Konjac

Konjac refers to elephant yams such as Amorphophallus konjac (Araceae), Asian tubers grown in China, Japan and Southeast Asia that are the source of konjac glucomannan gum. Also called konjaku or konnyaku, the corm is processed into flour or shaped into gels for use in noodles (shirataki), jellies and foods. The corm contains calcium oxalate raphides that irritate the mouth, so it must be processed — peeled, cooked or treated with alkali — before consumption. The extracted glucomannan swells in water to form viscous, low-calorie gels prized as thickeners, gelling agents and dietary-fibre ingredients in weight-management and diabetic-friendly foods.