If you’re thinking of eating low carb or keto, then it helps to understand the concept of net carbs. While they’re often up for debate amongst experts, they can be useful, especially when it comes to managing carb intake. If anything, think of them as a tool. That being said, should everyone be counting net carbs? Why or why not? Let’s find out in today’s look into net carbs. Let’s get started.

Net Carbs 101

The concept or term “net carbs” refers to the amount of carbs your body can absorb from a given food or meal based on its fiber content. To find the total net carbs, you’ll need to do a simple calculation. First, count the number of carbs and fiber your food or meal contains. Then, subtract the fiber from the carbs. The result is the total number of net carbs. [1]

Let’s use a banana, for example.

One medium-sized banana is 27 grams of (total) carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber [2]

27 (carbs) – 3 (fiber) = 24 net carbs

The total net carbs of a medium-sized banana is 24 grams.

What’s the Point of Counting Net Carbs?

One word: fiber. Net carbs are often called digestible or impact carbs, which refers to how much your body actually breaks down and absorbs. Fiber is just one of the things that can affect carbohydrate digestion. For one thing, fiber itself is indigestible, meaning that it cannot be broken down in the digestive tract. (However, it is very beneficial for the population of good bacteria that live in the gut. More on that here.) [3] Second, fiber lowers blood sugar, which maintains healthy insulin sensitivity and decreases the number of calories you absorb from food. [4] [5]

Therefore, a carb isn’t always just a carb. And why people eating low carb can maintain healthy blood sugar levels by focusing on the net carbs and fiber content of their diet. If you’ve set a specific carb target (like with keto), then counting net carbs can help you to “have your cake and eat it, too,” so to speak. It’s a management tool. So, if you really like fruit or squash, you can rearrange and “save” your daily carb intake for those foods. And if you’re always being knocked out of ketosis, then you can troubleshoot your diet by focusing on net carbs instead of calories. Outside of keto, net carbs are a calorie-free way to manage blood sugar, reduce the risk of hypoglycemia, and improve insulin sensitivity. All are very compelling reasons for diabetics!

The Cons of Counting Net Carbs

Unfortunately, counting net carbs isn’t a perfect science. In fact, it’s not completely accurate. You have to take into account other factors, such as whether or not the fiber was processed or if the product contains sugar alcohols (which can affect digestion and blood sugar). Another strike against counting net carbs is bio-individuality. In people who are severely insulin resistant, even the tiniest amount of carbs can potentially spike blood sugar. It doesn’t matter if it contains a lot of fiber. There are people out there who can’t handle berries, one of the best low carb fruits. Until they fix their metabolism and insulin, counting net carbs are not going to be an effective treatment strategy. Instead, counting all carbs is a better alternative.

People who want to go hard-core keto and stick strictly to 20 grams or less should do the same. These are cases, again, where insulin and blood sugar are at their worst, and they need an intervention. People who can’t fully transition into dietary ketosis or produce enough ketones to do so may also need to count all carbs.

The other problem with net carbs is that it gives people the impression that they can over-eat (and get away with eating) junk foods. They “spend” their carb intake not on fruits or vegetables but things like “low carb ice cream” or “diet-friendly” desserts. This mindset prevents them from eating nutritious whole foods and instead gives them permission to indulge in “carb friendly” processed garbage. And while I’m not for counting calories, they are important when it comes to achieving a healthy weight. According to registered dietitian Jackie Berning, Ph.D., “It’s my guess that most people are restricting carbohydrates because they want to lose weight. The point I think they’re missing is that you may have 2 net carbs in this bar, but you’ve also got 260 calories. I don’t care that it’s only 2 net carbs. The thing is, have you done enough exercise, have you balanced the rest of your diet to put in 26- calories in that bar- whether it has 30 grams of carbohydrates or 2?” [6]

Putting it Together

Do you need to measure net carbs? Let’s see.

If you…

• Are trying to maintain healthy blood sugar levels
• Want to lose some weight
• Do not have serious health issues or conditions like Type 1 diabetes
• Already have decent blood sugar
• Have a healthy mindset towards food

Then consider calculating net carbs.

If you…

• Have a serious medical issue (i.e., Type 1 diabetes, metabolic syndrome)
• Are extremely overweight or obese
• Tend to overeat or binge on “diet-friendly” food products
• Want to be as accurate as possible with your nutrition

 Avoid calculating net carbs. 

Over to You

Do you count net carbs? Does it work for you (why or why not)? For me, it works very well. I include it in all the macro breakdowns of my recipes, both in the nutrition section on my website and my meal plans. The average person looking to shed some weight and keep it off should be just fine, while people with extreme cases should be cautious. There’s no right or wrong answer though. Some people can successfully rely on counting net carbs, while others find it best to strictly measure only carbs. Which is why I’d like to hear from you! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below.

 
Sources:

[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/net-carbs#section1
[2] https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173944/nutrients
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24412651
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9109608
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18287346
[6] https://www.webmd.com/women/features/net-carb-debate#1