Many people are counting carbohydrates these days.

Dietitians agree that carbohydrates provide essential energy, fiber, and nutrients. However, carbohydrates are the food group that affects blood sugar levels, so it’s important to track your carbohydrate intake.

What are carbs?

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. They’re found in most foods, with the exception of meats, fats and oils. As you watch you’re carb intake, you should know the difference between carbohydrates:

• Starches are generally found in vegetables and products such as oatmeal, whole-grain cereal and bread, brown rice, couscous and bulgur. These carbs are good sources of fiber. Whole-grain foods may help protect against heart disease and certain cancers.
• Sugars include sucrose (table sugar) and naturally occurring sugars such as fructose in fruits.  Fruits are a great source of dietary fiber and vitamins and fructose doesn’t cause as large a spike in blood sugar as does sucrose.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), you should determine your carbohydrate intake with the help of your doctor and dietitian. Many factors determine a person’s dietary needs, including the need to lose weight, cholesterol levels, and other health conditions. A registered dietitian can help set up a meal plan that’s appropriate for you.

The net impact

Many new food labels are encouraging consumers to count only the ‘net’ or ‘impact’ carbs as part of their daily intake rather than the total carbohydrate content. ‘Net’ carbs are found in products that have sugar alcohols, glycerin and/or insoluble fiber in them. These ingredients have less of an impact on blood sugar levels and insulin response than the traditional carbohydrates in sugars and starches.

The reason sugar alcohols and glycerin have less effect on blood sugar is primarily because they are digested only about half as well. On average, they provide about 2 calories per gram instead of the usual 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates.

However, it’s very important to count the total number of carbohydrates in a product, because they will affect your blood sugar levels and contribute to overall calories. 

‘Net’ carbs are not used to control blood sugar levels. You actually may end up eating too many total carbohydrates (and calories) if you rely on ‘net’ carbs alone as your measure of carbohydrate consumption throughout the day. Calories count and special low-carb food products are not calorie-free. Make sure the carbs you consume include whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.