Skinny Noodles
Yeah, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That’s all I could think about when I found out about these noodles. Calorie free pasta? Somebody is MESSING with me. But alas, it’s true. It’s real. It’s calorie free. It’s fiber packed. And it’s good for you.
These go by a few different brand names, another being Miracle Noodles, but I have only tried Skinny Noodles so far. According to the website…
“All natural Skinny Shirataki Noodles are gluten-free and made from glucomannan or konnyaku flour produced from the root of Amorphophallus Konnyaku, a member of the yam family native to Asia. Food products using this unique root have been consumed in Japan and China for thousands of years.
Skinny Shirataki Noodles and Skinny Shirataki Rice contain at least 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving (4 grams per serving for Skinny Shirataki Noodles Spinach Fettuccine type)”.
The spaghetti, angel hair, and rice versions are all calorie free, and the spinach fettuccine has 15 calories per serving. The spinach was my personal favorite because it had a richer flavor (due, of course, to the added spinach), but they were all pretty good. They are similar to tofu in the sense that they are almost flavorless, but will soak up the flavor of whatever they are marinated in. The texture is a bit slippery, but was nothing I couldn’t get used to.
They come in small bags, packed in water. The directions are to strain and rinse them, as they smell rather seaweedy. Once rinsed, however, there is no remaining weird smell or taste.
Now, let’s talk about the obvious concern here – something people don’t like to address. A zero calorie food? That’s just asking for an eating disorder. In some sense, it is. Since a lot of negative eating disordered thoughts include the lifelong wish that eating could come without consequence, I think products like these can be dangerous. Also, don’t you always say that FOOD IS FUEL? Yes, I do always say that, and this contradicts that a bit.
BUT, here’s how I feel about it: for me, it’s not really about these noodles being zero calorie, but about me feeling good about what I’m putting in my body. I don’t feel good eating refined pasta that has been broken down, bleached, and refortified with nutrients my body can’t absorb. I don’t feel good eating a diet that is super high in simple carbohydrates when I’m lifting 4 days a week. But I do love pasta. This is one great alternative to original pasta. Another great alternative is black bean pasta and mung bean pasta, packed with 20 grams of protein per serving! Most often, that is what I choose to eat, but having something like Skinny Noodles is fun because it gives me the pasta base I’m craving, but allows me to pile it high with delicious toppings of clean carbs and plant protein!
Like in this mad POWERBOWL:
Tofu sautéed in Bragg’s liquid aminos, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.
Powerbowl base of skinny noodles, red bell pepper, and broccoli.
Added the tofu and drizzled with Trader Joes’ Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette – YUM.
If you’re looking for a great, all natural alternative to pasta, or you’ve got some intense fat loss goals, I’d definitely recommend checking out Skinny Noodles.
Cheers to healthy, whole foods eating,
AvocadoAthlete
