Delicious, healthy, and nutritious, yes, I am talking about sweet potatoes. In fact, these are the best alternatives to regular potatoes. Well, you must be wondering if celiacs can eat sweet potatoes. Are sweet potatoes gluten free?
Yes, sweet potatoes are entirely gluten free. Sweet potatoes are not a grain; hence, anyone with a gluten allergy can have sweet potatoes without getting any allergic reactions.
We’ll talk more about sweet potatoes, whether all recipes made with sweet potatoes are gluten free or not, and more. So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Are Sweet Potatoes Gluten Free?
Yes, sweet potatoes are gluten free. Sweet potatoes are vegetables, not grains like wheat or barley, so celiacs or anyone with a gluten allergy can have them. Gluten is a protein that some people find difficult to digest.
Sweet potatoes come nowhere close to gluten grains like wheat or barley; hence no risk involved for celiacs. Also, you can try Gluten Free Svedka drink with sweet potato dishes.
Are All Sweet Potato Dishes Gluten Free?
Sweet potatoes are safe and healthy. But can you eat all the recipes made with sweet potatoes?
No. Some recipes may add wheat flour or other gluten additives. Therefore, not everything made with sweet potatoes is safe for celiacs.
The best way to avoid gluten is by enquiring about what ingredients are added to the recipes. When you are living with gluten intolerance, you can’t have anything without knowing the ingredients used.
While adding readymade dips, glazes, or anything similar to your sweet potato dish, you must check the ingredient list first. Moreover, if you are ordering sweet potato fries or any other sweet potato dish at a restaurant, ask them about the utensils too.
Cooking on shared utensils is again not safe for celiacs. If no gluten dish is cooked in a pan where they made wheat pasta, it poses the potential risk of cross-contamination. So always keep these conditions in mind.
Sweet Potatoes Nutritional Information, Health Benefits & More
Sweet potatoes have lots of health benefits. They are the healthier alternatives to regular potatoes, and you can have them even if you are on a diet. These underground tubers are rich in Beta Carotene, which helps with improving your blood levels.
Sweet potatoes are also very high in fiber. An average sized sweet potato contains 3.8 grams of fiber. It contains both soluble and insoluble fibers. The soluble fiber helps reduce blood sugar levels and keeps you full for longer.
Regular intake of soluble fiber helps prevent diabetes and has other health benefits as well. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of protein. You get around two grams of protein from a medium sized sweet potato.
While the protein content is not very high, the other micronutrients have multiple other health benefits. Some of the beneficial vitamins and nutrients found in sweet potatoes are- vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, vitamin B5, B6, and manganese.
Let’s take a quick look at the nutritional facts of sweet potatoes per 100g
| Calories | 86 |
| Water | 77% |
| Carbs | 20.1g |
| Protein | 1.6g |
| Sugar | 4.2g |
| Fat | 0.1g |
| Fiber | 3g |
Try These Delicious Gluten Free Sweet Potato Recipes At Your Kitchen
Sweet potatoes are a versatile ingredient, and you can make some delicious recipes with them. Here are some of the gluten free recipes with sweet potato as the hero ingredient, so let’s take a look.
1. Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp butter (softened)
- ½ tsp salt
Ingredients for pecan topping
- ⅓ cup gluten free flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp butter (softened)
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Method
Step one
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Boil water in a saucepan and add sweet potatoes—Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat. Once the sweet potatoes get tender, remove them from the water and keep them aside.
Step two
Mash the sweet potatoes using a spatula. Add eggs and mix well. Add sugar, butter, milk, salt, and vanilla extract and combine everything well. Transfer the mixture to a baking pan.
Step three
Take a bowl, and mix brown sugar and flour together to make the topping. Add the butter and mix again. The mixture should have a coarse texture. Lastly, add the pecans and add this topping over the sweet potato mix. Bake in the preheated oven for about thirty minutes or until it turns slightly brown.
2. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup maple syrup
Method
Step one
Boil water in a saucepan and salt. Add the sweet potatoes for about 30 minutes until they get tender.
Step two
Take the sweet potatoes to a large bowl; with an electric mixture, start blending the potatoes. Keep the speed on low and slowly add the milk. Adjust the quantity of milk with your desired texture. Add butter and maple syrup and keep blending until you get a smooth texture.
Conclusion
That was everything you needed to know about sweet potatoes. You might be relieved to know that sweet potatoes are gluten free and you can have them guilt-free. But just be careful of other ingredients that get added into a sweet potato dish and while eating them outside.
Choosing gluten free food is confusing; that’s why we are here to guide you better. Stay connected with Nothing Gluten to get regular updates on gluten free food.
FAQs
Are Sweet Potato Fries Gluten Free?
Yes, sweet potato fries are gluten free unless cooked in a shared pan.
Is Butter Gluten Free?
Yes, butter is gluten free. But be aware of flavored butter since the added flavors might have gluten.
Are Baked Potatoes Gluten Free?
Yes, baked potatoes are gluten free. Baked potatoes have simple seasonings like salt and pepper, which are completely gluten free too.
Can Celiacs Eat Sweet Potatoes?
Yes, celiacs can eat plain sweet potatoes. But be aware of sweet potato dishes that may have wheat in any form.
