Root Vegetables on Keto
Root Vegetables on Keto
There are many questions around root vegetables on keto and low carb. If you are taking the keto path you will want to eliminate root/starchy vegetables. If you are taking the low carb path you will simply want to cut down on these. The main reason to eliminate or cut down on these vegetables is because of the amount of carbohydrates they contain.Your best weight loss strategy at all times is to keep your carbs low.
What Are Root/Starchy Vegetables?
Starchy vegetables are more than just potatoes and peas and carrots. Let’s define them and see why they are so high in carbohydrates:
Most starchy vegetables grow below ground.
They are loaded with sugar because they are the source for feeding the greenery that grows above the root.
Most people will think of potatoes but also think beets, carrots, parsnips, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, shallots, onions and yams.
There are others too.
Always check the carb counts for a vegetable other than leafy greens.
Two exceptions to the high-carb, below-ground vegetables are scallions (green onions) and radishes.
Above-ground starchy vegetables include
winter squashes and corn (which is actually a grain, but some people consider it a vegetable).
pumpkins
tomatoes (which are actually fruit)
Pumpkins and tomatoes higher in carbohydrates than other above-ground vegetables but not considered “starchy” and are allowed in very careful quantities.
Ginger and garlic, both considered below-ground vegetables, have one carbohydrate for one tablespoon and one clove, respectively, so they certainly can add up in a recipe! When you have escaped from diet prison and are no longer counting everything that you eat, these carbohydrates will be minimal additions to your cooking.
Beware of outliers
An example of an outlier in carbohydrates is the shiitake mushroom that is 10.4 carbohydrates per half cup, while most other mushrooms are no more than two carbohydrates.
These are not below-ground vegetables, of course, but I am putting them here in this blog because I want to make the point that it is important to note that you probably should not take carbohydrate counts for granted!
Your care now will pay off later so you can escape from diet prison.
My advice is that even if your ultimate goal is not to weigh, measure and track everything you eat, you would be well-advised to look things up at the very beginning of this journey. There might be unexpected surprises like those shiitake mushrooms!
Examples of how many grams of carbohydrates are in starchy and root vegetables
Small baked potato: 25 grams
One cup of peas and carrots: 22 grams
One cup of beets: 12 grams
One cup steamed carrots: 17 grams
One cup steamed parsnips: 31 grams
One cup acorn squash: 30 grams
One medium sweet potato: 28 grams
AND THE WINNER IS YAMS: One cup fresh (not canned with syrup): 38 grams
These little innocent sides to your meal could be your full carbohydrate allotment for keto and easily half your day’s allotment for low carb.
Resistant starches
Resistant starch is a carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and ferments in the large intestine.
As the fibers ferment they act as a prebiotic and feed the good bacteria in the gut.
There are several types of resistant starch.
They are classified by their structure or source.
More than one type of resistant starch can be present in a single food.
Many keto proponents advise eating resistant starches even if you are doing strict keto
For those who feel they are extremely carb addicted, it might be a foolish road to go down.
When I read about resistant starches and realized that white rice is included I was dreaming of not one... but MANY bowls of white rice.
For me, right at this point in time, I personally am not going to wander into starches... resistant or not!
However:
Research has shown that using resistant starch the correct way can lower blood glucose levels.
Resistant starch may be keto-friendly because it bypasses digestion, so it isn’t broken down like a typical carbohydrate—which means it won’t spike your blood sugar.
A very interesting article on resistant starch says, "Some people respond well when they introduce resistant starch into their diet, while for others, it just doesn’t work. It can take six weeks or more for your body to get used to it, so start small. If you have too much, too soon, one of the tell-tale side effects of resistant starch is gas and bloating."
Food Sources of Resistant Starch
I do not use resistant starch and so I am not writing from first-hand knowledge. This source gives this list:
“Foods that contain resistant starch include:
Plantains and green bananas (as a banana ripens the starch changes to a regular starch)
Beans, peas, and lentils (white beans and lentils are the highest in resistant starch)
Whole grains including oats and barley
Cooked and cooled rice
The amount of resistant starch changes with heat.
Oats, green bananas, and plantains lose some of their resistant starch when cooked.
Another type of resistant starch is made in the cooking and cooling process.
Cooked rice that has been cooled is higher in resistant starch than rice that was cooked and not cooled."
The general consensus seems to be go slowly and drink a lot of water! And, I would add, don't start if you consider yourself very carb addicted and are not ready to handle any starches just yet.
Carb cycling
This is an approach where you eat a higher amount of carbohydrates on either a regular basis (once a week, every other day, etc.) or as needed. For instance, many women find some relief if they add extra carbohydrates during their menstrual cycles.
Increase carbohydrates through natural whole foods such as adding a sweet potato or other root vegetables to a meal. Carb cycling does not give you permission to eat candy bars and chocolate cake once a week!
Metabolic Flexibility
There has also been some anecdotal evidence that carb cycling may increase your body’s ability to burn fat in the long run by making your body metabolically flexible. People who are very keen on this method of Keto are Leanne Vogel, Will Cole and Mark Sisson. There are many more proponents of carb cycling, but these are three professionals I am most familiar with.
I recommend that you do some research on the purported benefits of carb cycling if you are interested. If you are severely insulin resistant or have other metabolic issues, this might not be for you. Do your research. Remember: It does not mean you have permission to pig out once a week – even if you schedule it into your food plan.
Carb Addiction
This seems as good a spot as any to bring up carb addiction.
A Connecticut College study found that "Even though we associate significant health hazards in taking drugs like cocaine and morphine, high-fat/high-sugar foods may present even more of a danger because of their accessibility and affordability."
As with many other studies, it has been found that sugar activates the opiate receptors in our brain and affects the reward center, which leads to compulsive behavior, despite the negative consequences.
This is why people feel addicted to sugar and baked goods. When one cookie leads to the entire box and you feel out of control, you can be assured it is not in your head. It is a very real thing.
Some people - especially proponents of the "everything in moderation" brand of intuitive eating - feel very strongly that there is no such thing as carb addiction and that it is possible to eat all things in moderation.
This is where I parted company with traditional intuitive eating programs. I do teach intuitive eating but with the guidance of low carb and keto behind it. For a lot of us it is not a matter of moderation and certainly not a matter of willpower.
All carbohydrates turn to glucose in your system
A person may join a sugar detox program and will laugh and say, "I'm addicted to sugar"
But then that person eats bread, pasta, a loaded baked potato or a serving or two of any other starchy vegetable - even something as "innocent" as carrots.
Once these other carbohydrates hit the bloodstream the opiate receptors will be activated and then the downhill slide into nonstop eating begins.
Not everyone is this sensitive to sugar. I personally admire someone who can have one cookie, one piece of candy, a side order of spaghetti or baked potato, and walk away and call it a day.
It may be a matter of admirable willpower, but more often than not it is just that they do not have the level of carb addiction that I do, or the level of insulin resistance that causes a cascade of out-of-control eating.
Connection between ALL carbohydrates and “feeling good”
Once you realize this connection between carbohydrates (even the "good" ones like starchy vegetables) and why it seems that you can't help yourself, you can break the cycle of "eating - overeating - feeling physically miserable - feeling emotionally distressed - repeat."
You don't necessarily break the cycle by miraculously being able to eat all the things.
The cycle you break is the one of seeing yourself as stupid, lazy or broken because you cannot seem to find any self-control.
My friend, it's the food.
If you heal your insulin resistance through what I teach you (or what any good keto or low carb coach teaches you), you may begin to moderate your reaction to these sugars.
A lot of mindfulness and habit retraining will also have to take place because you have forged those neural pathways over so many years. (Example of neural pathway: See food, eat food. Fight with friend, eat food. Lonely, eat food.)
However, even though a lot of this is about the food, you must learn not to fear food, not even starchy vegetables!
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, Root Vegetables on Keto, and I hope it will help you navigate your journey. Don't forget to subscribe to the mailing list (below) so that you don't miss the next blog! If you are interested in my course, Keto Fundamentals, please take a look at it here.