Tasteless Fad

It may be one of the more unlikely food crazes of recent times, but agar-agar (the flavorless, seaweed-based thickener used in soups and jellies) is hip — at least in Japan, where it is known as kanten. The reason? It has no calories, is rich in dietary fiber and fills you up quickly, so that you're inclined to eat less. That makes it a perfect fit for today's slimming-obsessed consumer.

"Kanten is filled with soluble fiber ... and significantly slows down digestion," explains Jacqueline Marcus, associate professor of culinary nutrition at Kendall College, Chicago. All of a sudden, Japanese magazines and websites are crammed with kanten recipes, and one of the country's leading kanten manufacturers, Ina Shokuhin, has been struggling to meet demand.

Visitors curious to try kanten's benefits for themselves can drop in at the Kanten Papa Café, tel: (81 3) 5358 8807, a kanten-based diner that Ina Shokuhin opened in Tokyo's trendy Shinjuku district last year. "Kanten gives the illusion you've had a filling meal, and it has staying power," adds Marcus. Only time will tell if the fad has staying power too.