Published on December 18, 2021
Lately, I’ve been asked several times about this new “fake food” — “How do I count this?” — so let me give you some real, not fake, facts.
The first two (of the four) ingredients are KONJAC and OAT POWDER.
Konjac, also known as glucomannan, is an herb that grows in parts of Asia. I highlighted the “gluco” part of that name (as in glucose, which refers to sugar) because this herb is known for its starchy corm, a tuber-like part of the stem that grows underground. The corm, while used to make a source of soluble dietary fiber, is also used as a gelatin substitute to thicken or add texture to foods.
Oat powder (which is the same as oat flour), as the word “powder” or “flour” tells you, is finely ground oats – meaning, they are refined carbohydrates, not complex carbohydrates.
Given these facts, if you were to use this product, you would treat it just as you would a real pasta serving: ½ cup cooked = 1 Grain serving
The calories associated with this product are irrelevant.
It’s ALL about serving size and portion control . . . not about “Ooh, goodie, I can eat the ENTIRE bag for only 9 calories.” Or, “Wow, one bag is 9 calories, so I can plan to eat 6 bags (54 calories) and call it a 1/2 grain serving.”
P.S. Let me tell you about the fourth ingredient, calcium hydroxide (also known as slaked lime). This is an inorganic compound. It is a colorless crystal or white powder and is produced when quicklime (calcium oxide) is mixed with water.
Aside from its application to a “fake food” product, here are just some of its industrial applications:
Mortar, plaster, cement and other binding and paving materials; in lubricants, drilling fluid, pesticides, fireproofing coatings, water paint; manufacture of paper pulp; in water and sewage treatment; as absorbant for carbon dioxide; in the preparation of ammonia. It is also often used in the production of petroleum oils, brake pads, certain types of rubber, and dry mixes for paint.
It also has medical and dental uses—for example: root canal fillings often contain calcium hydroxide, as do dental bridges.
Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? 🤢
Just as cauliflower “rice” isn’t rice, it’s cauliflower . . . if a product is NOT made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, it ain’t pasta!
Slimcerely yours℠,
