Carbs vs. net carbs...???

[Findingfreedom]

Can anyone tell me why some people go by net carbs and say that is ok. I don't really understand it much. Isn't a carb a carb? I know net carb things tend to have sugar alcohols and can raise insulin levels. I don't go by it, but a lot of people do. Hmmm....

[BabyDreamer]

Re: Carbs vs. net carbs...???

As I understand it, a carb includes the fiber and a net carb does not.

Deb

Can anyone tell me why some people go by net carbs and say that is ok. I don't really understand it much. Isn't a carb a carb? I know net carb things tend to have sugar alcohols and can raise insulin levels. I don't go by it, but a lot of people do. Hmmm....

[Findingfreedom]

Re: Carbs vs. net carbs...???

Why do they not count the fiber carbs? Do they not raise insulin levels as well?

[2big4mysize]

Re: Carbs vs. net carbs...???

actually there are net carbs and then there are mythical magical counting noncounting carbs.

those carbs that are defined as fiber on the nutrition label must enter a human's mouth and exit the rearend unmetabolized in any manner. only carbs that perform in that manner may be called fiber so subtracting the fiber carbs from the total gives you the useable carb total you have eaten. fibere does contain calories but not usable inside a human body calories so you are safe to subtract those from your total.

then you get into the mythical magical counting noncounting things like hydrogenated starches, sugar alcohols, and glycerine. All of those products can be metabolized by the human body to some degree. some folk because of slow moving digetive tracts and their intestinal flora can break down more then other folk those chemicals into useable forms. the real danger with those things is when Dr Atkins crated his plan they didn't exist so if you wanted a slice of cake you had to have a very small slice of cake for say 24 carbs ( about 150 cals counting the cake and icing) controlling both your carbs and your cals. In 2003 Atkins Nutritionals had a 3000+ cal cake that had only according to them 24 net efective carbs and there are folk out there who will make the arguement they can have that whole cake cause it is in their carb budget.

so you are going to have to decide for yourself if you want to count only the fiber in your subtractable carbs or the mythical magical counting noncounting things in your Atkins.

[1poundatatime]

Re: Carbs vs. net carbs...???

From the book:

Simply put, dietary fiber is the indigestible parts of plant cells. Although it is a carbohydrate, fiber does not convert to glucose and thus does not raise your bloodsugar level the way carbohydrates typically do.

That's why people subtract dietary fiber to get their net carb calculation.

[Findingfreedom]

Re: Carbs vs. net carbs...???

Thanks a lot for the info....I count all carbs in my daily total. I just didn't understand what the difference was. I am too afraid to try going by net carbs for fear it will stall me or slow me.

[Mothercooter]

Re: Carbs vs. net carbs...???

I too dont subtract my fiber to get net carbs. I am afraid I might had mised something somewhere or mismeasured so by not subtracting fiber, I have a little wiggle room where I think I had more carbs than I did.

[not2late]

Re: Carbs vs. net carbs...???

Hi.

A net carb is the total carbs - fiber grams - sugar alcohols (if your body can tolerate them). On Atkins we only count "net carbs".

Fiber is a carbohydrate. However it is not absorbed by our bodies because we can't digest fiber. So fiber doesn't affect our blood sugar levels, like sugar can. So Dr. Atkins said we don't need to count the fiber carbs. For example, 1/2 cup pumpkin puree has 9 total carbs and 4 grams fiber. Therefore if you eat 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, you only need to count 5 grams of carbohydrate (9 total carbs - 4 fiber grams = 5 net carbs)

Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates too. For some people, sugar alcohols can interfere with their blood sugar levels. So for these people, it's better not to subtract them from the total carb count.

[CarbaholicJoe]

Re: Carbs vs. net carbs...???

SA is like fiber; it certainly loosens the stools!