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COUNTING CARBS
Total Carbs
‣
Look at the serving size and total
carbohydrate sections.
In this example, 4 grams carbohydrate = 4
total grams of carbohydrate per 1 cup of
cauliflower.
‣
TOTAL CARBS is used when individuals are
trying to lose weight most effectively.
Net Carbs
‣
Look at the serving size, total carbohydrate,
and dietary fiber sections.
‣
Subtract dietary fiber from total
carbohydrate to get the "net carbs".
In this example, 4 grams carbohydrate −
2 grams fiber = 2 grams "net carbs" per 1 cup
of cauliflower.
‣
NET CARBS is more often used for
individuals trying to lose weight more
gradually or maintain body weight.
‣
Packaged or processed low-carbohydrate
foods often contain sweeteners called
sugar alcohols (e.g., erythritol, maltitol,
xylitol, isomalt) that are carbohydrates.
Some people think sugar alcohols can be
subtracted similar to fiber when calculating
"net carbs," but most of them contain
about half the calories per gram that
carbohydrates contain.
There are two ways to count carbs: TOTAL CARBS or NET CARBS
Figure 1. Reading a Nutrition Facts Label
