Geo-Science Writer
Have you ever eaten or heard of agar (kanten, 寒天）food? It is a jelly-like food made of water-soluble dietary fibre extracted from an agar weed (seaweed called tengusa in Japanese) . It often used sweets/deserts and sometimes in appetisers of traditional Japanese cr
cursine or snacks, just like the way jelly is used in western cursines.
Becasuse agar contains virtually no calory but rich in dietary fibers and is quite filling (agar fills stays in stomach for a long time), it has become popular in recent years in Japan. It is particularly popular among middle-aged men and women for weight control, and for people suffering from diabetes. Even though the great health benefit of agar is clear, it is often difficult to keep it as a habit - just like eating a serving or jelly or two every day. Even though there are many recipes available to cook agar jellys with a wide range of flavors, just like the above Youtube video demonstrates, it was difficult for me to keep eating it for two successive days; once a week was enough. I love the taste, but agars are cheap and come in a large quantity. So to me, it was too filling.
But my worries are over. There are many pre-made agar products available - it is not just desserts. These product include soup, noodle, risotto, curry, and cake, with a wide range of flavors. I tried these, and most of them tastes great are not expensive at all. So I will start a series of easy-to-cook (including instant) agar foods starting tommorrow.
After switching to agar diet (meaning that eating one agar dish a day), I feel much better, sleep better, wakes up early, have more focus, and I am gradually losing weight, even when I do not do any physical exercises. I also have no hunger surge at all.
Shuji
Posted on Tuesday 12 June 2012