Are potatoes low carb? While it may seem obvious that fried potatoes such as French fries are not keto-friendly, what about potatoes in general?
After all, potatoes are root vegetables so shouldn’t they be keto?
Well, potatoes are indeed root vegetables (tubers), but have a higher energy content than other vegetables as they are high in starch. As a result, they are a food staple in many countries across the world.
Potatoes are also incredibly diverse, with thousands of varieties spread across the globe. This means there is quite some variation in the nutritional composition of different potato types.
Does this mean that some varieties are more keto-friendly than others? Let’s find out.
Table of contents
Are potatoes keto-friendly?
Generally speaking, potatoes are NOT keto-friendly. That’s because per portion, they contain too many carbohydrates. Eating foods high in carbs is an issue on the keto diet, as staying in ketosis requires carbs to be restricted to 20-50g per day[1].
As a result, eating potatoes means you’re more likely to overdo your daily carb intake, making it more difficult to stay in ketosis.
Does this apply to all potatoes though? As mentioned, there are a wide variety of different types of potato. Each of these has a different glycemic index, meaning they have varying effects on blood glucose, when consumed. In addition, other factors such as cooking and cultivation methods can also impact the GI of potatoes[2].
However, potatoes generally have too many carbs and a high glycemic index and therefore should not be consumed on a strict keto diet.
How many carbs do potatoes have?
While there are many different varieties of potatoes, most can be separated into 7 different categories. These include russet[3], red[4], white[5], yellow[6], purple[7], fingerling[8], and petite potatoes[9].
As you can see from the table, potatoes generally have around 13g to 17g net carbs per 100g. Unfortunately, this is too close to the daily threshold of 20g net carbs, commonly used as the target on strict keto diets. As a result, potatoes have too many carbs to be considered a keto-friendly food[3-9].
How many carbs in mashed potatoes?
What about mashed potatoes? Mased potatoes often contain more fat as butter and milk are often added to make a creamy mash. Depending on the specific recipe, this could mean that mashed potato has slightly less carbs per 100g compared to potatoes.
Unfortunately, mashed potatoes are still high in carbs. Per 100g, mashed potatoes have around 13.3g of carbs. Per 1 cup (229g) serving however, this increases to over 30g of carbohydrates. As a result, mashed potatoes are not generally suitable for the keto diet[10].
Which is the lowest carb potato?
Carisma potatoes are a special kind of potato created through cross-breeding. The result is a potato that has up to 25% fewer carbohydrates than your average potato, in addition to a significantly reduced glycemic index.
Per 100g, charisma potatoes only contain 8.1g of net carbs, making them a much more keto-friendly option. Carisma potatoes are the lowest carb potatoes currently available and are produced by Mitolo Family Farms.
Can you eat potatoes on a low carb diet?
In general, potatoes are not considered a low carb or keto-friendly food. But does that mean you can’t eat them at all?
Whether you include any amount of potato in your diet will depend on your overall health and diet goals. If you’re following a strict keto diet, it’s best to avoid potatoes altogether as they are high in carbs and can therefore lead to spikes in blood glucose.
The only potential exception is perhaps carisma potatoes. These contain around 8g net carbs per 100g serving, as well as a reduced glycemix index.
If you are following a slightly more relaxed low carb diet however, it is possible to occasionally include smaller portions of potatoes into your diet. This can be followed as part of a cyclical keto diet, during which you cycle between periods of very low carbs and higher carbs.
Best alternatives to potatoes on the keto diet
Although potatoes are not keto-friendly, there are a number of alternatives that work well as potato substitutes. These include the following;
Zucchini (courgette): Zuchnini is a versatile keto-friendly vegetable that can be sliced and roasted in the oven. They can also be finely grated into keto-friendly noodles. At 3.1g of carbs per 100g, they are a great substitute for potatoes[11].
Rutabaga (swede): Rutabaga is a root vegetable that is suitable for the keto diet. It’s a hybrid between cabbage and a turnip and has been used all over the world as a staple. It is commonly boiled and turned into mash, making it a great substitute for mashed potatoes. With 8.6g of carbs per 100g (and less than 6.3g net carbs), rutabaga is a great keto-friendly alternative to potatoes[12].
Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a staple of the keto diet and is commonly used as a rice or potato substitute. By grinding into fine particles, cauliflower can turned into a rice substitute and added to a variety of keto-friendly dishes. It can also be boiled and mashed into cauliflower mash. At less than 3g net carbs per 100g, cauliflower is a great option[13].
Celeriac: Celeriac is a variety of celery that can be used as a substitute for potato on the keto diet. It’s quite versatile and can be roasted, stewed or mashed to mimic potato. At 7.4g net carbs per 100g, celeriac is another great potato substitute for the keto diet[14].
Conclusion
Overall, potatoes are slightly too high in carbohydrates, making them unsuitable for the keto diet. Thankfully, there are a number of great keto-friendly alternatives, including zucchini, rutabaga, cauliflower and celeriac. Carisma potatoes are also an option for those following a keto diet, due to their lower carb content and reduced glycemic index.
If you want to learn more about what foods you can eat on keto, check out our article on the keto food pyramid.
