Konnyaku Jelly: Japanese Konjac Sweets from Orihiro
Konnyaku (こんにゃく/蒟蒻) is a healthy food made from konjac or devil’s tongue starch, commonly eaten in Asian countries.
This Asian delicacy originated in China, transmitted to Japan around the 6th century.
Konnyaku is very low in calories and is a popular diet food in Japan, as about 96 to 97 percent consists of water.
The food is a rich source of glucomannan, a soluble dietary fiber. And it can easily make you feel full thanks to its firm and chewy texture.
We Japanese eat Konnyaku in various ways.
For example, we consume it with soy sauce as Sashimi in the summer, and winter Nimono (煮物) simmered dishes often contain it.
Konnyaku Jelly (蒟蒻ゼリー) from Orihiro
In Japan, even desserts utilize konjac or devil’s tongue starch, and Konnyaku jelly is the representative.
The product pictured above is a grape flavor of konjac jelly from Orihiro, which has long been a favorite in my country.
It is a fresh and jiggly jelly confection made with devil’s tongue powder instead of gelatin and comes in fruit flavors.
These treats contain 18 percent of grape juice and are delightfully sweet.
Cautionary Note
Konnyaku jelly tastes good with a pleasant texture, but there is a cautionary note you should remember; It is firm and hard to collapse the shape.
So when eating, you should chew it well so as not to get it stuck in the throat. In addition, you shouldn’t try the frozen one because it is more dangerous.
Ingredients/Nutrition Facts
Lastly, for your information, here are the specific ingredients and nutrition facts of the Orihiro Konnyaku jelly.
| High fructose corn syrup, Sugar, Fruit juice (Grape, Apple), Reduced starch syrup, Konjac powder, Acidifier, Gelling agent (Polysaccharide thickener), Flavoring, Potassium chloride, Sweeteners (Acesulfame K, Sucralose) |
Nutritional Values
| Calories | 13 kcal |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.2 g |
| Salt equivalents | 0 – 0.1 g |
(Reference Page: Wikipedia コンニャク )
