Nutrition Nugget: Net Carbs
Bite Size Reads for Your Health & Your Waistline
Maybe it’s just me…feeling like every single thing I put in my mouth is also putting on the L-Bs. No? Not just me? Cutting calories, cutting whole food groups, I tried everything “they” told us to do. I kept gaining weight. So I went digging for answers.
A crucial step to efficiently losing weight is keeping our body in fat-burning mode as opposed to the infamous fat-storage mode. Although this information may seem complicated, the plus side is that the solution isn’t. All we must do is manage our blood sugar levels. Rather than thinking in terms of no-carb or low-carb, we need to reorient our brains towards the concept of quality carbs. While carbohydrates are the preferred form of fuel for the body, too much of the wrong kind can raise blood sugar and send our bodies into a fat-storing state. Instead, choosing carbohydrates like vegetables and fruit that offer nutrients, fiber, and some protein is critical for our long term health.
But I hear you! Who wants a life without a little bread? To say we’ll live the rest of our lives without bread or cereal or pancakes is beyond unrealistic! So how can we assess these foods and their carbohydrate impact on our blood sugar? Net carbs.
Net carbs are the carbohydrates in food that can impact your blood sugar. These carbohydrates found in cereal, bread, protein bars and snack bars can make or break whether you are burning or storing fat. Therefore, we must make an effort to eat foods with low net carbs.
So how do we know what the “net carbs” are for our favorite foods? They aren’t usually listed on the label. Luckily, calculating the number is simple and all the info you need IS on the label. Score!
Here’s the step-by-step to calculate net carbs:
- Find the nutrition facts on your food’s packaging
- Find the total carbohydrates. This is your starting number.
- Find the dietary fibers and subtract it from your starting number (total carbs).
- Find the sugar alcohols. Subtract the sugar alcohols from your number you came up with in step three. If sugar alcohols are not listed, just move onto the next step.
- Lastly, find the glycerin. Subtract the glycerin from the number you came up with in step four. Don’t worry if glycerin is not listed either; just leave it out.
Pro Tip: Pay attention to the serving size and consider how many servings you’ll eat.
Now that we have this number, how do we interpret it? An ideal net carb number is a single-digit number (nine or below). However, there are two quick caveats to keep in mind here. The first is to make sure that we are also paying attention to the ingredients. Because ingredients are written on a package in the order of volume (highest to lowest), look for sugars and/or sweeteners to be some of the last ingredients. As a general rule, we definitely want to avoid foods listing sugar or sweeteners in the first five ingredients. This is especially important when choosing protein or snack bars that will be eaten by themselves.
When it comes to cereals or breads, finding a single-digit net carb number can be very difficult. Instead, shoot for the lowest net carb number possible. And remember, this net carb is for the single food. Consider the net impact of the entire meal. When eating toast, try pairing your bread with foods like eggs and avocado that contain protein and quality fat to help slow the release of those carbohydrates. Having some fruits and vegetables on the side will also add a significant portion of fiber. A meal with all of these different components helps manage your blood sugar spike and insulin response so you are not putting yourself in fat-storage mode. Thank you, quality foods!
Remember, net carbs apply to packaged food, which is best as a small portion of our food intake. The majority of the foods we want to be eating are plentiful in fiber (i.e. veggies and some fruits) and clean, lean protein. We only need to worry about net carbs when we are dealing with packaged foods. And be sure to keep the entirety of your meal in mind.
So, join me! Jump off the bandwagon of fad diets. No need to avoid whole food groups. Calculate the net carbs of those packaged foods, choose wisely and watch your waistline slim.
Key Takeaways:
- Net carbs affect blood sugar, which affects whether or not the body is in fat-storage mode or fat-burning mode.
- Net carbs are calculated by taking total carbs minus fiber, sugar alcohols and glycerin (if listed).
- Keep your net carb number to a single digit (nine or below).
- When choosing higher net carb foods, pair them with fiber, protein and quality fat.
