The Jiggly World of Konjac Jelly

It’s always good to know more about your snacks, like what’s in them and where those ingredients came from. A perfect example of this is konjac jelly. If you didn’t know, konjac jelly is a popular ingredient used in many types of Japanese candy. Let’s break down the history of konjac jelly, why it’s so prevalent in Japanese snacks, and more so you can stay informed, and maybe even pass that information off to someone else, too!

Before we can get into all that, we need to know how it's made first. Konjac products like jelly and flour are made with the starchy root of the konjac plant called the corm. The corm is extremely high in a type of fiber called glucomannan, which is why many people hold the belief that konjac is a healthy superfood. Konjac jelly products, or konnyaku, use water and konjac powder (which is made with the corm), to create the gelatinous texture.

Konjac jelly isn’t exactly the typical gooey, jiggly, easy-to-chew snack you’d expect it to be. Konjac jelly is a lot stronger than what you would expect from a jelly, and actually requires a lot of chewing. Like, a lot of chewing. Because of this, it’s not just an added ingredient you can find in Japanese sweets – it’s also used in vegan seafood dishes as well. The harder-than-normal texture makes for a great vegan seafood substitution, so if you’ve ever had vegan shrimp, vegan fish, vegan sushi, or vegan shark fin soup, you actually were eating konjac jelly! You can even make vegan braised pork with the stuff! Pretty cool, right?

As for its history, konjac has been considered as a “medicinal food” in Japan since the sixth century. During the early 17th century, otherwise referred to as the Edo period, the Japanese began importing konnyaku from China.

So which of your favorite Bokksu goodies are made with konjac jelly? Let’s find out!

Yuzu Konjac Jelly

Inspired by the citrus fruit known as yuzu, the Yuzu Konjac Jelly candies from Zen-Noh Ibaraki make for a delicious jelly delight that can be easily enjoyed on the go, thanks to the packaging’s tearable corners and squeezable design. Available now on the Bokksu Boutique.

Purun Konjac Jelly: Peach

Available on the Bokksu Boutique, the squeezable packaging and refreshing peach flavor make the Purun Konjac Jelly: Peach the perfect summer snack, especially when it has been left to chill in the refrigerator!

Tarami Oishii Konjac Jelly: All Flavors

Switching over to Bokksu Grocery, Tarami makes an unbeatable (and squeezable!) konjac jelly in peach, grape, and apple. Each flavor is made with real fruit juice, quality jelly, a shocking low calorie count, and lots and lots of fiber!

Between Market and Grocery, Bokksu has all the Japanese snacks, seasonings, and goodies you could ever need! Bokksu Grocery carries all your favorite Asian grocery items and makes ordering groceries online easier than ever, while Bokksu Boutique is perfect for stocking up on all your favorite hard-to-find Japanese candies and sweet treats. And if that’s not enough, you can always take your foodie status to the next level with the Classic Bokksu box. Each delivery of this Japanese subscription box contains 20-24 Japanese snacks and a tea pairing, which means you’ll be set with sensational snacks until your next snack box arrives!