There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the topic of net carbs.
Are they good, bad, or irrelevant?
The truth is that carbs have a significant impact on your health, and it’s important to understand which ones are the ones you should be focusing on.
What Are Net Carbs?
Net carbs are the total carbs in a food excluding fiber & artificial sweeteners. These are the total number of carbohydrates that your body can use for energy. Simple carbs are sugars, such as table sugar and fruit juice are high in net carbs.
Complex carbs, that contain fiber, like vegetables, don’t affect your insulin nearly as much.
They also help to keep you fuller throughout the day because they take longer to digest.
It’s best to avoid foods high in sugar and refined carbs, like white bread, potatoes, and pasta. Instead, fill your diet with vegetables to lower your insulin.
When it comes to weight loss or maintenance, it’s important to pay attention to your net carb intake and be sure you’re not consuming too many simple or refined carbs.
What Are Total Carbs?
Total carbs refer to the sum of all carbs in a food product, including fiber & artificial sweeteners.
Total carbs include all carbohydrate sources, both good and bad.
Total carbs should always be listed on the nutrition label of packaged foods. However, you have to subtract the fiber & artificial sweeteners yourself to find out the actual net carbs.
Why Are Net Carbs Important?
Net carbs are important because they affect insulin much more compared to total carbs.
Fiber is not digested by the body and therefore it does not affect your blood sugar, however, it does play an important role in digestion.
It’s important to keep net carbs under 50g per day to stay in ketosis and avoid spikes in blood sugar levels, & insulin.
Carbs that are high in fiber such as vegetables should be consumed as part of a healthy diet.
When net carbs are eaten in excess, they can contribute to weight gain and inflammation.
Are Net Carbs Bad?
Yes, net carbs are bad for a keto diet. They raise your insulin much more than total carbs, so you must make sure to limit them.
If you’re trying to do a keto diet & get its benefits, make sure to consume under 50 grams of carbs per day.
Conclusion
Net carbs affect your insulin much more than total carbs, so you must watch how many you eat. If you’re doing a keto diet, make sure to eat under 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.
If you’re interested in starting a keto diet, here’s an article I made detailing the benefits and how to start it.
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