Calculating Keto Carb Intake: The Ultimate Guide

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that helps people lose weight quickly and effectively. To stay in ketosis, keto dieters must track their daily carb intake, focusing on their consumption of net carbs. Net carbs are absorbed into the body and impact blood sugar levels and insulin response. To calculate net carbs, simply subtract the grams of fibre and sugar alcohols from the total number of carbs. The remaining amount is the total net carb count, which for most people on keto should be less than 20 grams per day.

Calculating net carbs in whole foods

Whole foods are a great way to get plenty of fiber in your diet, which is an essential part of healthy eating. When calculating net carbs for whole foods, the process is relatively simple.

First, it's important to understand the difference between total carbs and net carbs. Total carbs include all types of carbohydrates: starches, dietary fiber, and sugars. Net carbs, on the other hand, only refer to the carbs that your body can fully digest and absorb. These are the carbs that will impact your blood sugar levels and energy production.

To calculate net carbs in whole foods, you simply subtract the fiber content from the total number of carbs. For example, if a medium avocado contains 17.1 grams of total carbs and 13.5 grams of fiber, you would calculate 17.1 grams of total carbs minus 13.5 grams of fiber, resulting in 3.6 grams of net carbs.

It's worth noting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recognize the term "net carbs" and recommends using total carbohydrates listed on nutrition labels. Additionally, nutrition labels can vary between countries, so be sure to check which values are included in the total carbohydrate value. For instance, in the USA, the total carbs include fiber, while in Australia, the fiber has already been subtracted from the total carbs.

Calculating net carbs is particularly useful for those on a ketogenic diet, as it helps them stay within their daily carb limit, which is typically around 20-50 grams of net carbs per day. It's important to note that this value is not fixed, and the optimal amount may vary from person to person.

By understanding how to calculate net carbs in whole foods, you can make more informed dietary choices and ensure you're getting the right balance of nutrients to support your health and fitness goals.

Calculating net carbs in processed foods

To calculate the net carbs in a packaged product, it is helpful to have as much information as possible. The formula for calculating net carbs is:

> Net carbs = Total carbs – Fibre – Sugar alcohol / 2

The total carbohydrates, fibre, and sugar alcohol content can be found on the nutrition label of the product.

Fibre

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot fully digest. To calculate net carbs, subtract the grams of fibre from the total carbohydrates listed on the nutrition label.

Sugar Alcohol

Sugar alcohols are widely used in the food industry as sweeteners and to improve the viscosity of products. The body only partially digests most sugar alcohols. To calculate net carbs, divide the grams of sugar alcohol by two and subtract that value from the total carbohydrates.

Erythritol

Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol that the body cannot digest at all. To calculate net carbs for a product containing erythritol, subtract the total grams of erythritol from the total carbohydrates.

Food Labels in the UK

UK food labels display the 'Carbohydrates' section with the fibre already deducted. Therefore, to calculate net carbs, simply use the 'Carbohydrates' value listed on the nutrition label.

Food Labels in Australia

In Australia, 'Total Carbohydrates' are not listed on nutrition labels. Instead, 'Carbohydrate' is listed separately from 'Dietary Fibre'. The dietary fibre has already been excluded from the total carb count, so to calculate net carbs, use the 'Carbohydrate' value listed on the nutrition label.

Net carbs vs total carbs

Net carbs are the number of carbohydrates that are absorbed by your body and impact your blood sugar levels and insulin response. Net carbs are calculated by taking the total carbohydrates and subtracting the grams of fibre and sugar alcohols. Net carbs will always be less than or equal to total carbohydrates.

Total carbohydrates include all types of carbs – even those that aren't absorbed by the body. This includes starch, fibre, and sugar alcohols.

How to Calculate Net Carbs

To calculate net carbs, you need to know the total carbohydrates, fibre, and sugar alcohols in your food. You can find this information on the nutrition label.

> Net Carbs = Total Carbs – Fibre – Sugar Alcohols

For example, a food with 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 10 grams of fibre, and 10 grams of sugar alcohols would have 5 grams of net carbohydrates.

Benefits of Calculating Net Carbs

Calculating net carbs can be helpful for people on low-carb diets, such as the keto diet, as it allows them to include more nutritious carbohydrates in their meals. Net carbs can also be useful for people with diabetes, as it helps them determine how much insulin they need.

Drawbacks of Calculating Net Carbs

The main drawback of calculating net carbs is that it can be confusing, especially for people with diabetes, as it may give the impression that they can consume an unlimited amount of carbs without affecting their health. Additionally, the impact of sugar alcohols on blood sugar levels is not fully understood, and they may cause gastrointestinal problems in some people.

Bottom Line

While calculating net carbs can be helpful for tracking your carbohydrate intake, it is important to remember that it is not a perfect calculation. The best diet involves consuming low-carb, whole foods such as non-starchy vegetables, fruits with high fibre content, leafy greens, healthy fats, and high-quality meats and fish.

Why count net carbs?

Counting net carbs is important for those on the keto diet, as it ensures they stay in ketosis. Net carbs are absorbed into the body, whereas some sources of carbohydrates like fibre and sugar alcohols are not.

The keto diet recommends no more than 50 grams of net carbs per day, and the fewer, the better. Counting net carbs allows for some wiggle room to include nutritious, fibre-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Net carbs are calculated by taking the total carbohydrates and subtracting the grams of fibre and sugar alcohols. This is a simple calculation that can be done by looking at the nutrition label of a product.

For example, a medium avocado contains 17.1 grams of total carbs, 13.5 grams of which is fibre. So, 17.1 grams of total carbs minus 13.5 grams of fibre equals 3.6 grams of net carbs.

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

How to improve your nutrition with net carbs

Net carbs are an important part of a keto diet. They are the number of carbohydrates that are absorbed by your body and can impact blood sugar levels and insulin response. Net carbs are always less than or equal to total carbohydrates.

To calculate net carbs, you need to know the total carbohydrates, grams of fibre, and sugar alcohols. The formula is:

> NET CARBS = TOTAL CARBS – FIBRE – SUGAR ALCOHOLS

For example, a food with 13 grams of total carbohydrates, 9 grams of fibre, 2 grams of erythritol, and 1 gram of allulose would have 1 gram of net carbohydrates.

The keto diet recommends a daily carb intake of less than 20 grams for most people, and net carbs allow for some wiggle room to include nutritious carbohydrates. Net carbs can help you include more fibre-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet, which provide essential micronutrients and support gut health, lower cholesterol, and improve blood sugar control.

Whole Foods vs. Processed Foods

When it comes to tracking net carbs, it's important to distinguish between whole foods and processed foods. For whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes, it's best to track net carbs. Simply subtract the fibre from the total carbs.

For processed foods with added fibre or sugar alcohols, it's recommended to track total carbs. For these foods, subtract half of the sugar alcohols from the total carbs listed on the nutrition label. Erythritol is an exception; if it's the only sugar alcohol listed, you can subtract its total carbs from the total carbs.

By focusing on net carbs for whole foods and total carbs for processed foods, you can ensure you're getting the nutritional benefits of fibre while still maintaining a low-carb diet.

Frequently asked questions