Konjac's healthcare role
2018-05-24 22:31:25
Zhang Maoyu 1. Konjac is a traditional medicine and food
As early as more than 2,000 years ago, Shennong Bencaojing first listed Shantou (Konjin) as a drug, and all the ancient medical practitioners of the Liang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties recorded the medicinal and health effects of konjac. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" and chronic almanac records describe: Konjac is cold, spicy, "the use of tubers as medicine, detoxification, detumescence, phlegm-removing, disjunction, siltation and other functions." It is often used to treat coughs, belching, breast pains, cramps, burns, etc. The long-term decoction orally has both the stomach and digestive effects of pigs. "Smashed, boiled into cakes with ash sauce, flavors and food, the Lord Xiaoke." Japan also has many records for medicinal purposes, but all of them are after our country. For example, “Ben Materia Medica†has “poisonous, pungent, cold and poisonous. It is crushed and smashed. The boiled cake is made of ash juice. The tastes are balanced and eaten. The deafness is characterized by laryngeal bleeding. Indications are painful swollen wind poison, swabbing swollen area can cure intestinal wind." One of them is konjac. "Suihan Sancai Painting" describes that "The konjac can clear the abdominal sediment and it is most beneficial to men, but I do not know the principle. It can also cure dysentery, but other patients should not eat more."
The konjac is a traditional plant food in China. It was recorded in the “Gan Du Fu†in the collection of “Literature†of the Six Dynasties era. It was quoted in the Japanese poet Yuan Shun’s book “Harmony and Gathering†(931-937). “Oh, the texts were all marked with clouds. The roots were white, and they were cooked in the form of ash juice. China's konjac was introduced to Japan, initially as a medicinal and snack snack, and was used mainly among monks. It was a precious gift. After the shortfall, it began to become a common food.
Second, the health effects of konjac
From a nutritional point of view, konjac is a low-calorie, low-protein, low-vitamin, high dietary fiber food, high dietary fiber is its effective nutrients. Konjac flour is obtained by physical processing of konjac bulbs and is a concentrated product of effective nutrients. The main active ingredient is glucomannan, which is a soluble hemicellulose. The role of nutrition and health care of konjac is to play a role in regulating the imbalance of dietary fiber, such as preventing constipation, lowering blood sugar, reducing blood fat, and reducing weight. The health care effect of konjac has the following five points:
(1) Prevention and treatment of constipation Common chronic functional (conventional) constipation. According to a British survey, 10% of the total population suffers from this disease, and the incidence increases with age, ranging from 3% in young people to 20% in elderly people. Others Developed countries are similar. In the past, the incidence rate in China and developing countries was not high. With dietary refinement and ageing, the number of patients with constipation increased dramatically. Most patients took laxatives or anal evacuated medications, and only a few showed symptoms. Due to acute diseases (such as cerebrovascular accidents, heart, lung, renal failure, etc.), many patients with bedridden constipation and maintaining smooth bowel movements are necessary treatment measures.
The prevention of constipation is mainly the increase of dietary fiber content in the diet. Food coarse grains, vegetables, fruits and konjac flour products are rich sources of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber absorbs water, increases fecal volume, and improves intestinal flora. Intestinal bacterial glycolysis of dietary fiber produces lower fatty acids and stimulates bowel movements, all of which contribute to defecation. For patients with constipation, laxatives currently used clinically include five major categories, namely, lubricity, remission, salt, motile, and volumetric. The first four types of drugs need to pay attention to some matters, while the volume type is Fibrous preparations produce an effect similar to natural defecation only by increasing the volume of the feces, but its slow onset is an ideal medicine for chronic habitual constipation.
Studies at home and abroad have fully confirmed the effective effect of konjac and various dietary fibers on constipation prevention.
Research by Zhang Maoyu of West China University of Medical Sciences shows that consumption of konjac by constipation can increase the daily wet weight (equivalent to 1 gram of 1 g of konjac flour) and fecal water content; it can shorten the time the food is running in the intestine and the average time of defecation. Time; can increase the number of Bifidobacteria.
(B) the regulation of lipid metabolism Coronary heart disease has become one of the main causes of death. Lipid metabolic disorders undoubtedly accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis. A large number of epidemiological investigations and experimental studies have confirmed that plasma cholesterol levels are closely related to the incidence of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. According to a US survey, more than half of middle-aged and older people have increased blood cholesterol, which constitutes a high risk factor for coronary heart disease, such as a 1% reduction in cholesterol levels and a 2% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. Soluble dietary fiber binds to intestinal cholic acid, increases bile acid excretion, increases the synthesis of bile acids in the body, lowers blood cholesterol levels, and reduces the possible carcinogenic effects of the accumulation of gallstones and bile acid metabolites by the biliary excretion division.
Plasma lipids generally measure cholesterol and triglycerides. Different types of dietary fiber have different blood lipids. In the 1960s, Wells passed a mouse blood cholesterol level increase of 25%. If soluble fiber such as pectin and gum was added to the feed, the blood cholesterol level only increased by 11%, while the control group with thick fiber had no effect on lowering blood lipids. It has been reported at home and abroad that konjac has a significant lipid-lowering effect, which can lower blood cholesterol levels, and can also lower triglyceride levels, and it has been confirmed that when blood lipids reach normal levels, they do not decrease continuously, and play a role in regulating lipid metabolism. Prevent the effects of hyperlipidemia.
The Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, West China University of Medical Sciences studied the hypolipidemic effect of konjac flour, and the results were similar to the above (see the table below).
Serum lipid concentrations (M±SD) before and after the experiment
Test items Experimental group Control group Number of subjects Examined before experiment Difference in number of subjects examined Number of pre-experiment differences Triglycerides (mg/dl) 66 222.3±146.6 168.1±63.8 54.2 44 253.4±133.3 234.4±134.4 19.0
Cholesterol (mg/dl) 66 205.3±31.5 190.7±21.1 14.6 44 199.2±44.0 202.3±47.1 -3.1
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dl) 66 47.2±11.0 61.7±21.7 -14.5 44 117.9±25.7 111.8±23.0 6.1
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dl) 66 55.8±11.0 45.1±8.1 10.7 44 10.92±38.0 112.7±29.6 -3.5
Apolipoprotein A1 (mg/dl) 64* 123.1±23.0 142.0±15.1 -18.9 43** 135.1±16.9 125.1±17.8 10.0
Apolipoprotein B100 (mg/dl) 64* 86.5±14.5 81.1±13.7 5.4 43** 95.6±11.8 85.1±16.0 10.5
The study also showed that konjac flour has a significant lipid-lowering effect on patients with hyperlipidemia, while the blood lipid levels at the critical value of the risk, basically maintain the original level, play a role in the prevention of high blood lipids.
Effect of konjac food on serum cholesterol concentration (M±SD)*
Drop in concentration (mg/dl) (mg/dl)
200--230 54 8.3±18.2
>230 12 42.4±23.4
*Compared with serum concentrations, P<0.01.
Effect of konjac food on serum triglyceride concentration (M±SD)*
Drop in concentration (mg/dl) (mg/dl)
130--150 23 -1.1±23.1
>150 43 83.8±133.5
*Compared with serum concentrations, P<0.01
Soluble fibers regulate the possible mechanism of lipid metabolism, in addition to increased bile acid excretion, but also reduce fat and energy intake, reduce fat and cholesterol absorption and other reasons.
(C) to improve the metabolism of sugar control diet is an important measure of diabetes treatment, dietary fiber is not digested and absorbed, no calories, but also a sense of satiety, and can reduce and delay the absorption of glucose, diabetes is a good auxiliary drug. Studies have shown that soluble fiber has a significant effect on improving glucose metabolism while insoluble fiber has no significant effect. The study of the effect of konjac flour on blood sugar in diabetic patients by Wong Seung-soo of West China University of Medical Sciences showed that the konjac flour has an effect on blood sugar, and the hypoglycemic effect of the severer person is better than that of the lighter person, and it also reduces postprandial blood glucose and reduces fasting blood glucose. More effective.
Changes in blood sugar after eating konjac flour
The number of biochemical indicators before the trial in the trial before and after the fasting blood glucose (mg%) 72 71 61 159.53 ± 36.12 140.48 ± 28.41 139.52 ± 35.82
Postprandial blood glucose (mg%) 72 71 61 275.72±80.32 236.90±59.74 227.67±59.10
Glycated hemoglobin (nmol fructose/10 mgHb) 71 40 27 91.68±21.76 82.85±19.82 77.93±17.83
Comparison of three groups of subjects' blood glucose drop (mg%) at the end of the test
Indices light (FBG-0<150mg%) (150≤FBG-0<200mg%) Weight (FBG-0≥200mg%)
Decrease rate of the number of cases (%)
Decrease rate of the number of cases (%)
Decrease rate of the number of cases (%)
FBG 24 4.83 3.73 28 24.07 14.51 9 51.8 22.82
FBG 24 21.42 9.71 28 68.67 21.11 9 84.6 24.15
(D) weight loss US Walsh double-blind method confirmed the role of Konjac's weight loss, Western China Medical University research results confirm this effect, consumption of konjac flour for 30 days, weight loss rate was 78.4%, a decrease of 0.5 - 4.7 kg, individual differences. The filling effect of dietary fiber in the stomach increases satiety and reduces the absorption of thermogenic nutrients. The addition of a certain amount of konjac or other soluble fiber to the diet can prevent obesity and reduce weight. At present, diet foods or health foods containing konjac flour or other soluble fiber are on the market.
(E) Other effects The literature reports that many non-starch polysaccharides have the function of regulating the immune function of the body and can enhance one or more aspects of non-specific immunity, cellular immunity, and humoral immunity. Preliminary studies have shown that konjac flour can improve the specific and non-specific immune functions of normal mice and immunosuppressed mice and has immunomodulatory activity.
The popular ice and snow survey and some experimental studies have shown that dietary fiber has a certain effect on the prevention of colon cancer, breast cancer, etc. It has also been reported that konjac flour has a preventive effect on lung cancer in mice. It may be that a large amount of soluble fiber absorbs a large amount of water to dilute the concentration of intestinal carcinogens and pre-carcinogens, and accelerate their excretion; influence the change of intestinal flora, increase the number of anaerobic bacteria, diarrhea in the anaerobic bacteria, have anti-cancer The role of accelerating the excretion of metabolites of suspected carcinogen bile acids.
Third, konjac in nutrition and health care and medical applications
The use of konjac is very extensive, mainly in food, medical and industrial applications, as well as the comprehensive utilization of flying powder. From the perspective of nutrition and health care, konjac is used in three ways:
As the main raw material or additive for foods With the development of konjac food science and technology and the improvement of the understanding of konjac, konjak flour is used as an important raw material or additive for food to make a variety of foods, beverages, jelly, and juice products. many.
As a health food, it can be developed as a health food that has specific health functions for a specific group of people.
Made of drugs at home and abroad have been made of soluble fiber volume medicine to treat constipation. The use of soluble fiber as a drug for the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and obesity is currently the hottest topic.
Konjac blood lipids, hypoglycemic, weight loss, laxative and other effects, and its active ingredient glucomannan content is closely related, so the above three uses konjac flour, must ensure that the quality of konjac flour and glucomannan The content and quality can really play a role in the application.
As early as more than 2,000 years ago, Shennong Bencaojing first listed Shantou (Konjin) as a drug, and all the ancient medical practitioners of the Liang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties recorded the medicinal and health effects of konjac. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" and chronic almanac records describe: Konjac is cold, spicy, "the use of tubers as medicine, detoxification, detumescence, phlegm-removing, disjunction, siltation and other functions." It is often used to treat coughs, belching, breast pains, cramps, burns, etc. The long-term decoction orally has both the stomach and digestive effects of pigs. "Smashed, boiled into cakes with ash sauce, flavors and food, the Lord Xiaoke." Japan also has many records for medicinal purposes, but all of them are after our country. For example, “Ben Materia Medica†has “poisonous, pungent, cold and poisonous. It is crushed and smashed. The boiled cake is made of ash juice. The tastes are balanced and eaten. The deafness is characterized by laryngeal bleeding. Indications are painful swollen wind poison, swabbing swollen area can cure intestinal wind." One of them is konjac. "Suihan Sancai Painting" describes that "The konjac can clear the abdominal sediment and it is most beneficial to men, but I do not know the principle. It can also cure dysentery, but other patients should not eat more."
The konjac is a traditional plant food in China. It was recorded in the “Gan Du Fu†in the collection of “Literature†of the Six Dynasties era. It was quoted in the Japanese poet Yuan Shun’s book “Harmony and Gathering†(931-937). “Oh, the texts were all marked with clouds. The roots were white, and they were cooked in the form of ash juice. China's konjac was introduced to Japan, initially as a medicinal and snack snack, and was used mainly among monks. It was a precious gift. After the shortfall, it began to become a common food.
Second, the health effects of konjac
From a nutritional point of view, konjac is a low-calorie, low-protein, low-vitamin, high dietary fiber food, high dietary fiber is its effective nutrients. Konjac flour is obtained by physical processing of konjac bulbs and is a concentrated product of effective nutrients. The main active ingredient is glucomannan, which is a soluble hemicellulose. The role of nutrition and health care of konjac is to play a role in regulating the imbalance of dietary fiber, such as preventing constipation, lowering blood sugar, reducing blood fat, and reducing weight. The health care effect of konjac has the following five points:
(1) Prevention and treatment of constipation Common chronic functional (conventional) constipation. According to a British survey, 10% of the total population suffers from this disease, and the incidence increases with age, ranging from 3% in young people to 20% in elderly people. Others Developed countries are similar. In the past, the incidence rate in China and developing countries was not high. With dietary refinement and ageing, the number of patients with constipation increased dramatically. Most patients took laxatives or anal evacuated medications, and only a few showed symptoms. Due to acute diseases (such as cerebrovascular accidents, heart, lung, renal failure, etc.), many patients with bedridden constipation and maintaining smooth bowel movements are necessary treatment measures.
The prevention of constipation is mainly the increase of dietary fiber content in the diet. Food coarse grains, vegetables, fruits and konjac flour products are rich sources of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber absorbs water, increases fecal volume, and improves intestinal flora. Intestinal bacterial glycolysis of dietary fiber produces lower fatty acids and stimulates bowel movements, all of which contribute to defecation. For patients with constipation, laxatives currently used clinically include five major categories, namely, lubricity, remission, salt, motile, and volumetric. The first four types of drugs need to pay attention to some matters, while the volume type is Fibrous preparations produce an effect similar to natural defecation only by increasing the volume of the feces, but its slow onset is an ideal medicine for chronic habitual constipation.
Studies at home and abroad have fully confirmed the effective effect of konjac and various dietary fibers on constipation prevention.
Research by Zhang Maoyu of West China University of Medical Sciences shows that consumption of konjac by constipation can increase the daily wet weight (equivalent to 1 gram of 1 g of konjac flour) and fecal water content; it can shorten the time the food is running in the intestine and the average time of defecation. Time; can increase the number of Bifidobacteria.
(B) the regulation of lipid metabolism Coronary heart disease has become one of the main causes of death. Lipid metabolic disorders undoubtedly accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis. A large number of epidemiological investigations and experimental studies have confirmed that plasma cholesterol levels are closely related to the incidence of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. According to a US survey, more than half of middle-aged and older people have increased blood cholesterol, which constitutes a high risk factor for coronary heart disease, such as a 1% reduction in cholesterol levels and a 2% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. Soluble dietary fiber binds to intestinal cholic acid, increases bile acid excretion, increases the synthesis of bile acids in the body, lowers blood cholesterol levels, and reduces the possible carcinogenic effects of the accumulation of gallstones and bile acid metabolites by the biliary excretion division.
Plasma lipids generally measure cholesterol and triglycerides. Different types of dietary fiber have different blood lipids. In the 1960s, Wells passed a mouse blood cholesterol level increase of 25%. If soluble fiber such as pectin and gum was added to the feed, the blood cholesterol level only increased by 11%, while the control group with thick fiber had no effect on lowering blood lipids. It has been reported at home and abroad that konjac has a significant lipid-lowering effect, which can lower blood cholesterol levels, and can also lower triglyceride levels, and it has been confirmed that when blood lipids reach normal levels, they do not decrease continuously, and play a role in regulating lipid metabolism. Prevent the effects of hyperlipidemia.
The Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, West China University of Medical Sciences studied the hypolipidemic effect of konjac flour, and the results were similar to the above (see the table below).
Serum lipid concentrations (M±SD) before and after the experiment
Test items Experimental group Control group Number of subjects Examined before experiment Difference in number of subjects examined Number of pre-experiment differences Triglycerides (mg/dl) 66 222.3±146.6 168.1±63.8 54.2 44 253.4±133.3 234.4±134.4 19.0
Cholesterol (mg/dl) 66 205.3±31.5 190.7±21.1 14.6 44 199.2±44.0 202.3±47.1 -3.1
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dl) 66 47.2±11.0 61.7±21.7 -14.5 44 117.9±25.7 111.8±23.0 6.1
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dl) 66 55.8±11.0 45.1±8.1 10.7 44 10.92±38.0 112.7±29.6 -3.5
Apolipoprotein A1 (mg/dl) 64* 123.1±23.0 142.0±15.1 -18.9 43** 135.1±16.9 125.1±17.8 10.0
Apolipoprotein B100 (mg/dl) 64* 86.5±14.5 81.1±13.7 5.4 43** 95.6±11.8 85.1±16.0 10.5
The study also showed that konjac flour has a significant lipid-lowering effect on patients with hyperlipidemia, while the blood lipid levels at the critical value of the risk, basically maintain the original level, play a role in the prevention of high blood lipids.
Effect of konjac food on serum cholesterol concentration (M±SD)*
Drop in concentration (mg/dl) (mg/dl)
200--230 54 8.3±18.2
>230 12 42.4±23.4
*Compared with serum concentrations, P<0.01.
Effect of konjac food on serum triglyceride concentration (M±SD)*
Drop in concentration (mg/dl) (mg/dl)
130--150 23 -1.1±23.1
>150 43 83.8±133.5
*Compared with serum concentrations, P<0.01
Soluble fibers regulate the possible mechanism of lipid metabolism, in addition to increased bile acid excretion, but also reduce fat and energy intake, reduce fat and cholesterol absorption and other reasons.
(C) to improve the metabolism of sugar control diet is an important measure of diabetes treatment, dietary fiber is not digested and absorbed, no calories, but also a sense of satiety, and can reduce and delay the absorption of glucose, diabetes is a good auxiliary drug. Studies have shown that soluble fiber has a significant effect on improving glucose metabolism while insoluble fiber has no significant effect. The study of the effect of konjac flour on blood sugar in diabetic patients by Wong Seung-soo of West China University of Medical Sciences showed that the konjac flour has an effect on blood sugar, and the hypoglycemic effect of the severer person is better than that of the lighter person, and it also reduces postprandial blood glucose and reduces fasting blood glucose. More effective.
Changes in blood sugar after eating konjac flour
The number of biochemical indicators before the trial in the trial before and after the fasting blood glucose (mg%) 72 71 61 159.53 ± 36.12 140.48 ± 28.41 139.52 ± 35.82
Postprandial blood glucose (mg%) 72 71 61 275.72±80.32 236.90±59.74 227.67±59.10
Glycated hemoglobin (nmol fructose/10 mgHb) 71 40 27 91.68±21.76 82.85±19.82 77.93±17.83
Comparison of three groups of subjects' blood glucose drop (mg%) at the end of the test
Indices light (FBG-0<150mg%) (150≤FBG-0<200mg%) Weight (FBG-0≥200mg%)
Decrease rate of the number of cases (%)
Decrease rate of the number of cases (%)
Decrease rate of the number of cases (%)
FBG 24 4.83 3.73 28 24.07 14.51 9 51.8 22.82
FBG 24 21.42 9.71 28 68.67 21.11 9 84.6 24.15
(D) weight loss US Walsh double-blind method confirmed the role of Konjac's weight loss, Western China Medical University research results confirm this effect, consumption of konjac flour for 30 days, weight loss rate was 78.4%, a decrease of 0.5 - 4.7 kg, individual differences. The filling effect of dietary fiber in the stomach increases satiety and reduces the absorption of thermogenic nutrients. The addition of a certain amount of konjac or other soluble fiber to the diet can prevent obesity and reduce weight. At present, diet foods or health foods containing konjac flour or other soluble fiber are on the market.
(E) Other effects The literature reports that many non-starch polysaccharides have the function of regulating the immune function of the body and can enhance one or more aspects of non-specific immunity, cellular immunity, and humoral immunity. Preliminary studies have shown that konjac flour can improve the specific and non-specific immune functions of normal mice and immunosuppressed mice and has immunomodulatory activity.
The popular ice and snow survey and some experimental studies have shown that dietary fiber has a certain effect on the prevention of colon cancer, breast cancer, etc. It has also been reported that konjac flour has a preventive effect on lung cancer in mice. It may be that a large amount of soluble fiber absorbs a large amount of water to dilute the concentration of intestinal carcinogens and pre-carcinogens, and accelerate their excretion; influence the change of intestinal flora, increase the number of anaerobic bacteria, diarrhea in the anaerobic bacteria, have anti-cancer The role of accelerating the excretion of metabolites of suspected carcinogen bile acids.
Third, konjac in nutrition and health care and medical applications
The use of konjac is very extensive, mainly in food, medical and industrial applications, as well as the comprehensive utilization of flying powder. From the perspective of nutrition and health care, konjac is used in three ways:
As the main raw material or additive for foods With the development of konjac food science and technology and the improvement of the understanding of konjac, konjak flour is used as an important raw material or additive for food to make a variety of foods, beverages, jelly, and juice products. many.
As a health food, it can be developed as a health food that has specific health functions for a specific group of people.
Made of drugs at home and abroad have been made of soluble fiber volume medicine to treat constipation. The use of soluble fiber as a drug for the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and obesity is currently the hottest topic.
Konjac blood lipids, hypoglycemic, weight loss, laxative and other effects, and its active ingredient glucomannan content is closely related, so the above three uses konjac flour, must ensure that the quality of konjac flour and glucomannan The content and quality can really play a role in the application.