Carbs And Keto: Total Carb Intake Matters

The keto diet is a low-carb diet that aims to put the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. To achieve ketosis, one must drastically restrict their carb intake so that their body begins producing ketones from stored and consumed fats. The recommended amount of carbohydrates on a keto diet is 5 to 10 percent of total calories, which is generally around 20 to 50 grams per day. However, there is some confusion around whether one should count total carbs or net carbs. Total carbs refer to the total number of carbohydrates consumed in a day, while net carbs are calculated by subtracting dietary fiber and certain sugar alcohols from the total carb count.

Total carbs vs net carbs

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It involves taking a very low amount of carbohydrates and substituting them with fat to stimulate the body's fat-burning processes.

Total Carbs

Total carbs include all types of carbohydrates present in food, including fibre and sugar alcohols, which are not fully absorbed by the body. These are all the carbohydrates in food that can be absorbed and used by the body for energy.

Net Carbs

Net carbs are determined by removing fibre and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates count. Net carbs are all about the digestible carbohydrates contained within a product or meal. Net carbs only include carbs that the body can fully digest into glucose. Net carbs are counted when calculating daily consumption on the keto diet.

How to Calculate Net Carbs

To calculate net carbs, you need to find the amount of fibre in a food or meal and subtract it from the total amount of carbohydrates. It is important to note the serving size of the product, as these numbers are specific to one serving.

For example, a food containing 20 grams of total carbs and 10 grams of dietary fibre has 10 grams of net carbs. This is the amount of carbohydrates the food contains that the body can digest into glucose.

The Benefits of Counting Net Carbs

Counting net carbs can help promote a healthy intake of dietary fibre, which can increase feelings of fullness and help control blood sugar levels. It can also increase the number of food choices available, as many fruits and vegetables are rich in fibre and contribute fewer carbs to a person's daily goal.

The Drawbacks of Counting Net Carbs

Counting net carbs may increase the number of sugar-free treats in the diet, which may not be carb-free. Food nutritional labels can also vary and may cause confusion among consumers. It is also worth noting that methods for calculating net carbs are only estimations, as everyone's digestive system and bodily processes are different.

The Bottom Line

Most dietitians advise focusing on total carbohydrate consumption instead of net carbohydrates as the accurate measurement. The best diet involves consuming low-carb whole meals such as non-starchy vegetables, fruits with high fibre content, leafy greens, healthy fats such as olive oil, and high-quality meats and fish. This is the most effective method for losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle.

Counting total carbs

Total carbs refer to the sum of all the carbohydrates you consume in a day. This includes carbs from sugar, starch, and fibre. On a keto diet, it is recommended to limit total carb intake to around 20-50 grams per day. This may vary slightly depending on individual factors, but it is generally agreed that total carb intake should be kept very low.

When counting total carbs, it is important to consider the type of carbs you are consuming. Not all carbs have the same impact on your body. For example, fibre is a type of carb that your body cannot digest, so it does not raise your blood sugar levels in the same way as other carbs. However, your gut bacteria can use fibre to produce short-chain fatty acids, which can then be used for energy.

Additionally, it's worth noting that the keto diet is not just about restricting carbs. It is also important to increase your intake of healthy fats and maintain a moderate protein consumption. This means that, while counting total carbs is crucial, you should also pay attention to the overall composition of your diet to ensure it aligns with the keto guidelines.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that there is another way to count carbs on a keto diet, known as counting "net carbs." Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fibre and certain sugar alcohols from the total carb count. However, some experts argue that focusing solely on net carbs may not be accurate as it doesn't consider individual variations in how "non-impact" carbs like fibre are processed and metabolised. Therefore, counting total carbs can be a more reliable method to ensure you are staying within the recommended limits on a keto diet.

Calculating net carbs

The keto diet is a low-carb diet that aims to put the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. To achieve ketosis, one must drastically restrict their carb intake.

The number of carbohydrates one should eat on a keto diet is typically between 20 to 50 grams per day. Many people on the keto diet count "net carbs", which is the total number of carbs minus fibre and certain sugar alcohols.

Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the grams of dietary fibre and sugar alcohols from the total grams of carbohydrates in a given food. Dietary fibre is a type of carbohydrate that is not broken down and absorbed by the digestive tract. Instead, it passes through the system until it reaches the colon, where it is either fermented by bacteria or eliminated in faeces.

The basic formula for calculating net carbs is:

> Net Carbohydrates = Total Carbohydrates – Fibre – Erythritol (if applicable)

When calculating net carbs, it is recommended to only subtract the fibre that naturally occurs in whole foods, such as vegetables, nuts, and seeds. This is because the body may respond differently to some forms of "added fibre" found in keto and low-carb products.

Sugar alcohols are another component that can affect net carb calculations. These are compounds derived from sugar, and some are truly calorie-free, while others provide calories and can even raise blood glucose levels. When calculating net carbs, it is recommended to include the following sugar alcohols:

• Erythritol
• Mannitol
• Xylitol
• Sorbitol

These sugar alcohols have negligible or no calories, so their impact on blood glucose levels is insignificant.

Let's say a food item has 15 grams of total carbs, 4 grams of fibre, and 3 grams of sugar alcohols. To calculate the net carbs, subtract the fibre and sugar alcohols from the total carbs:

15g total carbs - 4g fibre - 3g sugar alcohols = 8g net carbs

Net carbs on packaged foods

Net carbs are the total grams of carbohydrates in any given food minus its grams of dietary fibre and certain sugar alcohols.

Dietary fibre is the portion of the carbohydrate in plant foods that isn't broken down and absorbed by your digestive tract. Instead, fibre passes through your system until it reaches your colon, where it is either fermented by bacteria into short-chain fatty acids or eliminated in faeces, depending on the type.

Sugar alcohols are processed similarly to fibre, with a few important differences. Many sugar alcohols are only partially absorbed in the small intestine, and there is a lot of variation among different types. Researchers report that the small intestine absorbs 2-90% of sugar alcohols. However, some are only briefly absorbed into the bloodstream and then excreted in urine.

The basic formula for counting net carbs is:

> Net carbohydrates = total carbohydrates – fibre – erythritol (if applicable)

When calculating net carbs, you can subtract the carbs that come from dietary fibre that's naturally found in whole foods like vegetables, nuts, and seeds. You can also subtract the carbs from erythritol, when it's used in modest amounts.

For added fibre and other sugar alcohols, it's recommended that you test your blood glucose and ketone levels to see how your body responds to them.

Here's an example of calculating net carbs for a packaged food product:

> A maltitol-sweetened Atkins bar label states that it contains 3 grams of net carbs. However, when subtracting only half the carbs from sugar alcohols, the net carb value is 8.5 grams: 23 grams of total carbs – 9 grams of fibre – 11 grams sugar alcohols (11 grams x 0.5 = 5.5 grams) = 8.5 grams of net carbs.

It's important to note that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recognise the term "net carbs". The FDA recommends using the total carbohydrates listed on the nutrition label.

Total carbs for epilepsy treatment

The keto diet is a low-carb diet that aims to put the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This diet was originally used to control seizures in people with epilepsy, and it may be necessary for their health. When the keto diet is used for epilepsy treatment, clinicians often restrict total carbohydrates rather than net carbs to ensure the patient achieves deep ketosis and reduces seizures. This is because the composition of carbohydrates in food can vary, and it is crucial to reach and maintain deep ketosis for effective epilepsy treatment.

Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the grams of fiber and certain sugar alcohols from the total grams of carbohydrates in a serving. Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that does not raise blood glucose levels, and some sugar alcohols also have no impact on blood glucose. However, the body can still derive energy from fiber through short-chain fatty acids produced by gut bacteria. Therefore, while net carbs are useful for tracking blood glucose levels and staying in ketosis, they do not provide the full picture of carbohydrate intake.

The keto diet for epilepsy treatment requires a very low-carb intake, and restricting total carbs is a more conservative approach to ensure deep ketosis. By limiting total carbs, individuals can be confident that they are minimizing all forms of carbohydrates, including net carbs, to achieve the desired state of ketosis for epilepsy treatment.

It is important to note that the keto diet for epilepsy treatment should be undertaken with medical supervision. While the diet can be beneficial for seizure control, it is not suitable for everyone, and a healthcare professional can guide individuals in safely implementing the diet and monitoring their health.

Frequently asked questions