The keto diet is a low-carb eating plan that aims to drastically cut carbohydrate intake to spike the body’s production of ketones, which are an alternative energy source to carbs. To do this, you need to get very strict with your foods and come up with a list of foods you can eat without tapping into their carbs.
Some people believe that they are calculating net carbs correctly when they aren’t. As a result, they often eat more than needed and gain weight rapidly. Let’s learn how to calculate net carbs and how effectively you can manage your weight without any extra effort.
- Why is net carb important?
The net carb count is a very important thing to understand when you’re on a keto diet. The reason is that when you’re in ketosis, your body will primarily use the blood glucose as fuel. And when you eat carbs, the glucose gets converted into glycogen, which is stored in your liver and muscles as fuel.
So, when you’re on a keto diet, your body won’t convert carbs into glucose and store it as glycogen. It will, instead, burn the carbs for energy. As a result, you can stay slim and look younger. However, your good look can go away if you don’t change your eating habit.
- How to calculate net carbs on a keto diet
A simple way to calculate net carbs is by subtracting the fiber content from the net carb count. So, let’s say that a food label has 100 grams of carbs on it (total carbs). You would subtract the 10 grams of fiber from that to get a net carb count of 90. That’s the simple part of the net carb calculation.
Now, we need to take into account the sugar alcohols present in certain foods. Sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol are added to certain low-carb foods to help the product stretch out without increasing the net carb count. This is how to figure out net carbs and manage weight efficiently.
- Tips to help you understand net carbs
- Eat low-carb veggies, like lettuce, kale, asparagus, and cucumbers, with your meals to help keep the carbs down
- Drink water when you’re hungry and wait 20 minutes before consuming anything else. Hunger is your body’s way of telling you that you’ve ingested too many carbs and you need to remove them from your body
- Remember that net carbs are just a guideline. Many factors affect how many carbohydrates you consume, like your protein and fat intake
- Are there any hidden net carbs in food?
Yes, there are hidden net carbs in many foods, but you don’t need to be worried about them. You’ll be fine if you’re just getting into the keto diet and sticking with low-carb foods, like meat, veggies, and healthy fats. The only time you need to worry about how do you calculate net carbs? Is when you are eating a keto diet for a long time and you need to maintain your figure.
Find more information relating to how to calculate net carbs, and how do you calculate net carbs here.
