About Kanten

Did you know that kanten, also commonly known as agar (or agar-agar), was initially discovered in Japan?

It is a Japanese traditional product with about 400 years of history. Kanten is an essential ingredient for making Japanese sweets (wagashi) as a coagulant agent.

Kanten is a 100% plant-based gelatin substitute made from red seaweed. It consists of 80% dietary fibre. Dietary fibre itself contains zero calories. Dietary fibre supports regular bowel movement, helping the body to excrete 75% of waste in the body, so it’s often used in Japanese diets promoting weight loss, and the natural prevention of diabetes.

It’s ideal for beauty and detoxification!

Since kanten is made from red seaweed – most notably(Gelidiaceae) and Ogonori (Gracilaria), it’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans.

*This photo was taken in cold dry winter in Nagano, Japan, where Kanten is made individually by hands.