[CRS_META] declined: crsociety - forwarded personal message

[Tim C.]

Hi Meta,

The message below was sent off-list to Warren.

-Tim C.
*********


Hi Oanh,

I forwarded your message off-list to Warren.

-Tim C.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Oanh Blake"

To: <warren.taylor at gmail.com>; "The CR Society Main Discussion List" <cr at lists.calorierestriction.org>
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 7:36 PM
Subject: Re: [CR] Properties of Non-caloric Grain Substitute Konjac (KGM)

> Hello Mr. Taylor,
>
> Could you let me know how I can order KGM from you, and also get the recipes for use of the same?
>
> Thank you,
> Oanh Blake
>
> warren.taylor at gmail.com wrote:
>> A reference to konjac (KGM) posted by Dr. Al Pater caught my attention.
>> http://www.behrbonn.com/konjacmb.htm
>> Konjac is a non-caloric grain substitute that absorbs the
>> flavors of the foods in which it is cooked -- very versatile
>> because it can take many different forms and textures, such
>> as the form of rice granules, wheat grains, pasta noodles,
>> tapioca, jello, and other common foods -- but without the
>> calories.  So konjac forms part of my diet.
>>
>> And I have been supplying high quality unprocessed KGM
>> to CR List members, letting them experiment with it as a
>> food product, while experimenting with it myself to create
>> new foods and new recipes -- and getting excellent feedback
>> from other creative users and experimenters who are also
>> making new discoveries about recipes and new uses (like how
>> to create nice non-caloric noodles from the raw konjac
>> powder -- thanks Mark; Using granules as non-caloric
>> tapioca substitute -- thanks Andrea; and faster, easier
>> ways to easily create non-caloric rice/wheat granules
>> without keeping it boiling on the stove -- again, Mark)
>>
>> Three points of interest that have come up in live phone
>> conversations:
>>
>> 1) Can you prove that konjac has (essentially) zero
>>    calories.  Why is this true?
>>
>> 2) Does konjac decrease the caloric content of fats,
>>    making them less absorbable and lowering their calories,
>>    acting like a "fat blocker?"
>>
>> 3) Does konjac interfere with absorption of fat soluble
>>    nutrients, and if so, how much -- since anything that
>>    blocks fats also blocks the nutrients it carries?
>>
>> >From the reference above comes the following answers for
>> why konjac has (essentially) no calories, along with other
>> properties of konjac that answer (at least partially)
>> some of the above questions:
>>
>> -------------------
>> Begin quote:
>>
>> The ingestion of Konjac Mannan (KGM) has been found to be
>> cholesterol lowering in many investigations (VORSTER, 1985;
>> TSUJI, 1968; US PATENT (II); US PATENT (III); VENTER, 1978;
>> KIRIYAMA, 1970).
>>
>> The hypocholesterolaemic activity is common to several
>> hemicelluloses and was found to be connected to water
>> solubility and high viscosity of aqueous solutions
>> (due to high molecular weight).  It is assumed that the
>> effect is based on an interference of the transport of
>> cholesterol in the jejunum and of bile acids
>> (cholesterol intermediates) in the ileum (DAVIS, 1975).
>>
>> KIRIYAMA (1970) found that Konjac Mannan gel formed by the
>> reaction of Konjac Mannan solution with lime does not lower
>> the serum cholesterol level.
>>
>> Hemicellulases do not occur in the mucosal lining of the
>> human alimentary tract (nor have they been found in any
>> vertebrate), wherefore Konjac Mannan cannot be digested
>> by humans.  However, a certain fraction of ingested
>> Konjac Mannan is nevertheless degraded by colon inhabiting
>> bacteria (e.g. Aerobacter mannanolyticus) (INOUE, 1957; INNAMI, 1961).
>> MARINI (1975) found that only 71% of 3 g of ingested
>> Konjac Mannan could be recovered in the feces.
>>
>> It was also reported that Konjac Mannan ingestion has a
>> weight reducing effect (BIANCARDI, 1989; JAPAN KOKAI).
>> It is assumed that such an effect is caused by an increase
>> of the gastric emptying time (EUR. PATENT).
>>
>> A reduction of the blood glucose level and the serum
>> insulin concentration by the administration of
>> Konjac Mannan in a glucose tolerance test was found
>> by OKU (1983) and DOI (1979, 1982).  However, improved
>> glucose tolerance could not be confirmed by MORGAN (1990);
>> they found however a postprandial lowering of the
>> insulin level. The recommended daily dosage of
>> Konjac Mannan varies from 3.0 g to 7.2 g per adult
>> person and day (DOI, 1979; BIANCARDI, 1989; VENTER, 1978).
>>
>> Konjac Mannan was found to be non-toxic by OKETANI (1984)
>> although a hypertrophic effect on cecum and colon of rats
>> was observed when excessive amounts of Konjac Mannan
>> (20% in the diet) were administered (KONISHI, 1984(I);
>> 1984(II)). DOI (1983) studied the resorption of
>> Vitamin B12 and Vitamin E in the presence of Konjac Mannan.
>> They found no interference with the resorption of
>> Vitamin B12 but a reduced resorption of Vitamin E.
>> They conclude that the resorption of fat soluble vitamins
>> is affected because of the removal of bile acids by
>> Konjac Mannan.
>>
>> Konjac Mannan solution gels if heated after alkali addition.
>> This gelling is explained by MAEKAJI (1978) by the hydrolysis
>> of the acetyl groups of the Konjac Mannan.  (The OH-groups
>> no longer protected by acetyl groups form intramolecular
>> hydrogen bonds thus "cross linking" the Konjac Mannan
>> molecules).  A further interesting characteristic of
>> Konjac Mannan lies in its synergism with other hydrocolloids:
>> Konjac Mannan and Xanthan form mixed gels at a total
>> concentration of as low as 0.1%.  Thermoreversible gelation
>> is observed in mixtures of Konjac Mannan and Agarose or
>> Carrageenan solutions (DEA, 1981).
>>
>> End quote:
>> -------------------
>>
>>
>
>