Potatoes are a versatile food, so it’s no surprise that many people love them. They’re a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, calcium, and other nutritional values.
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Are potatoes keto? Potatoes are high in carbohydrates, meaning they aren’t suitable for a standard low-carb diet. Followers of the keto diet consume a variety of plant-based sources, but some options — like starchy veggies — are going to be off-limits.
Before going keto, here’s what you need to know about the net carbs in potatoes, if there are any exceptions to eating potatoes on keto, how these carbs affect blood sugar, and substitutes to help keep you in ketosis.
Amount of Carbs in Potatoes
According to the USDA, a 100-gram serving size of potato contains around 15.4 grams of carbohydrates. (1) However, since different potato varieties exist, you will notice a difference in their counts depending on the type. Have a look at the table of nutrition facts below:
| Type of Potato | Weight | Total Carbs | Dietary Fiber | Net Carbs | Glycemic Index |
| White Potatoes | 100 grams (⅔ cup) | 21 grams | 2.2 grams | 18.8 grams | 85 |
| Russet Potatoes | 100 grams | 18 grams | 1.3 grams | 16.7 grams | 82 |
| Red Potatoes | 100 grams | 15.9 grams | 1.7 grams | 14.2 grams | 89 |
| Sweet Potatoes | 100 grams | 20.1 grams | 3.0 grams | 17.1 grams | 44 |
| Yellow Potatoes | 100 grams | 17.57 grams | 1.4 grams | 16.17 grams | 81 |
| Carisma Potatoes | 100 grams | 10.03 grams | 1.6 grams | 8.7 grams | 53 |
The Carisma potato is produced by cross-breeding certain potato seeds (not genetically modified). This results in potatoes with the fewest total carbohydrates and net carbs per serving compared to the rest, and they do not spike blood sugar quickly. This makes Carisma — along with sweet potatoes — some of the healthiest potatoes.
Potatoes aren’t keto in general, but Carisma potatoes can be an option for people who love potatoes but are trying to keep their blood sugar under control. The only caveat is that they can be quite expensive compared to russet potatoes or other varieties.
Consuming potatoes with a lower glycemic index can help control blood sugar. Lower-glycemic index potatoes can also help fight against high cholesterol and prevent weight gain. (2) The high potassium content of potatoes can also help with blood pressure.
How These Carbs Affect Blood Sugar
When a high-GI food is consumed, the body processes it quickly, and the blood glucose level rises. (3) This causes a high production of insulin, which then decreases the glucose levels. This rise and fall in blood sugar levels is known as a blood sugar spike.
To avoid blood sugar spikes, we can look at how cooking methods affect the glycemic index of potatoes. (4) Here are some common cooking methods and how they affect a potato’s glycemic index:
- Boiling: Increases GI due to complete cell collapse and starch gelatinization, making starch more digestible.
- Frying: Moderately lowers GI by forming lipid-amylose complexes (resistant starch).
- Microwaving: Moderately reduces GI compared to boiling.
- Baking: Lowers GI, especially when stored at 4°C after cooking, due to higher resistant starch (RS) formation.
- Steaming: Increases resistant starch (RS), lowering GI.
- Pressure cooking: Decreases RS, leading to a higher GI.
- Roasting: Roasted potatoes have a lower glycemic index than boiled potatoes
Baking and steaming are preferable for lowering GI. Potato chips have a lower GI than French fries due to the complex carbohydrates available.
Potatoes and Keto
Potatoes are generally starchy and high in carbs, making it difficult to maintain ketosis. So, the answer is no — potatoes are not keto. The only exception is the Carisma potato, which has a GI score of 55 compared with a white potato with a GI score of 82.
Related: Not Staying in Ketosis? It Might Be These Hidden Carbs
Eating foods that do not raise blood sugar or cause a slow rise (e.g. lettuce and cucumbers) is the best way to stick to keto and reap its health benefits.
If you decide to eat potatoes on keto, regardless of variety, it is possible to do so during higher-carb days in a cyclical keto diet (CKD). Alternatively, you could have potatoes around your workouts as part of a targeted keto diet (TKD) if it is 200 grams of a variety of potatoes with fewer than 40 grams of net carbs.
Otherwise, adhere to foods recommended on a standard keto diet, which most individuals follow for general weight loss and a healthy diet.
Also, if you’re doing keto to manage a medical condition as prescribed by your doctor, be sure to ask them about when you can eat potatoes on keto, the amount, and other rules you may need to follow.
Low-Carb Potato Substitutes
Instead of potatoes, choose these lower carbohydrate vegetables to get your daily value of nutrients. You can use them in a number of recipes that call for potatoes, such as fries, casseroles, and salads. Below is our list of potato substitutes and their net carbs per serving:
- Zucchini: One of the best veggies to help lower your carb intake, zucchini is low in calories and provides vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, and antioxidants. There are 2.11 grams of net carbs in a 100-gram serving of zucchini. (5)
- Daikon: Also called “winter radish,” “Japanese radish,” and “Chinese radish,” daikon is popular in Asian cuisines. It’s crispy and high in vitamin C. There are 2.5 grams of net carbs in a 100-gram serving of daikon. (6)
- Cauliflower: This cruciferous vegetable is another replacement for potatoes. There are 3 grams of net carbs in a 100-gram serving of cauliflower. (7) Cauliflower is also a great option if you’re a potato salad fan but need a no potato (no-tato) salad recipe option.
- Butternut squash: Butternut squash may have slightly more carbs than the rest of the options on this list, but it’s still better than potatoes. There are 9.7 grams of net carbs in a 100-gram serving of butternut squash. (8)
- Kohlrabi: With a taste and texture similar to broccoli, kohlrabi can be used for making soups and stews. There are 2.6 grams of net carbs in a 100-gram serving of kohlrabi. (9)
- Rutabaga: This vegetable is sweeter than potatoes. Cook it by bringing it to a boil or roasting it. There are 6.32 grams of net carbs in a 100-gram serving of rutabaga. (10)
- Turnips: Turnips are abundant in vitamin C and many natural antioxidants. There are 4.63 grams of net carbs in a 100-gram serving of turnips. (11)
The Takeaway
Potatoes have high carbohydrates, which means they aren’t suitable for keto. Fortunately, healthier alternatives can be used in recipes involving potatoes.
For those who want to learn how to eat potatoes as part of a low-carb lifestyle, try a cyclical or targeted keto diet.
Read Next: How Many Carbs Can I Eat on Keto?