Let’s get straight to the point. Is arrowroot keto? Yes, arrowroot is keto-friendly, as long as you use it the right way.
To put this in perspective, arrowroot powder contains more carbs than your standard all-purpose white flour. So how can a root vegetable powder that’s high in carbs and starch be added to your keto-friendly recipes to maintain ketosis?
It’s all about the sizing. Arrowroot, we recommend this organic arrowroot powder, is usually used as a substitute for cornflower – which isn’t suitable for a keto diet – to thicken sauces. The tablespoon or two you will need isn’t going to affect your carb intake enough to take you out of ketosis, particularly if you’re cooking multiple servings.
Great, so arrowroot can be included in your keto diet, but buyer beware! Some companies may be labeling their product as arrowroot when it’s in fact a product with similar properties – like tapioca powder – that isn’t suitable for a keto-friendly diet. So, before adding arrowroot to your shopping basket, be sure to check the ingredients properly.
Keep reading to learn more about arrowroot, its nutrient profile, how to use it in keto-friendly recipes, and even a few substitutes.
What Is Arrowroot?
Originating from the rainforests of Indonesia, arrowroot is a tuber vegetable related to other starchy root vegetables, such as cassava and yams.
The roots are dried and ground into a powder to produce the highly absorbent arrowroot powder, which makes it an ideal thickener for vegan, gluten-free, and corn-free cooking.
If you’re serious about your keto diet, don’t go rushing to buy anything that is labeled as arrowroot, trusting that it can be added to your keto recipes. With just a few minutes of research we found Dr. Oetker – a well-known home baking brand – is selling ‘Ground Arrowroot’, which is actually tapioca starch and therefore, absolutely not suitable for keto.
What Is Arrowroot Used For?
The tasteless and grain-free flour swells to form a jelly when cooking, making it perfect for creating sauces and light and fluffy cakes and baked goods.
One of the challenges of a keto diet is finding recipes that are suitable to your nutritional needs, particularly when it comes to the likes of bread and sweet treats. Learn to bake with arrowroot and keto-friendly sugar alternatives, and your sweet tooth and cravings for bread will be satisfied.
Keto Brownies with Arrowroot
Gooey and delicious, these keto brownies are low carb and dairy-free, make 14 pieces, and they only require 7 ingredients.
Ingredients
- 6tbsp coconut oil
- ¾ cup of a granulated sweetener, monk fruit sweetener is a great choice
- 225g 100% baking chocolate
- 2 eggs (or vegan egg replacement)
- 3 tbsp arrowroot powder,
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ¼ cup unsweetened chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Line an 8 x 8 brownie pan, this ceramic baking pan is a great choice, with baking paper ( this is a great deal) and preheat your oven to 175 degrees celsius.
2. Melt the coconut oil with your baking chocolate until it’s smooth and glossy.
3. Combine with all the other ingredients and mix well.
4. Pour the batter into your brownie pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. Once cool, slice into pieces.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14Serving Size:
1 pieceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 147Total Fat: 15gNet Carbohydrates: 3 gProtein: 3 g
Keto Bread with Arrowroot
If you’re missing bread and are looking for a delicious alternative this keto-friendly bread recipe will definitely hit the spot. Plus, it's fiber-rich and only has 2.6g of net carbs per serving.
Ingredients
- ½ cup flax meal
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup arrowroot flour
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 ½ tsp finely ground chia seeds
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp organic psyllium husk
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 2 tsp keto-friendly maple syrup
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees celsius.
2. Mix the arrowroot flour, almond flour, coconut flour, flaxseed meal, and sea salt in a bowl.
3. Boil water and add maple syrup and yeast, and let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the psyllium powder and chia seeds into the yeast mixture and leave to thicken for a minute.
5. Whisk the thickened mixture and combine it with the dry ingredients. Knead the mixture for a minute.
6. Put the dough in a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth and allow it to rise in a warm spot for an hour.
7. Shape your dough into the desired shape and bake on a preheated cooking sheet for 35-40 minutes.
8. Once cool, slice your loaves and store them in an airtight container.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 96Total Fat: 5.8gNet Carbohydrates: 2.6gProtein: 3.4g
Remember, if you’re following a recipe that uses a large amount of arrowroot flour, you’re probably better off substituting it for lower carb alternatives, such as coconut or almond flour.
Arrowroot Nutrition
The nutritional value of arrowroot powder comes primarily from carbs. Take a look at the table below for a complete macronutrient breakdown of arrowroot.
| Calories | Total Carbs (g) | Fiber (g) | Net Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Protein (g) | |
| Arrowroot – 100g | 357 | 88.2 | 3.4 | 84.8 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
Arrowroot Benefits
There are a number of benefits to incorporating arrowroot (in moderation of course) into your keto diet.
Arrowroot is Tasteless
A benefit of using arrowroot in your cooking is it’s pretty tasteless and therefore you can add it to your recipes without altering the flavor.
Low Glycemic Index
Studies have shown that arrowroot may be a low glycemic carb with a glycemic index as low as 14, which can keep your blood sugar consistent throughout the day.
It’s Gluten-Free & Paleo-friendly
If you’re gluten-free or have celiac disease, arrowroot is a great alternative to wheat flour.
Potentially Prebiotic
Evidence suggests that the fiber in arrowroot may act as a prebiotic, helping to maintain a healthy gut.
Leftover Arrowroot?
Not all of the benefits of arrowroot are nutrition-based. You can even use the powder as a natural substitute for dry shampoo. As it is so absorbent, if you massage it into your scalp near the root, it will absorb the excess oil, giving extra volume and shine to dull, greasy hair.
Is Arrowroot Keto-friendly?
We have to stress that arrowroot is not a low-carb food – in fact, more than 80% of the calories in arrowroot come from carbs. That being said, it’s highly absorbent so you don’t need to use much. Therefore, the net carbs you consume will be relatively low and certainly not enough to take you out of ketosis.
Carbs In Cornstarch vs. Arrowroot
Take a look at the table below to see how arrowroot compares to cornstarch, the most commonly used thickening agent for soups and sauces.
| Cornstarch (per 100g) | Arrowroot (per 100g) | |
| Carbohydrates | 91.3g | 88.2g |
| Fiber | 0.9g | 3.4g |
| Fat | 0.1g | 0.1g |
| Protein | 0.3g | 0.3g |
While arrowroot is better in the carb department than cornstarch, you’re probably wondering how you can incorporate a tuber vegetable that high in carbs and starch into a keto diet that only allows 20-50 grams of carbs each day.
Well, the good news is, you don’t have to use much arrowroot powder to reap its benefits. For example, if you add a tablespoon of the highly absorbent powder to improve the texture of a pot of soup that contains eight servings, that’s less than a gram of carbs to each meal. Yes, cornstarch would contain a similar number of carbs per serving, but arrowroot has three times more fiber.
Plus, looking at the table, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the macronutrient makeup of cornstarch and arrowroot is very similar. But, when cornstarch is processed most of the micronutrients are removed along with the outer layer of the kernel. In contrast, arrowroot flour contains a number of essential micronutrients including folate, iron, phosphorus, and more.
What Can You Substitute for Arrowroot?
As you’ve discovered, arrowroot flour (this organic arrowroot flour is highly recommended) can be used as a keto-flour replacement, but only in small amounts as it’s high in carbs. So are there any substitutes for arrowroot flour, that will be better suited to your keto diet?
Yes, hardcore ketos will be pleased to know there are a number of alternatives including:
- Almond flour – With just one gram of carbs in a tablespoon and rich flavor, it’s great for making tasty keto baked goods.
- Xanthan gum – Works really well as a thickening agent, making it a great choice for soups, salad dressing, sauces, and baked goods.
- Coconut flour – Great for bread and desserts, but it may change the flavor of some dishes.
- Lupin flour – This legume-derived flour is low-carb and gluten-free and can be used to make pizza crusts, tortillas, and noodles, or you could add it raw to your smoothies for extra protein.
- Ground Flax – It’s low in digestible carbohydrates with most of the carb content made up of fiber. This makes it an ideal substitute for grains in baked goods and a nutritious sauce or smoothie thickener for low-carb and keto diets.
