The keto diet involves the intake of high fats, moderate proteins, and low carbs. This diet is beneficial to people who are overweight, obese, or have medical conditions like diabetes and epilepsy.
This diet restricts the intake of carbohydrates and most people wonder whether sweet potatoes, which is a high carb food can still be eaten by preparing them to suit the keto dietary needs. Sweet potatoes are a naturally high-carb type of starchy root vegetable. This makes it to be excluded from the keto diet.
A sweet potato weighing 150 grams has about 26 grams of carbs. When the 4 grams of fiber are removed, the potato contains a net of 21 grams of carbs. Therefore, sweet potato fries are generally not keto.
Nevertheless, some people can come up with different dishes prepared properly and incorporated into the keto diet plan in very small portions. For example, keto-friendly sweet potatoes can be prepared by thinly slicing the sweet potatoes and frying them to make fries or roasting them.
They can be served with melted cheese, butter, or coconut oil. Also, it is recommended that if you have to take sweet potatoes, then divide the potato into smaller portions so that you can still include them in your meals while restricting your carb intake.
In the long run, your level of consistency in sticking to the required carb limits, and your personal carb goals will determine whether you should add sweet potato fries to your diet or not, while still being in ketosis.
IS SWEET POTATO FRIES KETO-FRIENDLY?
The sweet potato fries are not keto-friendly. This is because they have a high net carb content of about 19.07 grams of carbs in 100 grams serving and contain vegetable oil used to prepare them. You need to restrict your net carb intake to about 20 grams to 30 grams in a day to stay in ketosis.
Vegetable oil is a highly processed oil that is susceptible to oxidation and may lead to inflammation in the body. Most processed oils are usually manufactured by the use of high heat and chemicals. Important nutrients useful to the body are normally lost during this process and replaced with harmful chemicals.
ARE SWEET POTATO CHIPS KETO-FRIENDLY?
Sweet potato chips are not keto-friendly because it is a highly processed carb food containing unhealthy ingredients and vegetable oil. The sweet potato chips have net carbs of about 42.86 grams per 100 grams serving.
While on keto your net carb should be between 20 grams to 30 grams a day. if this is exceeded, then you may be kicked out of ketosis. The highly refined oils used to prepare sweet potato chips like sunflower oil, canola oil, and safflower oil are very much liable to oxidation and may lead to inflammation in the body.
Also, these refined oils can be harmful to the body since when they are processed and useful nutrients are replaced with harmful chemicals.
KETO SWEET POTATO SUBSTITUTE
Here are some substitutes that can be used in place of sweet potatoes when on the keto diet. These substitutes have low calories as compared to sweet potatoes. They are mostly low carb root vegetables and include:
Turnips
Turnips are a very good substitute for sweet potatoes as they are low in carbs. The turnips can be mashed, hash browns, cut into fries, or roasted. There are many varieties of turnips available in the grocery stores and they include German turnip, Japanese baby turnip, and Mexican turnip.
One raw pond of turnips contains 29 grams of carbs, 125 calories, and 4 grams of proteins. Turnips contain vitamins and antioxidants which provide anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects to the body.
You can swap sweet potatoes for mashed turnips, keto scalloped turnips, jicama bravas, low carb clam chowder, turnip fries, and air fryer roasted turnips.
Daikon Radish
This root vegetable is also referred to as Japanese radish, luobo, and Chinese and it is less peppery. When cooked, the root vegetable becomes mildly sweet and tender. These vegetables are mostly used in curries and soups.
One raw pound of Daikon Radish contains 3 grams of protein, 18 grams of carbs, and 80 calories. Daikon Radish has fiber that is filling and contains antioxidants and polyphenols that help to reduce inflammation and boost the immune system.
Some of the ways used to swap daikon radish for sweet potatoes include daikon and sausage casserole, crispy daikon fries, and pressure cooker pot roast.
Red Radishes
Red radishes are very much low in carbs and the most recommended substitute for baby gold potatoes. The red radishes vegetable contains 15 grams of carbs, 3 grams of proteins, and 72 calories.
It has the lowest calories among the mentioned vegetables and has vitamin C, and minerals like calcium, potassium, and fiber.
You can substitute sweet potatoes for air fryer roasted radishes, keto bacon cheeseburger skillet, low carb breakfast sausage skillet, and potato-less potato salad
Carrots
Carrots have 43 grams of carbs, 4 grams of protein, and 184 calories. Carrots have low carbs and their flavor, color and texture are excellent. They contain fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.
Sweet potatoes can be replaced with carrot and parsnip hash browns, mashed ginger carrots, oven-roasted carrot sticks, air fryer roasted carrots and potatoes, and crispy carrot fries.
Celeriac (Celery Root)
Celery root contains 188 calories, 41 grams of carbs, and 7 grams of proteins. Celeriac has high antioxidants among other nutrients which helps to contribute to the health of the body. It helps in protecting the body against cancer and improves the health of the bones, heart, and digestion.
You can enjoy celery root as celery root soup, celeriac mash, herb-roasted celeriac, celery root puree, and baked celery root fries.
Butternut Squash
The butternut squash contains 202 calories, 52 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of proteins. Butternut has high antioxidants and may help with conditions like lung cancer, heart disease, and mental decline.
Butternut squash can be taken as roasted butternut squash hash, air fryer roasted butternut squash, butternut squash latkes, butternut squash fries, and mashed butternut squash.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower has 22 grams of carbs, 9 grams of protein, and 112 calories. Some of the ways used to swap potatoes for cauliflower include; low-carb cottage pie, mashed cauliflower, loaded cauliflower soup, cauliflower potato salad, cauliflower, and kale tots, and loaded baked potato casserole.
Zucchini
It contains 14 grams of carbs, 5 grams of proteins, and 76 calories. Zucchini has carotenoid which is very good for the bone, skin, and cardiovascular health. Ways used to swap potatoes for zucchini include zucchini boats, keto zucchini fries, zucchini fritters, and zucchini potato bake.
IS SWEET POTATO LEAVES KETO-FRIENDLY?
The sweet potato leaves are keto-friendly. In its raw form, sweet potato leaves contain a low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb, with an average-protein content. They are a good source of riboflavin and Vitamin A with no cholesterol, very low sodium, and saturated fats.
The sweet potato leaves have 5.38 grams of carbs, 4 grams of proteins, and 0.3 grams of fats. This makes this vegetable to be suitable for weight loss and to be included in the keto diet.
Related Post: Are Potato Chips Keto Friendly?
SUMMARY
The keto diet involves the intake of foods with high fats and low carbs. Sweet potato is a root vegetable that is high in carbs and is therefore restricted from the keto diet. If taken in large amounts, it can make one be kicked out of ketosis.
Some diets and substitutes can allow one to still eat the sweet potatoes on the keto diet as long as they are eaten in moderation. When making keto-friendly sweet potato dishes, avoid adding maple syrup or brown sugar.
Some of the sweet potato substitutes that are keto-friendly include different dishes made from zucchini, butternut squash, cauliflower, carrots, celeriac, red radish, daikon radish, and turnips. The sweet potato leaves are healthy and keto-friendly since they are low in carbs.
Therefore, it is very important for one to know their goal when on the keto diet and if they can be consistent in eating the recommended small portions of the sweet potato. Ensure that the sweet potatoes are prepared to be fat-dominant and eat them in smaller portions.
