Low-carbohydrate diets are about more than just counting carbs. Some carbs are better than others, and some carbs don't count at all. Because many low-carb diet plans rely on net carbs rather than total carbs, it's important to be able to calculate the difference so you can get the most out of your plan. Best of all, subtracting carbs that don't affect blood sugar means you have more carbs to use on food!
Step 1
Identify all types of carbohydrates on the food label. Look for total carbohydrates, fiber and sugar alcohols. If you're eating a food without a label, such as a tomato, use a food nutrition program such as Nutrition Data.com to find this information.
Step 2
Start with the total number of carbohydrates as your base number. From this, subtract the total amount of fiber. For example, if a food has 5g of carbohydrates and 2g of fiber, your total net carbs is three.
Step 3
Determine whether you'll subtract sugar alcohols from your total carb count. Some programs advise you to subtract these sugar alcohols and others don't, so check with your plan's guidelines.
Step 4
Locate the number of sugar alcohols in your food item. Sugar alcohols have names such as mannitol or erythritol. Subtract this number from the amount you reached by subtracting fiber from total carbs.
Step 5
Monitor your progress. If you find that your weight loss is stalled, stop removing sugar alcohols to achieve your net carb total, or stop eating them altogether. Many people report that they do well will sugar alcohols in moderation, though some people can't eat them at all.
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