Tofu Shirataki Noodles??
 

I tried searching but didn't come up w/ any answers. Are tofu shirataki noodles SBD approved? If so, what phase? Thanks SBD gurus!!

Tofu Shirataki noodles are a favorite food of dieters everywhere. These Angel Hair shaped tofu and yam infused shirataki noodles are a healthy low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-free, and vegan alternative to regular pasta noodles. Since these shirataki noodles are made of tofu and yam flour, they will allow you to get your pasta fix without packing on the pounds. Tofu Shirataki noodles absorb whatever flavor you add to them, so don't be shy with the sauce.

Ingredients:
TOFU (soybeans, calcium sulfate, glucono delta lactone), YAM FOUR, CALCIUM HYDROXIDE

Nutritional Facts:
Amount Per Serving
Calories 20
Calories From Fat 5
Total Fat 0.5 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 15 mg
Total Carbohydrate 3 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugar 0 g
Protein 1 g
Vitamin A 0 %
Vitamin C 2 %
Calcium 10 %
Iron 2 %

Shirataki is fine for Phase 2, but it should be avoided in Phase 1 because of the yam flour.

I love shirataki and it's a regular part of my diet. :)

Thanks for the info! I don't quite get why it isn't P1 acceptable. The glycemix index is very low. I am just thinking (in my opinion) 75 calories of this would be better than 75 calories of a NSA fudgisicle. Wouldn't this be less likely to bring on cravings than a artificial sweeteners and chemicals? I am not arguing, just curious as to to the rational beyond it.

yams are starchy and all forms of them should be avoided on phase 1...but i'm with you on your thinking. to be true to the guidelines, though, they should be avoided.

I found on another SBD forum that per the Daily Dish it was acceptable. I can't post links...but...


I guess we can go back and forth. It seem to "technically" not be ok but logically and rationally it seems better than 75-100 calories of "sweet treat" chemicals. I guess it all comes down to a personal preference and learning how/what our body reacts to. (which is what the journey is all about, right? :carrot:)

Thanks for your help!

I agree with you. It's much like the agave nectar debate - some say it is ok because it is such a low glycemic sweetener and it's a whole food rather than a chemical, others say it's not ok. it all comes down to our personal choice, because really, it is all our journey. try it, if it doesn't cause crazy cravings, go ahead and use them.

it is important though for us to give the technicalities so that each of us can make that decision for ourselves :)

agreed! That is why I came to the best source ever for answers and support. Love this board and its amazing members

I would love to see the Daily Dish piece about it. I think that, like agave, we are all making our best guess. Someone did note that those yams aren't like ours so it might be a factor. I do think the agave thing makes sense because low glycemic or not (and it's still much higher than fruit we don't eat) it is fructose. Once again though that's just my opinion :) We will always run into foods that Dr. A didn't put on the list. It's much easier to make those informed guesses about Phase 2 foods.

*and as Zeff said, ultimately we decide for ourselves. That should be done carefully, testing a little and watching for cravings.

A few years ago I copied and pasted the Daily Dish from the official South Beach website that stated shirataki noodles are perfectly acceptable in Phase 1 because they are mainly fiber.

The "yam flour" in the ingredients is just another name for glucomannan, which is fiber from an oriental tuber plant.

I plan on using it in Phase 1. If you'd like I'll try and find my copy and pasting of that article into word. It's been a few years. Let me know if you want it.

From the South Beach web site's Daily Dish:

Shirataki Noodles are acceptable for every phase of SB.

Here's a little info about Shirataki Noodles, made from tofu and a Japanese yam (also known as Konjac):

They're about 96% water and 4% soluble fiber. So its a great low carb noodle! They are a very traditional Japanese product. The word shirataki means "white waterfall," because of the appearance of these noodles. They are translucent and have no discernable taste of their own. But they easily absorb flavors from the other ingredients they are cooked with. So go ahead and use them as you would any other noodle or pasta They can also be sauted in a pan with garlic and soy sauce.

The noodles come packaged in water in a plastic bag. I've also heard they come in cans, too. Please drain the noodles well before cooking. The noodles can stay at room temperature for about one year. Do not freeze. To cook, simply steam, saute or boil for 3-5 minutes. Then add them as an ingredient to any other dish. You can even use them cold with a simple dressing.

Thank you for that information! I was eyeing this in the store the other day and wondering!

yesssssssssssssss!

i love making thai peanut noodles with them :)

Hey Zef, I did a search for the thai peanut noodles but came up empty handed. Can you post the recipe please?

Where can you purchase these? I live in a small town....thanks for any help!

Litar, I love them and live in a small town too. I order them online from lowcarb grocery here in Canada. I've never seen them in the stores.

If there is a Korean or Chinese store try there. I use to love them and one day opened one and the smell of the water just turned me off even though the expiry date was two months away. Haven't been back to them since.
take care
Sophie

Sophie, just hold your nose, rinse them really well and they are OK. I must check out the stores in Ottawa"s Chinatown next time I need an urban fix.

Yeah, I also thought the smell was very off-putting, but they did taste well when I put them in the sauce. Hmmm. What does par-boil mean on the packaging?

uscarchie: I think parboil means you just bring water to a boil, add noodles and turn the water down some so it's not at a rapid boil. It's like saying: "boil lightly". :)

I love these things. I haven't had them in ages, but they blend in with just about everything. Those and spaghetti squash are the mainstain of my fake pastas.

Now I want to try these.. mmm

I ordered these in bulk from Asianfoodgrocer.com and still have many, many packs sitting under my sink. Looove them.

Best thing I ever did. Try making Thai Basil fried ...shirataki with them. It works! XD

Nebuchadnezzar, can you share a SB approved recipe for those Thai Basil shirataki noodles? They sound really good.

I have a local "health/natural foods" store that carries them in the refrigerated section, near the other tofu products. I have never seen them at regular grocery stores, even ones with decent natural foods sections. I also do not live near a Trader Joes or Whole Foods, so I can't speak for them. A bit of a disclaimer though, don't expect them to have the same taste or texture as normal pasta.

I got some at a local Asian market, in the refrigerated section. There were clear/glass noodles and tan/brown (like normal pasta) colored ones which were the tofu. The tofu tasted better than the clear/glass noodles, but both were good. They don't have much of their own flavor - they are good to add to thai dishes (I put them in thai coconut curry soups), or put on some teriyaki sauce and add to stir-fry.

I love shirataki noodles for stir fries...great phase 1 noodley treat! (check the carb values - perfectly acceptable).

What's even BETTER are kelp noodles! I have a new love for these raw noodles. They have plenty of great nutrients plus the entire bag is like 25 calories! Check them out!!

I don't do SBD but here in NJ these are carried at Stop N Shop in the refrigerated vegetable section by the organic foods. I definitely recall one of the packages stating tofu, which threw me. I heard about these, never tried them, because I thought they were hard to get and had to be bought online. I didn't buy them when I found them, however, because of the "authentic aroma" - not sure how I'd get past that, but I'm happy to read that you folks like them - I just may have to purchase a bag.

I definitely go for the tofu shirataki noodles. Highest protein...least carbs.

If you rinse them really well in cold water and then soak them in water with a little lemon juice, the smell goes away.

If I'm making an asian dish, after I rinse them I soak them in water with some soy sauce and sesame oil.

Good luck!

I'm not on SB but I love the shirataki noodles. I just rinse them really well under warm-ish water in my large colander and then add them to whatever dish I am making at the time. They are an excellent sub for wheat noodles.

I love the Shirataki noodles, most of my stores carry them and they are a super indulgent-feeling treat when I make pasta for my family...now my husband even likes them too instead of regular pasta...if you rinse and microwave or parboil them they are not stinky...they are a great invention!!!

When I first tried them, I really, REALLY hated them. Now they are always in my fridge, even when I'm not eating "on program". I make the hungry girl fettucine ALL the time. Really, really good!!

This is great--y'all encouraged me to try them next time I find them. Thanks.