Ever see a protein bar or shake with a “Net Carb” count listed on the front? Perhaps you already understand this, but it remains a mystery to many people. I’d like to break down for you to make sure you are never in the dark.
The idea of a separate net carb count vs total carb count stems from the attempt to separate carbohydrates that actually impact your blood sugar levels from those that don’t.
Now you may be thinking – don’t all carbs affect your blood sugar? After all, even complex starches eventually become simple sugars in the blood.
Well, there are a few compounds that fall under the umbrella of carbohydrate, even though they have minimal or no affect on blood sugar.
The first is fiber. It enters and leaves your body in the same form. It never breaks down to sugar. In fact, it attracts water and the viscous solution is forms works much like a sponge, actually slowing the entry of sugar to your bloodstream. The more fiber you consume in a given meal, the lower the glycemic impact of any of the starches and sugars you consume in the same meal. So you could actually say that fiber DOES impact your blood sugar – but it does so in a POSITIVE way!
The second category of compounds with minimal affect on blood sugar is sugar alcohols. Some popular examples include glycerol, sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol. Now it’s a misconception that these never turn to sugar. That conversion can indeed happen, through gluconeogenesis, the same process that makes sugar from protein. But just like sourcing sugar from protein, however, the body doesn’t like to do it. The bigger fear is what too much of these substances can do your stomach and bowels. (not the way you want weight loss) A little bit here and there is non-issue for most people, but try to keep their use to a minimum, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.
So in summary, does the idea of “net carbs” have any value? Yes. When building a healthy meal, or picking a meal replacement bar or shake, it’s always a good idea to balance your carbohydrates with protein. For example, perhaps you find a meal replacement with 25 gram of protein but 37g of carbs. At first glance, you might be inclined to skip this option and look for something a little lower in carbs. But upon further investigation, you find that it has 11g of fiber and 1g of sugar alcohol. So it actually fits your needs, with a net carb count equal to the 25g of protein, while upping your day’s fiber total too!
Maybe you’ll get real lucky and find some “wonder” bread with no starch or sugar at all! (“wonder” how that tastes :)
