Hi All!
I am confused by the concept of net carbs. Could someone explain how those differ from total carbs?
Thanks!
*Samantha

After fat, protein, water, and ash are removed from a food, the FDA requires that the remaining weight be classified as carbohydrate.

Not all of what remains is actually carbohydrate. Of what is carbohydrate, not all of it has an impact on blood sugar for all people.

Low carb diets are based on the well-supported theory that if our blood glucose levels stay low and stable with minimal need for insulin, then our bodies will burn primarily the fat in our diets along with any excess stored body fat.

Theoretically, then, whatever does not impact your blood sugar cannot adversely affect your diet, provided that portion control is reasonable. However, YMMV. It may be that some foods will impact one person and not another.

"NET" carbs are the carbs remaining after whatever is indigestible (fiber) and whatever is known not to affect blood sugar in a significant way (sugar alcohols) is removed.

This is a controversial area. IMHO, it is strictly a YMMV/"listen to your body" issue. I don't think there is one answer for everyone.

Some people count net carbs, some count sugar alcohols and deduct fiber, some deduct 50% of sugar alcohols and deduct fiber.

I would suggest checking the book that goes with your plan to see what it says about counting carbs and net carbs. Start there and then see what works for you.

I've always counted net carbs (removing fiber and sugar alcohols completely), but I recognize that's not universal. Like Valerie said, it's an individual thing that you'll need to figure out for yourself. Check out this blog post I wrote about this subject.

Fiber can always be deducted since it isn't digestable by anyone, right?

That's my understanding, Jordan.

Or at least SLOWLY digestible by EVERYONE.

I always deduct fiber based on that assumption. In fact, like Jimmy, I just use the Atkins formula. IMHO, it doesn't really matter how we count the carbs as long as we have a gauge that helps us learn to live in a healthy way that's consistent with our health goals (including weight loss).

Let's say one person counts total carbs and can have 50 carbs/day. Another person counts sugar alcohols at 50% and can have 40 carbs/day. Another person counts net carbs (-fiber, -gums, -sugar alcohols) and can only have 30 carbs/day.

What if all three are eating the very same foods? Does it really matter how they arrive at the number that works?

I'm 5' 6". One of my cousins is 66". Another, more eccentric cousin is 1.83 yards tall. Our English friend is 167.6 cm. We're all the same height.

How we count carbs is nothing but _a way_ to gauge what works for each of us. KWIM? When we eat dinner, our bodies aren't going to politely inquire, "Are these carbs total or net?" hehe

This is why I look at this as a YMMV issue. Pick one and run w/ it, IMHO.

I'm a "deducter" too!

This is why it's a YMMV issue, IMHO.

That granola is delicious and sweet, but it's so very high in fat that, for me, it's self limiting. When I make it part of my breakfast, I have 1/2 c. granola, 1/4 c. half-and-half and 2 buttered, fried eggs on the side.

This makes a very rich, very filling breakfast for me. After it, I don't need to eat for about 5 hours.

Since Atkins requires "normal sized meals" and "eating only until pleasantly full," it never occured to me to use the 1-2 net carbs as an excuse to eat more granola than I need, but I can definitely imagine that another person might find that counting total carbs is the only way to avoid overeating it. If so, then total carb counting may very well be the best way to proceed.

I've learned that meat and fat must be foundational in my diet. I don't always use all of my carb allowance; some days I'm less hungry than other days. On those days, I eat fewer carbs, in proportion with the lower amount of meats and fats that my body wants on those days.

My carb allowance is 30 grams, NET. If it became a law that I had to count TOTAL carbs, then I'd just increase my allowance number and eat the very same foods.

None of this is _the way_ to do LC, though. IMHO, whatever is working is working, however it's described (total vs. net).

May I ask . . . . . what is YMMV?

Thank you,
Robin

Your Mileage May Vary.

I think I will count net carbs on veggies etc. But I will try to avoid sugar alcohols especially because they seem to upset my stomach.

I am a deducter too. though I never deducted sugar alcohols I only deduct fiber.

This helped me lose 20 lbs my first month on Atkins (the first time around) of course I stayed on Induction that whole time and didn't move to OWL.

My point, net carbs, or total carbs, your still going to lose the weight

I'm with you, Kim. I think it matters for Chocoperfection bars, but I really don't think it matters for vegetables. If anything, you might overeat on the veggies which could hurt in Induction, but I really don't think it matters.

I confess to being a little thick on the lingo too, so I go to www.urbandictionary.com and type in the abbreviation. It's a wiki site.

Great to see you, Patty. How are you doing?

Thanks QbnPatty for posting that website. I am sometimes a little slow on the uptake with chat abbreviations. This will help me look a little brighter. lol
Cathy