Glucomannan is a water soluble vegetable fibre and comes from the root of the plant Konjac. It can absorb large amounts of water, almost 100 times its volume, thus quickly producing a feeling of satiation. Therefore, it controls appetite and the amount of food consumed. It decreases the absorption of fats and sugars, while it also helps their excretion from the body. Furthermore, as a vegetable fibre, contributes to fighting constipation, which often prevents weight loss. Although these properties are typical of most vegetable fibres, the difference of glucomannan is that it is a syrupier substance, which makes it particularly effective when you want to lose weight.
Glucomannan must play a crucial role as nutriment for bacteria living in the intestines, the famous probiotics. In this way, the bacteria help the production of fatty acids, such as butyric acid, which, according to research, helps the prevention and reduction of obesity, while it also prevents insulin resistance. Prebiotics (nutriments for probiotics), such as glucomannan, regulate the microflora of the intestines and, according to extensive research, they are useful for decreasing obesity. Glucomannan also regulates the energy intake – i.e. calories –, glucose and insulin levels as well as satiation hormones. It is a safe vegetable substance, which can actually contribute to losing weight, reducing the large amounts of food and generally to improving our general health.