Is konjac root good for your figure? Sure it is!

Summer is approaching, so it is diet season again. Did you know that konjac root can aid in weight loss? The official name for this edible plant from the Arum family is Glucomannan. The root grows in Japan, China, and Indonesia. The EFSA has given it the green light: advertisements and packaging may now state that konjac root – in conjunction with an energy-restricted diet – aids in weight loss. The text is boring, but luckily you can change the words around provided the meaning remains the same. It is challenging to say the least. The daily dosage needed to achieve the weight-loss effect must also be stated. The advertiser for Lucovitaal Nuslank made quite a mess by proposing that his product was ‘the most effective weight-loss supplement ever’. This is a strong statement and it is also comparative advertising. The Advertising Code Commission found fault with the latter. The general rule is that the extent and speed of weight loss may never be mentioned regarding weight-loss products. However, for approved diet claims, as with konjac root, it is permissible to claim that it ‘contributes to’ slimming down. We think that you can also mention that it is effective when used at the dosage established by the EFSA. Oddly enough, the rules are more flexible when it comes to weight-loss products that fall under the category of medical aids (weight-loss patches, vibrating massage belts, etc.): you can advertise these using the total number of kilos that someone will lose, just not in conjunction with the time it takes to achieve that weight-loss. Even in the vast world of dieting, regulations keep nipping at your heels.

Ebba Hoogenraad