What are Net Carbs?

By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

If you read food labels at the grocery store, you may have noticed “net carbs” listed on some products. In general, this term refers to the number of carbohydrates in a food that can impact blood sugar. 

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the use of this term. If you are someone who counts carbohydrates or follows a weight loss meal plan, net carbs can be especially confusing. 

Read on to learn more about this term and if you should be considering net carbs when choosing foods. 

Net Carbs Defined 

In most instances, net carbs refer to the number of carbohydrates in a serving of a food when you subtract grams of fiber and sugar alcohols from the total grams of carbs. A food with 30 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of sugar alcohols would have 17 grams of net carbs. 

Fiber and sugar alcohols are thought to have a minimal impact on blood sugar. By this logic, net carbs are considered to be the only ones that increase blood sugar. This is why they are sometimes called “impact carbs” or referred to as the only carbs that “count” in a food. 

However, net carbs are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the two organizations that manage what’s on food labels. 

Issues with Net Carbs 

In addition to being an unregulated term with no official definition, net carbs can be misleading in other ways. While it is true that sugar alcohols and dietary fibers do not cause spikes in blood sugar like actual sugar does, there are other factors to consider. 

Sugar alcohols provide sweetness to foods but contain about half as many calories as actual sugar. Common sugar alcohols include xylitol, sorbitol, and erythritol. Consuming sugar alcohols in excess can cause digestive distress, including flatulence, bloating, and laxative effects. A food labeled as low in net carbs may also be high in fiber. Too much fiber can also cause digestive issues for some people. 

Therefore, a product that’s labeled as low in net carbs may actually lead to stomach problems if you eat too much of it. Foods with sugar alcohols also tend to be replicates of dessert foods. So, they are usually processed and don’t provide beneficial nutrients and compounds like those found in whole foods. 

How to Handle Net Carbs 

Instead of focusing on a single nutrient in a food, it’s better to think about the overall nutrition profile and how that food can fit into a healthy eating pattern. If you just focus on net carbs to guide food choices, you risk over-consuming highly processed foods marketed as “low-carb.” And you may miss out on nutritious foods that are naturally low in carbs, like non-starchy vegetables and lean proteins, and healthy sources of carbs like whole grains. 

If you are trying to lose weight, remember to also consider the calories in foods. Not all low-carb foods are low in calories. In fact, many low-carb snacks made from meat and dairy products are high in calories. Aim to eat a balanced plate that pairs carbohydrates with a source of lean protein and healthy fat instead of getting caught up in net carbs. 

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Our delicious meals are nutritionally balanced and provide carbohydrates from healthy foods, such as fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. Instead of stressing about net carbs, get started with one of our nutritionally controlled, balanced meal plans today.