Compared to noodles made from wheat or rice, shirataki is very low in calories, and are sometimes eaten by those on a diet.

Shirataki is often sold in containers with alkaline water, and needs to be rinsed before cooking to remove the bitter flavor.

One variation is ito-konnyaku (糸こんにゃく "konjac strings"), which are generally thicker, darker, with a square cross section.

[2]: 157–11  Shirataki noodles are made from 97% water and 3% konjac, which contains glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fiber.

Some brands require rinsing and sautéing or parboiling, as the alkaline water in the packaging has an odor some find unpleasant.