.
DeleteI'll try to buy this product online, at a cheaper price, if possible. If not, I'll still manage somehow. The main thing is to find out, after a while, that it's good for me.
Are these shirataki noodles? I should try some!
ReplyDeleteYes, Sandi. In Japan it is known as Shirataki Noodles, and is very popular.
DeleteIn Israel it appeared only two years ago, in 2016. The rumor has it that the importer, owner of a big diet business, has employed several food experts to remove the fishy smell of the konjac herb from the original product.
I'd never heard of this but now you have me curious. I will have to check it out!
ReplyDeleteIt was new to me too; probably because it's not sold at the supermarket but at health stores to which I go less often.
DeleteHow interesting! I would like to try it for the same reason, in the evenings. I couldn't handle a fishy smell though if it had that....
ReplyDeleteNo harm in trying it once or twice. You might like it and it has health benefits.
DeleteI know konnyaku! We use it in cooking in Japan, in a more of a solid form, or as noodles, and doesn't really taste but takes on the taste of the broth it is cooked in, and used with other foods, like you explained!! And the first thing before using it for cooking is we have to boil it a few minutes to get rid of the fishy taste!! Exactly!!
ReplyDeleteIt is healthy, and light. I hope though that you will be be careful about the way its advertised for diet. Sometimes when things are advertised for diet, it is not always so healthy if you miss the other things the body needs. Well, hope you don"t mind my saying that advice! Its out of love for you my friend Duta!! Blessings and a good week to you!♡smiley:)
konnyaku - konjac. You seem to know all about it. No wonder, as you live in Japan.
DeleteYou're absolutely right; it's just one more good thing, not a product you should base your entire diet and eating habits upon.
I wasn't sure how the ending of your story would go, but I'm truly happy that you liked it! Less calories and a full feeling; sounds too good to be true! But it is. Yay.
ReplyDeleteYes, kind of a 'happy ending'.There are various sorts of 'regular' pasta and the number of calories per 100 g is from 150 to 200, and even more than 300 calories. So, the skinny pasta 'rocks'.
Deletei guess that's the question - if it keeps you full!
ReplyDeletei sometimes use zucchini that i spiralize for noodles and its super good!
Well, it does keep one full. After eating the 100 g portion (half of the pack), I felt "stuffed".
DeleteHealthy food often is very expensive, sadly. I have my favourite health store as I'm a vegetarian and mostly feed myself on seeds like a bird :) I'd like to get rid of everything industrial in my diet, but some things are just difficult for me to get rid off, like sweetener for example in my tea...
ReplyDeleteI also tend to be vegetarian, but still eat some meat now and then; it's because i've been taught my whole life that animal protein is irreplaceable and lack of it causes trouble.
DeleteFrom my life experience, it might be true only about egg protein. Ten years ago, there was panic concerning eggs and cholesterol. I stopped eating eggs and I got hair loss. It took me a long time to realize the cause of my hairloss, and even more to recover from it.
But that is why you need to replace it with protein from plants, Duta. You can find them in legumes (beans, lentils of all colours I prefer the red ones as they are done in ten minutes, peas etc) in nuts (a handful of walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts a day does the trick) or in seeds (I myself grind six teaspoons of different seeds each morning - sesame, chia, flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, peanuts - mix them with a teaspoon of coconut oil and that is my morning spread on some brown bread, it has literally all the minerals and protein you need during the day and lots of other things you cannot find in meat :) If you are careful with vitamin B intake like that you won't have hairloss, your hair should be even better :) And you have sesame paste and humus too down in the holy land of Israel! Nom nom nom...
DeleteThanks for your suggestion of the morning spread; sounds good, I'll try it.
DeleteAs for sesame paste (tachina) and humus - I'm mad about them and eat more than I should. After all, they're appetizers and their consumption should therefore be somehow limited.
That's interesting finding pasta that is kosher for Passover. Then again, my daughter found a lot of things labeled Kosher for Passover due to Israeli stores being in the Sephardic mindset. Our mean rabbi told us, "No." :(
ReplyDeleteGood point, Joyce! I know about the sephardic mindset, and on Passover I envy them as they're more flexible and can eat things that I, as an askenazi, am not allowed to eat.
DeleteWell, 'skinny pasta' has a stample which reads 'kosher le Pesach l'lo hashash kitnyiot'= that is without kitnyiot and it's suitable for us, askenazim. (kitnyiot- grains, seeds,certain legumes).
I've never heard of the product, nor have I seen it.
ReplyDeleteAs I began reading your description, I'd begun to think the packet must have been empty upon opening because of all the ingredients etc., it was missing! :)
Actually the pack is quite plump as it contains a lot of water.After opening, I put it in a strainer to remove all that water.
DeleteInteresting, Duta. We have a pasta here called "thin pasta." Not sure if it's the same thing, but I much prefer it over the regular thick pasta, which we also have here.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of pasta........that is what I'm making for dinner tonight, with a sauce and grated cheese. : )
Enjoy your pasta soup!
~Sheri
I don't think it's the same. It's just 'thin' as opposed to 'thick'.
DeleteAnyway, enjoy your dinner of pasta with cheese and sauce!
So far, I've enjoyed the trial of two packs (4 portions) of skinny pasta, and I'll be buying some more.
Is there such a thing! Ha ha! Love pasta though maybe too much!
ReplyDeleteYes, there is, and it's a good thing. You can treat it like regular pasta and mix it with cheese or favorite sauce,and you can eat it without any addition using it as a means of watching your body weight.
DeleteIt is 7:38pm over here.
ReplyDeleteI am feeling hungry.
:-)
It's probably your running that opens your appetite. It should be fine as a post running dish.
DeleteI got hungry just reading this. Are you getting your vitamins and minerals?
ReplyDeleteThe truth is I get hungry only by thinking about it. I like it in my little soup.It tastes great and is easy to prepare. And it's a good weight watcher.
DeleteI think it contains only fiber and calcium, but we get all our vitamins and minerals from veggies, fruit and...capsules. So, no problem.
Boa tarde, por vezes encontramos o inesperado, foi o que aconteceu, assim, encontrou uma massa saudável, ainda bem.
ReplyDeleteFeliz fim de semana,
AG
Right. I found the unexpected, and it was a good find. Sometimes, that's how things happen.
ReplyDeleteLike several others have commented, I too have never heard of this skinny pasta product. It may not be available in the supermarkets we frequent or perhaps in the health foods section which I'm not familiar with. That said, I have tried skinny popcorn, which is not the same, I know, but actually tastes rather good. And I also am having pasta tonight but with vegetables and cheese.
ReplyDeleteSkinny popcorn - never seen them here. I buy a package of corn and make popcorn using Procto& Gamble device with no salt and no addition of anything. Four cups is about 120 calories, and that's good, low-calorie for a snack.
DeleteInteresting, wish it was around here!
ReplyDeleteOf course it is there. Perhaps under another name, but if you mention the herb konjac ,in any health store they'll know what pasta you have in mind.
DeleteI read Sandi's comment and she asked the question are these shirataki noodles ...
ReplyDeleteThey do seem quite popular (if you can get them).
All the best Jan
So far, I've opened and consummed 4 packs (8 portions), and it was ok. I like them. When at the health store next time, I 'll hopefully buy some more packs.
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