One of the biggest hurdles when starting a ketogenic diet is determining which foods are compatible, especially when it comes to cooking and baking. Cornstarch is a common thickening agent in many recipes, leading to questions about whether arrowroot, a popular alternative, is keto-friendly. This article delves into the role of arrowroot in a keto diet, providing a detailed analysis of its nutritional content, potential benefits, and how to use it effectively.
What is Arrowroot?
Arrowroot ( Maranta arundinacea ) is a tuber vegetable originating from the rainforests of Indonesia. The powder is produced by drying the root and grinding it into a fine powder. This results in a highly absorbent powder, making it an ideal thickener for various recipes, including vegan dishes, and a popular substitute for cornstarch. Arrowroot flour is also known as yautia.
Arrowroot and Keto: The Basics
The short answer is yes, you can include arrowroot in your recipes if you’re following a keto diet, depending on how you plan on using it. Arrowroot flour has been gaining popularity as a grain-free and gluten-free thickening agent. It is often used as a flour alternative when baking because it fits gluten-free, paleo, and keto recipes. Whenever you see cornstarch in a non-keto recipe, you can usually replace it with arrowroot.
Nutritional Profile of Arrowroot Powder
For every 100g serving, arrowroot powder packs a solid nutritional punch. The majority component, making up 88.15g, is carbohydrates. The energy provided is 1494.0kJ, derived mainly from its carbohydrate content. Speaking of minerals, arrowroot powder has a varied profile. It provides Calcium (40.0mg), Iron (0.33mg), Magnesium (3.0mg), Phosphorus (5.0mg), Potassium (11.0mg), Sodium (2.0mg), and Zinc (0.07mg). The composition of fatty acids in Arrowroot Powder is quite interesting.
Here's a detailed breakdown:
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- Net Carbs: 84.75g
- Water: 11.37g
- Energy: 1494.0kJ
- Protein: 0.3g
- Total lipid (fat): 0.1g
- Ash: 0.08g
- Carbohydrate, by difference: 88.15g
- Fiber, total dietary: 3.4g
- Calcium, Ca: 40.0mg
- Iron, Fe: 0.33mg
- Magnesium, Mg: 3.0mg
- Phosphorus, P: 5.0mg
- Potassium, K: 11.0mg
- Sodium, Na: 2.0mg
- Zinc, Zn: 0.07mg
- Copper, Cu: 0.04mg
- Manganese, Mn: 0.47mg
- Thiamin: 0.001mg
- Pantothenic acid: 0.13mg
- Vitamin B-6: 0.005mg
- Folate, total: 7.0µg
- Folate, food: 7.0µg
- Folate, DFE: 7.0µg
- Fatty acids, total saturated: 0.019g
- SFA 14:0: 0.001g
- SFA 16:0: 0.017g
- SFA 18:0: 0.001g
- Fatty acids, total monounsaturated: 0.002g
- MUFA 18:1: 0.002g
- Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated: 0.045g
- PUFA 18:2: 0.036g
- PUFA 18:3: 0.009g
- Tryptophan: 0.004g
- Threonine: 0.012g
- Isoleucine: 0.01g
- Leucine: 0.019g
- Lysine: 0.013g
- Methionine: 0.006g
- Cystine: 0.006g
- Phenylalanine: 0.012g
- Tyrosine: 0.009g
- Valine: 0.014g
- Arginine: 0.012g
- Histidine: 0.004g
- Alanine: 0.014g
- Aspartic acid: 0.047g
- Glutamic acid: 0.05g
- Glycine: 0.014g
- Proline: 0.009g
- Serine: 0.013g
Nutritional data is sourced from the US Department of Agriculture's FoodData Central system.
The Carb Content and Keto
Arrowroot powder contains a similar number of carbs, calories, and fiber as potato flour. Arrowroot powder contains a whopping 84.75 grams of net carbs per 100 grams. A ketogenic diet generally contains less than 50 grams of carbs per day. Incorporating arrowroot powder is challenging on a strict keto diet, which typically consists of less than 20 grams of carbs per day. Additionally, arrowroot powder has a high glycemic index of 85 [source]. A high glycemic index suggests that arrowroot powder can significantly raise blood sugar levels, another factor to consider for those on a keto diet.
Generally speaking, keto dieters often avoid starchy root veggies because of its high carb count - but you don't need to avoid them altogether. However, you're only adding small amounts of arrowroot powder to your cooking to improve the consistency of certain foods. For example, if you add a tablespoon of arrowroot flour to a pot of soup for eight servings, you’ll be adding less than a gram of carbs to each meal.
How to Use Arrowroot on Keto
If you use arrowroot in moderation, it can make a great keto replacement for cornstarch. The key to including arrowroot in a keto diet is moderation and portion control. Here’s how to use it effectively:
- Small Amounts: Use arrowroot powder sparingly. Because of its high carb content, it’s best used in small quantities to thicken sauces, soups, or stews.
- Consider the Serving Size: Always factor in the amount of arrowroot you’re using per serving. This will help you stay within your daily carb limit. As long as you keep your serving size relatively small, the net carbs you consume from arrowroot powder should stay relatively low.
- Balance with Other Ingredients: When following recipes that use a large amount of arrowroot flour, it may be a good idea to substitute some of it for lower carb alternatives.
- Make a Slurry: To use arrowroot powder effectively as a thickener, create a slurry by mixing it with cold water before adding it to hot liquids. This prevents clumping and ensures even distribution. The easiest way to make this is by mixing a little arrowroot powder with some water and adding it to your dish, minutes before it is done.
Benefits of Arrowroot
Despite its high carb content, arrowroot powder does offer some nutritional benefits.
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- Gluten-Free: If you have celiac disease, you can include arrowroot in your diet without worry.
- Prebiotic Properties: Research has found that the fiber in arrowroot may act as a prebiotic. Prebiotic fiber helps feed the healthy probiotic bacteria in your gut.
- Nutrient Source: Arrowroot flour is a much better source of several essential nutrients than cornstarch. It contains minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium, albeit in smaller quantities.
- Low Glycemic Index: Boiled arrowroot may have a glycemic index as low as 14.
Arrowroot vs. Cornstarch
The macronutrient makeup of arrowroot may look similar to cornstarch at a glance. However, when cornstarch is processed, the outer layer of the kernel and most of the nutrition is removed.
Keto-Friendly Alternatives to Arrowroot
If you're looking for even lower-carb options, consider these keto-friendly thickeners:
- Almond Flour: Almond flour is a popular keto-friendly substitute for arrowroot powder. It's high in healthy fats, fiber, and protein, and low in carbs, making it suitable for maintaining ketosis.
- Coconut Flour: With a low carb count and high fiber content, coconut flour is another viable alternative to arrowroot powder for those following a keto diet.
- Xanthan Gum: If it's the thickening property of arrowroot powder you're looking for, xanthan gum is a great keto-friendly option. One of the most popular keto thickeners, xanthan gum is frequently used for keto meals and baking. It comes as a fine powder and is an excellent keto sauce thickener.
- Psyllium Husk: Psyllium husk is high in fiber and low in net carbs, making it a good keto alternative. A highly versatile ingredient, psyllium husk is an amazing and popular thickener. It is mostly purely fiber and is excellent for gut health. Psyllium husk should be used in small quantities or it might cause a stomach upset. This low carb thickener works really well for baked goods, sauces, smoothies, soups, and stews.
- Glucomannan: A soluble plant fiber derived from the root of the konjac plant, glucomannan is another excellent keto thickener. Glucomannan is best used in a similar way - by making a thin, roux-like paste and adding it to your dishes. This powder also has similar mechanics to a roux when cooked and finished.
- Gelatin: Gelatin is an animal-based keto thickener that has been commercially available for a long time now. This powder is typically used as a keto thickening agent in desserts and sauces. Gelatin can be bought as a powder or in more convenient, pre-proportioned sheets. This is because it is much easier to add a small amount of the powder incrementally and ensure that it is spread throughout your dish. When using gelatin, you must always remember to be patient.
- Agar-Agar: If you need a plant-based substitute for gelatin, try agar-agar. This keto thickener is mostly used in cold applications like desserts, puddings, or sauces. If you’re using it to thicken hot food, we’d recommend adding agar-agar at the end of the cooking time and allowing the food to cool slightly before serving. To use agar-agar, first, dissolve it in water before used in your dish. Agar-agar can be bought in stores as either flakes or powder.
- Guar Gum: A natural plant fiber made from the seed of the guar plant, guar gum is similar in its makeup to glucomannan. Guar gum is often used in commercial baking, as well as commercial ice cream. Popular uses for guar gum range from baking and cold applications to soups and stews.
Keto Recipes and Arrowroot
One of the biggest reasons why people have trouble sticking with the keto diet is because they aren’t sure how to cook or bake without using sugar. Just because you’re following a ketogenic diet doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy dessert. You have several options for keto-friendly artificial sweeteners, including Stevia, monk fruit extract, and erythritol.
Here are a couple of examples where arrowroot can be used:
- Low-Carb Bread: You can make this recipe whenever you’re feeling like a low-carb bread substitute.
- Keto Muffins: Grocery store muffins are often loaded with sugar. Whenever a craving strikes, it's best you make muffins in your own kitchen, so you know exactly what's in it. You can easily pack these muffins in a container when you’re on the go or eat them for breakfast.
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