But you may have noticed one tiny, questionable ingredient added to the Keto Zone Shake that isn’t exactly keto-friendly: Sweet Potato Powder.

Why is Sweet Potato in the Keto Zone Shake?

You’re probably thinking: “Now wait. Dr. Colbert’s book ‘Keto Zone Diet’ specifically states you’re not supposed to eat sweet potato. Why is sweet potato an ingredient?”

And you’re right. Sweet potato is a starch-heavy vegetable and is typically avoided in the Keto Zone Diet, since the vegetable’s net carbohydrates outweigh the fats. Depending on your Keto Zone goals, your net carb intake should fall between 20 grams and 50 grams every day. And typically, a medium-sized sweet potato is 100 grams with about 16 grams of calculated net carbs: 20 grams total carbohydrates − 4 grams fiber. 

Since medium-sized sweet potatoes are naturally 16 grams net carbs, you’d already hit the minimum carbohydrate intake for the day — which doesn’t leave room for any other food. 

Even though the Keto Zone Shake contains sweet potato powder, the Shake only has 7 grams of net carbs. This means you’re barely making a dent in your carbohydrate intake with one serving of the Keto Zone Shake!

Additionally, Dr. Don Colbert specifically chose to add sweet potatoes as an ingredient in the Keto Zone Shake because of the high amount of prebiotic fiber inside the vegetable. Prebiotics are a type of fiber that feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut, helping the gut bacteria produce nutrients for your colon cells and digestive health (1).

Sweet potatoes have an abundance of essential nutrients and health benefits, such as:

Nutrients in Sweet Potatoes

• Vitamin A naturally protects your eyes and retinol function to help improve your vision. Vitamin A also supports immune system function, bone health, reduces acne and skin blemishes and promotes healthy reproduction (2).
• Vitamin B-6 regulates your body’s serotonin and dopamine levels to improve mood and reduce depression. Vitamin B-6 also promotes brain health, prevents clogged arteries to reduce the risk of heart disease and helps maintain inflammation in the digestive system (3).
• Vitamin C helps prevent iron deficiency and improve iron absorption, lowers heart disease risk and contains antioxidants to reduce the risk of chronic diseases (4).
• Iron controls fatigue, boosts immune system function, battles anemia, boosts hemoglobin and improves concentration, as well as muscle strength (5).
• Calcium builds and maintains strong bones, promotes healthy neuron transmission between the brain and the body, reduces blood clotting and boosts muscle growth (6).

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

1. High in fiber

The fiber in sweet potato helps lower the bad LDL cholesterol levels, protects against cardiovascular disease, and stabilizes blood sugar levels. The digestive enzymes in fiber promotes a healthy gut function while boosting satiety to help you feel full for longer (7).

2. Supports digestive health

Speaking of digestive health, the sweet potato is a prebiotic fiber to prevent constipation and strengthens your digestive system. Sweet potato contains a resistant starch, which plays a role in feeding your body’s good bacteria.

3. Helps fight cancer and boost immunity

Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties to help your immune cells fight off diseases. They’re also rich in manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus to keep your body and immune system healthy (8).

4. Beneficial for your eyes

Sweet potatoes’ vision-enhancing properties come from the alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin within the vegetable. These will help protect eyes from cell damage and vision loss; they also help with inflammation in the body. 

5. Fuels your brain

Sweet potatoes contain choline, which is an essential nutrient for brain growth and development. They also contain manganese, which helps move electrical impulses through neurons faster, boosting memory. 

Bottom Line

There’s no need to be nervous or skeptical about the sweet potato in our new Keto Zone Shake. The sweet potato in the Shake is just the right amount to give you all the essential benefits, but not enough to pack on the carbohydrates and calories. 

The post Why is sweet potato in the Keto Zone Shake? appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.