Potential Benefits of Porang Plants for Health

DicatNews - Potential Benefits of Porang Plants for Health. The porang plant is a tuber known as the carrion flower because it has an unpleasant aroma. Launching the official website of the Research Institute for Assorted Beans and Tubers, this plant, called the Latin Amorphophallus oncophyllus, is known as iles-iles, iles kuning, acung, or acoan. The porang plant has been used for a long time. During the Japanese occupation, people were forced to find these plants in the forest to meet food and industrial logistics.

The porang plant was once considered a useless wild plant because it had a bad smell. However, porang plants are now widely cultivated to be used as an ingredient in flour, shirataki noodles, gelatin, and konjac. Apart from that, this plant which is an export commodity can also be used as raw material for the manufacture of glue, waterproof coatings, paints, fillers for tablets, thickener, negative films, celluloid tape, and cosmetics.

Beyond the benefits of the porang plant , porang apparently retains a number of potential health benefits. Launching research on the  Diversity of Iles-iles and its Potential for the Functional Food, Cosmetics and Bioethanol Industry (2016) by Yati Supriati, porang contains glucomannan compounds. Glucomannan is a polysaccharide compound that has special properties that can form a thick mass in cold water and can form a gel.

1. Source of healthy food

The porang plant can be used as an alternative flour material because it contains lots of glucomannan. Not only superior because of glucomannan, konyaku porang tubers are also low in calories, contain lots of fiber, and have seven kinds of essential amino acids. Dried konyaku porang flour can have a composition of 49-60 percent glucomannan fiber, 10-30 percent starch, and 2-5 percent insoluble fiber. Konyaku porang is also known as an alkaline food ingredient, which can neutralize acid levels in the body. In addition, konyaku porang does not contain carbohydrates and gluten, so it is suitable for people with gluten allergies, diabetics, and people who are on a low calorie diet.

2. Lower cholesterol levels

A study involving 22 type 2 diabetics showed that the supplementation of konyaku glucomannan was effective in reducing levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and total blood levels. In that study, patients were given 3.6 grams of konjac glucomannan supplement per day. With a decrease in total and bad cholesterol levels in the blood, the risk of blood vessel diseases such as heart disease and stroke also decreases. Similar test results were also seen in the porang plant glucomannan konyaku test on lab rats. Rats fed a diet high in porang starch fiber, their cholesterol levels also decreased.

3. Lower blood sugar levels

Studies in 2001 show that glucomannan has benefits for reducing risk factors for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. Glucomannan can increase the absorption rate of nutrients in the small intestine. Thus, insulin sensitivity also increases. The results of other studies show that consumption of fiber-rich supplements such as the porang plant in mice can prevent plaque formation in blood vessels due to cholesterol buildup. In addition, the glycemic content of the object of the study can gradually decrease after having regular breakfast with glucomannan biscuits. As a result, blood sugar levels are better controlled.

4. Prevent cancer

Animal studies have shown that the benefits of porang from konjac flour can prevent lung cancer. The benefits of porang are not only useful for inhibiting the growth of cancer and precancerous substances, but also preventing cancer. In addition, studies also prove the benefits of glucomannan konyaku can reduce the rate of malignancy of tumors and cancer.

5. Lose weight See Photos weight 

Studies have shown that glucomannan supplements are effective for weight loss. In this study, 30 obese patients were on a low calorie diet of 1,200 kcal for 60 days plus consumption of glucomana. After four months, the excess weight and high triglyceride levels in these obese patients decreased significantly. Despite losing weight, the interesting thing is that the iron, calcium, copper and zinc content did not change. 

6. Overcoming constipation

Glucomanan found in porang can help overcome the problem of chronic constipation. The results showed, constipation patients who were given glucomannan for 10 days, the frequency of bowel movements could return to normal.

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