Me and my wife started a diet, so this brownie wrap is an example how the front shows 5 net carbs and the back shows 17g carbs… which one do I fallow to add to my carb count for the day ?
Like some foods like the brownies and keto breads & etc show it like that advertising net carbs and the back total carbs
We don’t understand the net carbs thing we are just noobs 😬 we would appreciate any help ☺️
by S3NTINEL2001
6 Comments
Net carbs are the amount that your body can digest, usually subtracting sugar alcohols and fiber. In this case . †5g net carbs = 17g total carbs – 6g fiber – 6g sugar alcohol.
It’s important to note that “Net Carbs” does not have a legal definition and is la.rgely made as a label for diabetics to account for impact on blood sugar, but it’s inconsistent. Neither the American Diabetes Association nor the Food and Drug Administration in the US recognize the term and recommend using total carbs.
Since you said you guys were noobs, any particular reason you are restricting carbs? As an essential macro nutrient, carbs are not a net positive or negative when it comes to overall diet (eg, fat loss) goals. It’s calories that count. Lots of people go on low carb diets and drop water weight initially, since carbs are your body’s primary and most efficient energy source and are carried by water in your system. That’s not fat loss, however, no more than weighing yourself before and after urinating.
Unless you have other health factors, generally a balanced diet of carbs, fats, and protein in appropriate ratios is both recommended and much more sustainable and better for your overall health.
Net.
I wouldn’t trust net carbs. As a diabetic I go high anytime I trust the ‘net carb’ amount. Trust the total carbs
Totally fair question.
Short answer: Count all carbs.
Long answer: Carbohydrates are a type of macronutrient that includes different kinds of sugar, starches and fiber. Net carbs refers to all carbohydrates minus fiber minus sugar alcohols. This is usually used by people trying to follow a ketogenic diet, which is basically a very low carb diet. I’m honestly not sure whether some diabetics also consider net carbs.
But for almost everybody else, net carbs should not matter. Counting all carbs is pretty much always good enough, especially when you think about 1) products like this in the picture can be off by +/- 20% in terms of kcal 2) certain types of fiber can still be digested to a certain degree and therefore contribute to kcal intake 3) some bacteria can consume certain types of fiber, then produce a certain type of fat, which then can be absorbed and contribute to kcal intake. Now this may sound a little confusing and complex and maybe leads to thoughts about whether calorie counting is good enough, but I can assure you that it’s the most precise tool the average person can use and it simply works if you can adhere to it and all of that.
Net carbs is a tool for diabetics to use to gauge how a food might affect their blood sugar. I have relatives that have to keep track of them. If you aren’t worried about that, there’s no real reason to avoid carbs, as long as you’re mindful about it because they’re calorie-dense.
For your purposes, you want to count ALL the carbs, not just net carbs.
Do not follow net carbs. Always follow total carbs.