Calculating Net Carbs--Help

[happymomto4]

I thought that I understood how to calculate net carbs. You take total carbs, subtract fiber grams, and what you have left is net carbs, right? Well, tonight I looked at some Atkins bars at the grocery store. I KNOW that they are not recommended on this board. But, in reading the book, I was really interested in Dr Atkins talking about how if you're going to cheat, at least cheat smart. I have cheated in the past 5 months. Not proud of it, but it has happened several times. Usually after a stressful family or work event, so at least I'm aware of my trigger and working on it.

So tonight I decided to buy a couple of Atkins bars so that if at some point over the holidays I was tempted to finish off something sugary, I could just cheat with one of those instead. But the label doesn't make sense to me. It says 18 grams total carbs, 6 grams fiber, 2 grams sugar alcohol = 3 net carbs. The serving size is one bar, so I don't get how they got 3 net carbs from that. Wouldn't it be 18 - 6 = 12 net carbs minus the sugar alcohol = 10 net carbs??

Anyway, I'm not planning to eat them anytime soon. And definitely not both at once--they cost $3 each!! But I would like to know how they figured those net carbs!

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Calculating Net Carbs--Help

The reason the math doesn't work on Atkins products is because of the gylcerine.

The law strictly limits what can and cannot be listed in the Nutrition Facts panel, and that's why glycerin isn't listed along with fiber and sugar alcohols (if any).

Also, the number on the front of an Atkins bar isn't a net carb number. Net carbs are determined by simple subtraction. What's on the front of an Atkins bar is the Net Atkins Count (NAC).

Hope that helps.

[Georgiana]

Re: Calculating Net Carbs--Help

they cost $3 each!!

$3 a bar?! That's the price of 4 chicken legs (drumstick and thigh) here!