I was performing some research for an upcoming recipe and looking at one of the ingredients in hoisin sauce I found that it is usually made with sweet potatoes. Asian cooks like to use sweet potato starch in cooking. They often dredge meat in this starch. I decided to use some other starch instead, because potato starch wouldn’t work out well in this recipe, as it thins easily when reheated. I decided to use tapioca starch.
Though I went off into a new direction, I did some research on sweet potato starch. Sweet potatoes have less carbs, and I felt that would make a wonderful substitution for regular potato starch in other recipes. Though, I am concerned about the lower amount of starch in sweet potatoes, and how it will effect gluten free recipes. I am looking forward to experimenting with it, though.
In search of an online store that carries sweet potato starch. (It may be found in your local Asian market, but I’m far from one where I live.) It is white in color, just like regular potato starch. I am, however, concerned about gluten cross-contamination for those with celiac disease or a high gluten intolerance. Therefore, I have left a voice-mail message for the online store.
In further research I discovered that another online store listed the ingredients for their sweet potato starch: 88.5% sweet potato starch, 11% malto dextrin and 0.5% fine salt; or 88.5% sweet potato starch and 11.5% malto dextrin. That is certainly not something I would be interested in!
Maltodextrin may be made from a wheat, but it is so highly processed, it is rendered gluten free. That is what is so scary about maltodextrin. It is very highly processed!
I finally found a site that listed the ingredients of 100% sweet potatoes in their sweet potato starch! I have left them a message to find out more information on cross-contamination and will update you, here, when I hear back from them.
Sweet potato starch is not only used in Asian cooking, but in manufacturing of foods, and pharmaceuticals. Have you used sweet potato starch in your gluten free recipes? If so, tell us about your experiences.Sweet potato starch is not only used in Asian cooking, but in manufacturing of foods, and pharmaceuticals. Have you used sweet potato starch in your gluten free recipes? If so, tell us about your experiences.
I have been buying Absolutely! Gluten Free original crackers for years and their cracked pepper…
Costco sells E&C‘s vegan/dairy free Heavenly Hunks oatmeal chocolate bites. I’ve perfected the recipe that…
Costco sells Heavenly Hunks, organic, gluten free, vegan/dairy-free, oatmeal chocolate bites that the gluten free…
- Easier Than Puff Pastry This delicious gluten free Parmesan pastry dough may be used…
Using the popular Gluten Free Raisin Cinnamon Rolls and Chocolate Ganache recipes, together was born…
While I have developed other gluten free corn bread recipes, this one is my favorite…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
Hi. I just came across your website and found the sweet potato
starch alternative promising until I just read the part where it's the same as regular potato starch in carbs. I'm prediabetic and have come across so many great recipes except for the starch ingredients. Sometimes it's just one starch that ruins the whole recipe. Is there any low carb flour or anything else that can be a replacement for all the gluten free starches? It's frustrating not being able to solve that one problem.
Did you hear back from the site? I discovered an Asian store in my area that carries a lot of theoretically gluten free items, including sweet potato starch, and I was wondering whether it would be safe. Maybe it was even the same brand. I am not sure. So far, I tried to do research online on some of the companies and could not find much. I don't know if checking what other grains the company processes is sufficient.
No. I never heard back from that company. Thanks for letting me know about Asian markets carrying it. I would speak to the market manager/owner and explain about cross-contamination and perhaps they can find out for you. Keep us all updated, will you?
I could give it a try, but most of the personnel at the store does not seem to speak much English. I'm not sure if they would understand what I am talking about.
Garmonbozia,
The Asian manufacturer replied with, "...the content of carbohydrate of sweet potato starch and potato starch is the nearly same, and potato starch would also have some other advantages that sweet potato does not own..." Therefore, there are no advantages to using sweet potato starch, per the manufacturer. However, they did not reply to my communication about gluten. I'll see if I can get an answer, though.
I completely understand. I've emailed the company. Hopefully I'll receive a reply. You could also purchase it and test it using EZ Gluten Test Strips: [LINK TO THAT PAGE HAS BEEN DELETED BECAUSE THE WEBSITE NO LONGER EXISTS]. I also contacted a manufacturer in China. If they can send me a sample I'll test it and let you know.
I've not used it, but I'm intrigued, as finding lower carb flours that aren't nut based is hard! And coconut flour is a strange bird, especially since we can't use eggs and egg replacers do have their limits. I would be interested to see the CC issues with peanuts and tree nuts as well.