Perfect Paleo Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - My Natural Family (2024)

FAQs

Why are sweet potatoes not allowed on paleo? ›

The bottom line on sweet potatoes and the paleo diet

Sweet potatoes are a bonafide paleo staple. We eat them all the time! As long as you eat them within a balanced paleo diet, then they are a healthy addition that can deliver a bunch of healthy nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, magnesium, fiber, and more.

Sweet potato fries are slightly higher in calories and carbs but also more nutrient dense than French fries. The greatest nutrient difference is that French fries have no vitamin A, while sweet potato fries are high in this nutrient. Vitamin A is important for your vision and immune system ( 2 ).

Don't Overcrowd Your Baking Sheet

This is especially important if you're making a big batch of fries. Instead of just piling more onto one baking pan, spread them out over two baking pans or cook them in batches. If they're all crammed into one pan, they'll steam instead of bake, and you'll end up with soggy fries.

For something smoky, tangy, and nicely salty, smear some plain Greek yogurt on your sweet potato, then layer with smoked fish, scallions, and briny capers. Roast whatever mushrooms you have until crispy. Thin some tahini, adding a little yogurt for creaminess. Or mix hummus and yogurt, and spread on your potato.

Cereal Grains

Cereal grains that are not paleo-friendly include wheat, barley, oats, rice, and corn. Those are not paleo because they were not introduced into the human diet until the Agricultural Revolution. Cereal grains are difficult to digest and can contain unhealthy fats.

AIP diet food list. Examples of foods you can eat while on the AIP diet include: Vegetables that aren't nightshade vegetables like cucumbers, spinach, sweet potatoes and zucchini.

Garnet yams/sweet potatoes: My favorite sweet potatoes are the orange fleshed garnet ones. They're the perfect balance of sweetness and get nice and crispy on the outside! Avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, or melted coconut oil: Don't skimp on the fat on these baked fries, they're the key to the crispness!

The longer and slower you cook a sweet potato, the more maltose is formed and the sweeter it will taste. So if you want a much less sweet potato try steaming it, or cut it into small pieces and roast on a higher heat.

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

A: Someone told you correctly! When potatoes are stored too long, in a too-cold environment (below 41°F) the starches within convert to sugar. This not only makes for an overly-sweet potato but also alters the cooking chemistry – resulting in uneven cooking performance and discoloration.

Why are my roasted sweet potatoes not crispy? ›

I've found that sweet potatoes really need space for a truly roasted, crisped-edge result. Aim for about one inch of space between pieces. This leads to good, dry, hot airflow that will let the potato pieces' moisture evaporate while letting them dry and crisp up more.

Butternut Squash: Similar to sweet potatoes in flavor and texture, butternut squash is a good low-carb alternative. It contains less than 12 grams of carbs and is high in nutrients such as vitamins A and C, magnesium, and potassium.

For a topping, stick to butter, Greek yogurt, or sour cream, or try adding a dollop of cilantro lime dressing, tzatziki, chipotle sauce, pesto, guacamole, or a drizzle of tahini sauce. If you have leftover baked sweet potatoes, save the soft flesh for another recipe.

Generally, unprocessed potatoes of all types can be part of a paleo diet. Similarly to grains, which are off-limits on paleo, potatoes are starchy and rich in carbohydrates. However, potatoes are actually a type of starchy vegetable that grows underground, known as a tuber ( 2 , 3 ).

People with kidney problems must avoid eating sweet potatoes because an improper functioning kidney cannot remove potassium from their body, causing high potassium levels that can be harmful to them. Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of oxalates that may increase the risk of calcium-oxalate kidney stones.

Sweet potatoes, being a naturally high-carb food, are unfortunately not keto-friendly. Nutritionists believe that the high carb content in sweet potatoes cannot easily fit into keto macros, the common ratio for which is 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.

Update: Purple sweet potatoes are definitely paleo approved! The variety is technically called Okinawan. You can read more about them here.