Yams And Keto: A Good Mix?

Yams are a popular dish, especially during Thanksgiving, but they are not keto-friendly. With a high carb content of up to 37 grams per yam, this starchy vegetable is not suitable for a keto diet. As a general rule, vegetables that grow underground, like yams, are not recommended for keto. However, there are alternative vegetables that can be enjoyed on a keto diet, such as rutabaga and cauliflower.

Yams are high in carbs

Yams are a starchy root vegetable originating in Africa and Asia. They are cylindrical in shape with brown, rough, bark-like skin and their flesh colour can vary from white or yellow to purple or pink.

Yams are high in carbohydrates. A raw yam contains 24% carbohydrates, while a boiled or baked yam contains 27.5 grams of carbohydrates. A cup of yams, sweet potato type, raw, contains 26.8 grams of total carbohydrates and 22.7 grams of net carbohydrates.

In comparison, a raw sweet potato contains 20.1% carbohydrates, while a medium-sized sweet potato (boiled without the skin) contains 27 grams of carbohydrates.

Yams are not keto-friendly due to their high carbohydrate content. As a general rule, vegetables that grow underground, like yams, are not suitable for a keto diet.

Yams are a type of carbohydrate

The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate diet, so eating foods that are high in carbs will prevent you from reaching ketosis, a state in which your body uses fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Yams are also high in sugar, which can also prevent you from reaching ketosis.

As a general rule, vegetables that grow underground, like yams, are not keto-friendly. However, there are plenty of other vegetables that are keto-friendly and can be enjoyed on the keto diet. These include leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables, as well as avocado, cauliflower, spinach, zucchini, berries, broccoli, peppers, lettuce, cucumber, eggplant and celery.

It is important to note that not all keto diets are the same, and some may allow for more carbs than others. For example, the cyclic keto diet allows for one to two days a week of higher-carb days, and the targeted keto diet allows for the consumption of 20 to 50 grams of carbs around 30 minutes before working out.

While yams are not keto-friendly due to their high carbohydrate content, they do offer some nutritional benefits. A medium-sized yam contains about 120 calories, 2 grams of protein, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of dietary fibre, and 0 grams of fat. Yams also provide vitamins C and B6, potassium, and magnesium. They are also an excellent source of beta-carotene and other antioxidants, containing more beta-carotene than carrots.

Yams are higher in starch and sugar

Yams are a type of starchy vegetable that is often mistaken for a sweet potato. However, yams are not keto-friendly because they are high in starch and sugar. A single yam can contain up to 37 grams of carbohydrates, which is more than the recommended daily intake when on a keto diet.

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. The aim is to get the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. To achieve this, the diet recommends limiting carbohydrate intake to 50 grams or less per day. As yams are a high-carb food, they can prevent the body from reaching ketosis.

Yams are also higher in starch and sugar compared to other vegetables. While they are a good source of dietary fibre and vitamin C, they are not as nutrient-rich as other vegetables. For example, they have a lower vitamin and mineral content than sweet potatoes, which are also considered non-keto-friendly due to their high carbohydrate content.

As a general rule, vegetables that grow underground, such as root vegetables, are not keto-friendly. This is because they tend to be higher in starch and sugar, and therefore carbohydrates. Some common root vegetables that are not keto-friendly include carrots, beets, yams, butternut squash, parsnips and turnips.

Yams are harder to digest

Yams are not keto-friendly as they are very high in carbs, with over 35 grams of net carbs per cup. In general, vegetables that grow underground, like yams, are not suitable for a keto diet.

Yams are also harder to digest. They are a starchy vegetable, and starchy vegetables such as corn, parsnips, winter squash, pumpkin, peas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and chestnuts take around 60 minutes to digest. In addition, yams contain a carbohydrate called raffinose, which can be challenging to digest for some individuals. Consuming large quantities of yams may cause gas, bloating, or diarrhea, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.

However, the Chinese yam (Dioscorea polystachya) is considered a herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is believed to aid digestion. It is also used to treat diabetes or as part of a diabetic diet.

Yams are not nutrient-rich

Yams are not keto-friendly as they are very high in carbs. With over 35 grams of net carbs per cup, this starchy vegetable is as un-keto as they come. As a general rule, vegetables that grow underground, like yams, are not keto-friendly.

Yams are also a poor source of protein, with only 1.5% protein per raw yam. This is lower than sweet potatoes, which contain 1.6% protein per raw sweet potato.

In addition, while yams are a good source of antioxidants, this is mainly true of purple yams, or ube. Other types of yams may not have the same antioxidant properties.

Furthermore, while yams are often touted for their health benefits, such as improving hormone balance and easing menopause symptoms, these benefits are not supported by scientific evidence. For example, studies have shown that the human body cannot convert diosgenin—a compound found in yams—into hormones. Therefore, eating yams is not an effective way to balance hormones or treat menopause symptoms.

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