1. What Are Net Carbs?

Net carbs represent the carbohydrates that significantly impact blood sugar levels. They're calculated by subtracting fiber and half of sugar alcohols from total carbohydrates, as these components have minimal effect on blood glucose.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard net carbs formula:

Where:

• Total Carbs — All carbohydrates in the food (g)
• Fiber — Dietary fiber content (g)
• Sugar Alcohols — Sugar alcohol content (g)

Explanation: Fiber and sugar alcohols are subtracted because they're either not digested or have minimal impact on blood sugar levels, making net carbs a more accurate measure of carb impact for ketogenic diets.

3. Importance of Net Carbs for Keto

Details: Tracking net carbs is essential for maintaining ketosis on a ketogenic diet. Most people need to stay below 20-50g of net carbs daily to remain in ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter values in grams from nutrition labels. All values must be non-negative. For accurate results, use precise measurements from food packaging or reliable nutritional databases.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why subtract only half of sugar alcohols?
A: Sugar alcohols are partially absorbed and have about half the glycemic impact of regular sugar, so we count only half toward net carbs.

Q2: Are all sugar alcohols treated equally?
A: Most are, but some like maltitol have higher glycemic impact. For precise tracking, research individual sugar alcohol types.

Q3: What's a good daily net carb limit for keto?
A: Typically 20-50g net carbs daily, but individual tolerance varies based on metabolism and activity level.

Q4: Should I count all fiber?
A: Yes, all dietary fiber can be subtracted from total carbs when calculating net carbs.

Q5: Do I need to track net carbs if I'm not on keto?
A: While not essential, tracking net carbs can help anyone manage blood sugar levels and make healthier carbohydrate choices.