Diabetes and “Net Carbs”

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

“Net carbs”…..“impact carbs”……you may have noticed these terms on food packaging. You most definitely have not found these terms on the official nutrition facts label, however. So, do these carbohydrate-related phrases have any relationship to diabetes?

Spilling The Beans

I’m glad you are here because I’ve been eager to “spill the beans” haha, that’s a carb joke about net carbs. I get asked this question many, many, many times… What are net carbs? Hey, I’m only eating this many carbs because it says net carbs; or do net carbs work for me since I have diabetes?

I know this can get very confusing when a food label is talking about “net carbs.” It sounds like this should be good for people with diabetes. I’m glad you are watching this video because I do have the answers to all your questions.

Eye Catching Food Labels

You may see “net carbs” or words like “impact carbs” on the front or back of a food label. The food will have fiber, and that is a good thing. Fiber is helpful in slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates to help minimize spikes in blood sugar after eating. The fiber portion of this story is a good thing but there is no regulated or defined term by the US Food and Drug Administration for “net carbs” or “impact carbs.”

Food companies use these terms to catch your attention, make their product more appealing. They are wanting these terms to sound as if you can eat more of these foods without it affected your blood sugar. They take the total grams of carb and subtract the fiber to get “net carbs.” But we have learned that total grams of carbohydrate is the line of the nutrition facts panel that is most important to us as we balance the number of carbs we eat at meal and snack time. Grams of fiber are important but should not be subtracted from total carb to give you a reduced carb amount.

Be Sure To Check Out – Low Carb, High Protein Diet Increases Long-term Heart Risk

Hope this clears up any questions you had about “net or impact carbs.”

Eating food that is higher in fiber is good as it will help blunt spikes in blood sugar after eating. Congrats on choosing fiber-rich foods.

Until next time, cheers to your health.

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