Is Butternut Squash Keto?
Here's What Anyone on the Keto Diet Needs to Know About Butternut Squash
If you're on the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet, you know that lots of foods are off limits. Restricting your carbs is essential, which means pastas and breads are generally out, as well as some produce (ugh, sweet potatoes). But what about butternut squash, a fall staple? It's not like it's a piece of sugar-laden fruit, right? Well, not so fast.
"The keto diet is low in carbs, with an allowance of as little as 20 grams of carbohydrates a day," registered dietitian Keri Glassman, MS, CDN, told POPSUGAR. "One cup of butternut squash has roughly 21 grams of carbs, which does not make it a keto-friendly option, as only one cup would potentially surpass a full day's allowance of carbs."
Instead, Glassman recommends swapping butternut squash for ¾ cup of kabocha squash, which has fewer than nine grams of carbs per cup, making it one of the more keto-friendly members of the squash family.
