Carbs in Sweet Potato Fries? How to have them on a Keto Diet

Sweet potato fries are quite high in carbs and fats. Learn how to make them healthy and include them on low carb and ketogenic diets.

Sweet potato fries are the variation of french fries, replacing potatoes with sweet potatoes. They are a good source of carbohydrates and fats. The high fiber content will also slow the absorption of the sugar helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.

Are sweet potato fries healthy?

Sweet potato fries are healthy, but having them fried in vegetable oil such as soybean oil makes them unhealthy and very easy to overeat. You will encounter this when eating out at almost any restaurant.

Vegetable and seed oils oxidize easily in high heat and even in your body. When fried at high temperatures and used repeatedly, it can contain high amounts of toxic compounds (r).

To learn more about the health issues with vegetable and seed oils:

Nina Teicholz - Vegetable Oils: The Unknown Story

Chris A. Knobbe - Omega-6 Apocalypse: From Heart Disease to Cancer and Macular Degeneration - AHS19

Vegetable oils and seed oils are high in linoleic acid stimulates the endocannabinoid system in your body which causes “munchies”, having you feel hungry (r). This is why is recommended to avoid them in oursimple ketogenic diet guide.

Have your sweet potato fries baked if you want lower calories or have them fried in traditional, healthy fats such as tallow, butter or coconut oil.

For weight loss goals on keto or low carb diets

Sweet potato fries are not considered keto friendly for weight loss since one serving will use up much or pass the daily net carb limit of 25 grams. If you want increased energy levels while on a keto diet using carbs then you can try using targeted ketogenic diet (TKD) or a cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD) to increase carbohydrate intake while having the benefits of the ketogenic diet.

TKDis where you have an increased amount of carbs around your workout schedule to fill up your glycogen stores to provide more energy for your workouts.

CKDis where you follow a ketogenic diet for 5-6 days a week and then focus your carb consumption for 1-2 days a week to fill up your glycogen stores.

These protocols are very useful when you are pairing your weight loss routine with workouts and will help you stay in ketosis while still reaping the benefits of using carbohydrates for improved workout energy.

Is it OK to eat sweet potatoes on a low carb diet?

On a low carb diet, sweet potato fries are perfectly fine as long as you limit your intake to 1 to 2 servings and keep your overall limit under 100 grams of carbs.

For lean or athletic with body recomposition goals

Sweet potato fries are an excellent carb source for lean or athletic individuals looking for extra energy for their workouts. For low body fat percentages from low teens to high single digits on a ketogenic diet, your body’s fat stores and ketone production may not be able to keep up with your exercise activities especially if done frequently. At this level, 100 grams of carbs for your workouts using sweet potato fries would be beneficial to help keep up your energy levels.

Serving Sizes, Weight, Water Content and Calories

Nutritional Benefits

Sweet potato fries are nutritious and a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and Vitamin A as beta-carotene. Please note, beta-carotene is converted in the body to retinol which is the human usable form at the amount of 0-8% of beta-carotene, some people are not able to do this. Beta-carotene also functions as an antioxidant in the body.

Sweet potato fries are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, sodium and copper minerals.

The Takeaway

Although sweet potato fries are high in carbohydrates, they accompany a good amount of fiber to reduce keep blood sugar levels stable. Although they are not keto-friendly, they can be included in a ketogenic diet if:

1. Only eating one serving and not exceeding overall daily limit
2. Using TKD and CKD protocols for keto diets
3. Doing plenty of exercise

Finally when having sweet potato fries, avoid having them fried in vegetable and seed oils which can contain high amounts of toxic compounds especially when fried repeatedly on high heat. Choose to have them fried in healthy fats such as tallow, butter or coconut oil. A delicious way to to fry them is usingduck fat.