A slimy, mushy, gloopy, earth-colored dish is overcoming bad first impressions with its savory umami flavor and waistline-reducing qualities, helping people in Japan lose weight while feeling fulfilled rather than famished.

Diners are said to eat with their eyes first, but "numa," which translates to swamp in Japanese, has become the in-thing on social media, with people proudly posting snaps of what some might describe as an unappetizing sludge.

The rice porridge dish with chicken and vegetables was created by Yuki Azami, a 35-year-old competitive bodybuilder and certified chef.