You probably know that dietary fiber is good for you and you may have heard that it can aid in weight loss.
Glucomannan is a type of dietary fiber derived from the roots of the elephant yam, better known as konjac, and research shows it to be particularly effective for promoting weight loss.
How Glucomannan Works
Glucomannan is a soluble fiber, meaning it lacks digestible calories and can be absorbed into the bloodstream and help improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels. However, what makes it particularly notable for weight loss is its ability to absorb water.
Glucomannan can absorb up to 50 times its own weight in water, gaining a gel-like consistency as it does so. That means a small amount of glucomannan can end up being quite bulky.
Because feeling “full” is a simple matter of your stomach being physically full (which is different from not being hungry), glucomannnan’s ability to fill the stomach with calorie-free matter provides an easy way to suppress your appetite.
And since this slows the rate at which food passes from the stomach to the intestine, it can also help to stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels, keeping you full for longer.
Studies have found mixed effects on weight loss, ranging from insignificant, to double the weight loss compared to placebo. Timing is important here– glucomannnan should be taken 20-30 minutes before meals so that it fills the stomach before you eat. This will both reduce food intake during the meal, and slow digestion of that meal so you stay full longer.
Glucomannan dosage is usually 1-2 grams, three times a day. Note that glucomannan requires a high water intake to work– you should drink at least twelve ounces of water with every dose to ensure that it can reach full effectiveness without dehydrating you.
What’s The Best Glucomannan Brand?
Best Glucomannan Capsules
NOW Supplements Glucomannan
NOW Supplements is one of the most trusted names in the supplement business, and these capsules not only come well-reviewed and lab-tested, but the dosing is both high and flexible.
At 575 mg a capsule, the recommended dose is 3 capsules for 1725 mg a serving, but you can easily lower that to two capsules for 1150 mg per serving. In fact that’s a better starting dose for most people; you can work your way up to two capsules once you’re sure two don’t cause digestive issues.
All in all, these are the best glucomannan pills for weight loss, both from a value and effectiveness standpoint.
Best Glucomannnan Powder
Nutricost Glucomannan Powder
As with any supplement, powder will give you the best value for money, at the cost of ease of use. You’ll need to mix this with plenty of water to ensure that it is completely bulked up before you swallow it; you don’t want it expanding in your throat as it goes down.
That said, this mixes well with smoothies. In fact it’s particularly good if you have a smoothie recipe you really like, but you’d like to make it thicker.
Editor’s note: we are regularly updating this review. If you see any problems, weird interpretations of the data, or just want to say hi, please reach out to hello@the-unwinder.com.
