{"id":2018,"date":"2025-01-21T22:51:32","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T22:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/understanding-net-carbs-should-you-track-them.html"},"modified":"2025-01-21T22:51:32","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T22:51:32","slug":"understanding-net-carbs-should-you-track-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/health\/understanding-net-carbs-should-you-track-them.html","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Net Carbs: Should You Track Them?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you care more about your net carbs than your net worth, you might want to take a step back and reevaluate. This concept started as a gimmick for food manufacturers to market their products as \u201clow-carb,\u201d and now it\u2019s something many ketogenic diet\u00a0proponents advise you calculate.<\/p>\n

But most nutrition experts say you don\u2019t need to worry about how many net carbs you eat in a day. So what\u2019s the deal? Here\u2019s everything you need to know about net carbs.<\/p>\n

What Are Net Carbs?<\/h2>\n

Net carbs are what\u2019s left when you deduct from the total amount of carbohydrate in a food the types of carbohydrates that aren\u2019t digested by the body.<\/p>\n

Net Carbs vs. Total Carbs<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

The difference between net carbs and total carbs comes down to the\u00a0three basic types of carbohydrates\u00a0\u2014 starches, sugar, and fiber \u2014 and how each is processed by the body.<\/p>\n

Total carbs<\/h3>\n

This is the gross\u00a0amount of carbohydrates in a serving\u00a0of food, including all three basic types mentioned above. Whether it\u2019s digestible or indigestible,\u00a0simple or complex, refined or unrefined, it counts toward the total.<\/p>\n

Net carbs<\/h3>\n

Some types of carbohydrates aren\u2019t digested, meaning they pass through your system without being converted into usable energy. Net carbs are what remain after you subtract any carbs your body can\u2019t digest.<\/p>\n

For instance, \u201cyour body handles the digestion of fiber differently than the way it handles sugar,\u201d explains Krista Maguire, R.D.<\/p>\n

\u201cA portion of the fiber simply passes through your digestive system intact, so it\u2019s less likely to cause a spike in blood sugar.\u201d That\u2019s why you don\u2019t count fiber when you calculate net carbs.<\/p>\n

Do Net Carbs Matter?<\/h2>\n

First things first: Carbs aren\u2019t inherently \u201cbad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCarbs often get a bad rap, but there are carbs that provide valuable nutrients, and then there are carbs that are pretty much just empty calories,\u201d Maguire, says.<\/p>\n

That said, it\u00a0is\u00a0important to watch your intake. While they\u2019re an important fuel source, carbohydrates are quickly\u00a0broken down into sugar, and any excess can be stored as fat.<\/p>\n

The term \u201cnet carb\u201d is a marketing buzzword, meaning it\u2019s not formally recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any other health organization. But they can\u00a0help you pinpoint foods that are friendlier for maintaining normal blood sugar levels, since a \u201cnet carb\u201d is any carbohydrate that can be converted to sugar.<\/p>\n

How Do You Calculate Net Carbs?<\/h2>\n

No need for a fancy net carb calculator, just take the total number of carbs and subtract the grams of indigestible carbs. What remains is the net carbs.<\/p>\n

Which Types of Carbs Get Subtracted From the Total?<\/h2>\n

\"food<\/p>\n

There are three types of carbohydrates that can be deducted from your total carb intake to lower your \u201cnet carb\u201d count.<\/p>\n

Fiber<\/h3>\n

Dietary fiber\u00a0passes through your digestive system without getting broken down or absorbed. It also feeds the good bacteria in your gut and helps\u00a0move food through your system\u00a0more efficiently.<\/p>\n

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.<\/p>\n

Soluble fiber absorbs water, which can help you feel fuller. Examples include nuts, beans, seeds, oats, and some fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n

Insoluble fiber, which doesn\u2019t absorb water, may\u00a0help expedite food through the digestive tract. Examples include fruit and vegetable skins, brown rice, and grains.<\/p>\n

Because fiber isn\u2019t digested, under the \u201cnet carbs\u201d approach it can be subtracted from the total carb count in a food. Occasionally, you can even find a food with zero net carbs. This means the fiber content \u201ccancels out\u201d all the other carbs.<\/p>\n

Resistant starch<\/h3>\n

Resistant starch has been found to\u00a0increase fat oxidation, so it\u2019s been getting a lot of attention as a possible weight-loss miracle-carb. And like fiber, your body can\u2019t break it down (it,\u00a0ahem,\u00a0resists digestion), so it doesn\u2019t count toward your total carbohydrates.<\/p>\n

One popular source of resistant starch is green banana flour. While it has\u00a024 grams of carbs per 30 g serving, it is often claimed that 60 to 80 percent of its carbohydrates come from indigestible carbs\u00a0including resistant starch, so they aren\u2019t believed to greatly impact blood sugar.<\/p>\n

Sugar alcohols<\/h3>\n

Sugar alcohols (like maltitol and erythritol) are manufactured from natural sources like cornstarch, sugar cane, and whey. (And no, they won\u2019t get you tipsy.) You probably consume more of these than you realize; they include common \u201csugar-free\u201d sweeteners like sorbitol and xylitol.<\/p>\n

Unlike fiber and resistant starch, your body\u00a0does\u00a0digest sugar alcohols \u2014 but they don\u2019t affect your blood glucose levels as much as actual sugar does.<\/p>\n

While some manufacturers claim that sugar alcohols don\u2019t impact your blood sugar at all, the\u00a0Diabetes Teaching Center at the University of California San Francisco\u00a0suggests splitting the difference and counting half of the sugar alcohol content.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s where it can get sticky: Some manufacturers may still subtract all sugar alcohol content from their promoted carb counts. So check nutrition facts labels carefully. If a product says it\u2019s sugar-free but has sugar alcohols, it can still affect your blood sugar. And because sugar alcohols can be more difficult for the body to digest, they could cause some digestive discomfort (gas, bloating, etc.).<\/p>\n

Do Whole Grains Have Fewer Net Carbs?<\/h2>\n

Whole grains\u00a0retain their outer husks, or brans, which are generally very high in fiber \u2014 so yes, whole-grain foods tend to have fewer net carbs than their starchy white counterparts. Of course, the extra fiber doesn\u2019t completely cancel out the carbs, so you should still watch your portions.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s important to note that net carbs aren\u2019t the only thing to consider when choosing a food. There are plenty of other\u00a0reasons to eat whole grains.<\/p>\n

When grains are refined, they\u2019re stripped of their fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients \u2014 but all that good stuff is still in the whole grains.<\/p>\n

Whole grains also break down more slowly than refined carbs, so they\u2019re less likely to spike your blood sugar.<\/p>\n

Also, all that fiber tends to keep the trains running on time, if you\u00a0know what we mean.<\/p>\n

What Are \u201cEmpty Carbs\u201d?<\/h2>\n

The term \u201cempty carb\u201d generally refers to carbohydrates that don\u2019t offer much nutritional value. Sugary drinks, white bread, candy, and alcohol fall into this category.<\/p>\n

Empty carbs count toward your net carbs, but not all net carbs are empty carbs. There are plenty of foods \u2014 fruits, veggies, grains \u2014 that can have an effect on your blood sugar, but also offer plenty of nutritional benefits.<\/p>\n

What Foods Are Low in Net Carbs?<\/h2>\n

\"picking<\/p>\n

Net carb counts aren\u2019t always reliable. While information on fiber content is readily available from the USDA, it can be difficult to calculate resistant starch content, which can change with a food\u2019s ripeness or even how it\u2019s prepared and cooled.<\/p>\n

Different sources cite different amounts \u2014 although oats, legumes, and potatoes\u00a0all contain substantial amounts\u00a0of resistant starch \u2014 but here are a few\u00a0high-fiber foods\u00a0you might consider adding to your diet:<\/p>\n