What are "Net Carbs?"

Have you heard the term “net carbs”? It is a popular word thrown around in the low-carb diet circles. Similar phrases such as impact or active carbs are another way companies describe net carbs. The term is often a marketing tactic that can be deceiving.

Food manufacturers invented this new term to keep track of carbohydrates which promises dieters that they don’t have to give up their sweets. Net carbs are not required to be listed on the label, only total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, total sugars and added sugars. Any net carb claims you see on a label have not been evaluated by the FDA. The terms have been made up by food companies and are a marketing tactic to draw attention and give the appearance that the food item is “healthy.” The science behind these claims is fuzzy and it has not been revealed if counting net carbs helps or hurts weight loss efforts.

The idea behind net carbs is that our body digests each type of carbohydrate differently. The “net carbs” are the carbohydrates that you digest and use for energy, the remaining carbohydrates are thought to pass through the digestive tract without being absorbed and without significantly impacting your blood sugar. Proponents of this diet rule suggest that low net carb foods do not have a significant impact on blood sugar and therefore are less likely to prevent weight loss. Since carbohydrates come in different forms with an array of nutrients, this may not be true.

Foods touting their “net carb” content may still be very high in calories. For weight loss it is important to balance the calories you’re taking in with what you are burning off each day. It’s best to focus on an overall balanced diet, full of a variety of colors, and as close to mother nature as possible.

At Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating we are proud that our healthy living philosophy is based on the science of eating right, and not opinions, diet fads, or trends!