Calculating Carb Intake For The Ketogenic Diet

The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carb eating plan. The number of carbs one should eat on a keto diet varies from person to person, but it is generally around 20 to 50 grams per day. This is calculated by subtracting the fibre and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates. This is known as the net carbs. Net carbs are the carbs that are absorbed by the body and are used for energy.

What are net carbs?

Net carbs refer to the amount of carbohydrates in food that your body can absorb and use for energy. Carbohydrates, or "carbs", are one of the macronutrients found in food, and cutting carbs on a low-carb or keto diet may help you lose weight, improve blood sugar control, and provide other health benefits.

The formula for calculating net carbs is:

> Net Carbs = Total Carbs – Fibre – Sugar Alcohols

However, not all sugar alcohols are treated equally in this calculation. Sugar alcohols such as erythritol and xylitol have a negligible impact on blood sugar and can be counted as zero net carbs. Other sugar alcohols, such as maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt and glycerin, do count towards net carbs and each gram of these should be counted as about half a gram of carbs.

The term "net carbs" was coined by food manufacturers in the early 2000s when low-carb diets became popular. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recognise the term and instead recommends using the total carbohydrates listed on nutrition labels.

How to calculate net carbs

To calculate net carbs, you need to subtract the fibre and certain sugar alcohols from the total number of carbohydrates. This is because your body cannot break down fibre and some sugar alcohols, so they pass through your body without being digested.

Net Carbs = Total Carbs – Fibre – Sugar Alcohols

However, not all sugar alcohols are truly carb-free. Sugar alcohols such as maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt and glycerin can kick you out of ketosis because they have a high glycemic load. So, when calculating net carbs, it is important to know your sugar alcohols.

For example, if a food product contains 13 grams of total carbohydrates, 9 grams of fibre, 2 grams of erythritol and 1 gram of allulose, you would calculate the net carbs as follows:

13g – 9g – 2g – 1g = 1g net carb

It is also 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.

How many net carbs should you aim for?

The number of net carbs you should aim for depends on your body and goals. On the standard ketogenic diet, you might eat as few as 20 grams of net carbs per day, which equates to 5 to 10% of your total calorie intake. However, some people can eat slightly more carbs and stay in ketosis.

If you are highly active, you are more likely to burn through your glycogen stores and stay in ketosis. You might notice improvements in your workouts when you bump up your carb intake. If you are pretty sedentary and want to lose some body fat, keep your net carb intake on the lower end, around 5% of your total calories. If you are feeling tired, you may benefit from bumping your net carb intake up to 6% of your total calories. This style of eating is known as "modified keto".

Some people may be able to enjoy up to 50 grams of net carbohydrates and still enter a fat-burning state. To tailor your carb intake to your body and goals, you can use a macro calculator.

The difference between carbs and net carbs

Carbs, or carbohydrates, are one of the three macronutrients found in food, along with protein and fat. They provide your body with energy, or calories. There are two basic types of carbs: starches and sugars. Starches are made up of long chains of individual glucose (sugar) units, while sugars are much shorter chains, sometimes consisting of just a single glucose or fructose molecule.

Net carbs refer to the total amount of digestible carbohydrates in a food product or meal. They are calculated by taking the total number of carbohydrates and subtracting the amount of fibre and certain sugar alcohols, which are not digestible. Net carbs are important for people following a keto diet because they help determine whether an individual is in a state of ketosis, where the body relies on fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.

The main difference between total carbs and net carbs is that total carbs include all types of carbs in a food or meal, such as starches, dietary fibre, and sugars. On the other hand, net carbs only include carbs that the body can fully digest into glucose. Fibre, for example, is not included in net carb calculations because it is not fully digestible.

When following a keto diet, it is recommended to limit net carbs to 20 grams or fewer per day to stay in ketosis. This usually equates to 5 to 10% of an individual's total calorie intake. However, the ideal number of net carbs can vary depending on activity levels and other factors. For instance, highly active individuals may be able to consume more carbs while remaining in ketosis, while those who are sedentary may need to stay on the lower end of the spectrum.

It is important to note that the term "net carbs" was invented by food manufacturers and is not regulated by the FDA. Therefore, the way companies calculate net carbs can differ, and it is always a good idea to consult a dietitian or healthcare professional before starting a new diet.

Why counting carbs is important

Counting carbs is important when following a keto diet because it helps you stay within the optimal range for reaching ketosis, a metabolic state where your body shifts from burning carbs for energy to burning fat for fuel. This is typically under 50 grams of net carbs per day, but can be as low as 20 grams. Net carbs are the carbs that your body digests and uses for energy, and they include both simple and complex carbs. Simple carbs are found in foods like fruits, vegetables, milk, sugar, honey, and syrup, while complex carbs are found in grains and starchy vegetables like potatoes.

When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into individual sugar units, which are then absorbed and used as energy by your cells. However, not all carbs can be broken down and absorbed in this way. Fiber, for example, is a type of carb that your body cannot digest, so it passes through your digestive system unchanged and has zero net carbs. Sugar alcohols, which are used in sugar-free and low-carb foods, are also only partially absorbed by the body and have a minimal impact on blood sugar and insulin levels.

To calculate net carbs, you subtract the fiber and certain sugar alcohols from the total carbs listed on a food label. This is important because eating too many carbs can kick you out of ketosis and prevent you from experiencing the benefits of the keto diet, which include weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and increased energy and clearer thinking.

Frequently asked questions