This is a great way of giving your liquid lunch or dinner that body that you are missing.
However, if you are adhering to a strict diet such as keto or low-carb, then you might be concerned as to how many carbs are in cornstarch.
Well, unfortunately, cornstarch is not great for anyone on a keto diet, as it does contain a lot of carbs.
But how many carbs exactly are there in cornstarch? How many grams should you have if you are on a low-carb diet? What nutritional benefits does cornstarch have?
Well, if you are interested in knowing the stats on cornstarch, then we would suggest that you keep reading.
What Is Cornstarch?
This is a kind of flour that is derived from corn grain. This is used in many baked goods, although it is primarily used as a thickening agent for marinades, soups, stews, gravy, casseroles, pies and other desserts.
Cornstarch differs from regular flour in that it contains no protein whatsoever.
It is mainly made up of carbs, although it is gluten-free, which makes it a great substitute for anyone who suffers from gluten intolerances.
Cornstarch is used in fruit pies, as it can help to bind the pastry together. The cornstarch will mix well with the fruit, causing it to thicken when it is in the oven.
Cornstarch is often used in packets of cheese, as it will prevent the strands of cheese from sticking together in clumps.
It will also stop any condensation from developing in the packaging, which could cause the product to go off a lot quicker.
Does Cornstarch Contain Carbs?
Those people hoping that they can keep their carb count low when they have some cornstarch will be sorely disappointed, as cornstarch is pretty much all carbs.
In one tablespoon of cornstarch is 7 grams of carbs, which makes up for the total amount of macros that you can find in cornstarch.
If you are going to be consuming large amounts of cornstarch, then you will definitely experience a spike in your blood sugar levels. However, even if you consume large amounts, you won’t find a rich abundance of minerals and vitamins.
Cornstarch And The Keto Diet
If you are on the keto diet, then you can pretty much rule out having cornstarch. However, you can find cornstarch alternatives, more on this later in the article.
Keto is when you are trying to either cut out of strictly limit the number of carbs in your diet. The keto diet relies mainly on fats and protein for a large bulk of the body’s energy.
If you are limiting your carbs to only 50 grams a day, then you could incorporate some cornstarch into your diet, although you will be very sparing with the measurements before you add it to your diet.
But what if you have ruled out carbs completely? Well, you can be sure that there are many substitutes for carbs and that you can find them at your local supermarket. Here are just a few of them:
Rice Flour
If you want something that will give your cakes and cookies that more crumbly texture, then we would definitely suggest that you try rice flour. This also has fewer carbs than you might find in other flours.
Potato Starch
This is another great alternative to cornstarch. It will give you everything that you want when it comes to binding or thickening your soup or cake.
However, this probably contains more carbs than cornstarch, so it might not be great if you are on keto.
Almond Flour
This is a low-carb, gluten-free option that will work just great in any cake or bread that you are making.
This is also great for anyone trying to limit their amount of carbs. It will give your bread and cakes that rich and nutty flavor.
Psyllium Husk Powder
This stuff, when added to water, creates a thick gel that can help you to bind many ingredients including bread and cakes.
This will give your baked goods that extra chewy texture and a very strong flavor.
Does Cornstarch Have Any Health Benefits?
Well, because this type of starch is mainly carbs, then it will be a good addition to have if you want that extra boost of energy to keep your going.
This will appeal to anyone lacking in energy before work or before a training session.
The energy will also get into your body a lot quicker than it would through other means.
This is because it does not contain any protein, fat or fiber, which usually slows down the process of carbohydrate conversion.
Cornstarch is also gluten-free, which makes it a great gluten alternative for those that suffer from gluten intolerances.
If you do not want to use whole grain flour, then you should definitely try using cornstarch.
What Are The Downsides Of Cornstarch?
Cornstarch, as we have stated above, is mainly carbohydrates.
So if you consume this in large quantities over a long period of time, then you can be sure that it will cause you to put on weight, especially if you are not very active.
Because of the lack of nutrients, you can also be sure that it will cause sugars to be absorbed a lot quicker into the body.
This is because it does not have any fibers, which often slows down this process.
This sudden uptake of sugars will not be good for people who are diabetic, as it will cause their blood sugar to spike very suddenly.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped inform you about the carb content of cornstarch and whether you should add this to your diet and what measurements to use.
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