Konjac (Amorphophallus konjac), also called devil's tongue, is a plant of the Amorphophallus genus from the Araceae family. The perennial herbaceous plant is native mainly to the Asian region and is fairly low maintenance. In spring, the konjac tubers (also called konjac roots) sprout a single leaf. The inflorescences and fruit clusters are similar to those of arum, a plant which is native to Germany and belongs to the same family.
In Asia, the root tubers of konjac are traditionally cultivated and consumed in a way similar to the root tubers of Jerusalem artichokes, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
From a nutritional perspective, glucomannan, like other dietary fibers, is an important dietary fibre that can be used as a natural food source by microorganisms such as bifido-bacteria and lacto-bacteria.
Health Claims (as per EFSA):
- Glucomannan contributes to weight loss in the context of a low-calorie diet
- The positive effects of glucomannan occur with a daily intake of 3g in 3 portions of 1g each in conjunction with 1-2 glasses of water before meals
