Total Carbs vs Net Carbs: How to Count Them for Keto Success
Knowing the difference between carbs versus net carbs is essential for reaping the fat-burning, energy-boosting benefits of the keto diet. Tracking net carbs on keto is critical because net carbs are what impact blood sugar, which can kick you out of ketosis, the ultimate mechanism of the keto diet. Thankfully, calculating net carbs is a fairly simple task: just subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates (with a few exceptions, of course).
Why Net Carbs Matter for Your Keto Diet
Tracking net carbs—not just total carbohydrates—is a crucial step for staying in ketosis and maintaining consistent energy levels. When you subtract fiber and non-impact sugar alcohols from total carbs, you get the number of digestible carbs that actually raise blood sugar and can disrupt fat-burning.
In this article, you will learn:
- Do You Count Net Carbs or Total Carbs on Keto?
- How Do You Calculate Net Carbs?
- How Many Carbs Can You Eat and Still Be in Ketosis?
Do You Count Net Carbs or Total Carbs on Keto?
One key to succeeding with the keto diet is counting net carbs, not total carbs. For most keto dieters, the maximum number of net carbs that will result in ketosis is 30 net carbs.
Total carbohydrates include insoluble fiber and sugar alcohols, but since these nutritional components do not impact blood sugar, and therefore can’t shift your body out of ketosis, they aren’t counted towards your daily keto carb limit.
On the other hand, knowing how many net carbs you’re consuming is critical, because once you remove carbs from fiber and sugar alcohol, what remains are the carbs from starches and sugars, which will elevate your blood sugar and could ultimately, kick you out of ketosis.
Unlike fiber and sugar alcohols, which simply pass through your body and become waste, your body digests and uses starch and sugar for fuel. By strictly limiting your consumption of this type of fuel, aka glucose, your body is forced to produce an alternative fuel source, known as ketones.
How Do You Calculate Net Carbs?
Thankfully, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to calculate net carbs.
To find net carbs, simply take a food’s total carbohydrates (listed on the nutrition label), and subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols (also listed a food’s nutrition label).
Here’s a closer look at why sugar alcohols and fiber aren’t factored into your carb count on keto:
Sugar Alcohols
Compared to regular sugar (aka glucose), sugar alcohols have a unique molecular structure that makes them indigestible. This means that even though they’re sweet, they have no effect on ketosis or fat burning and are therefore subtracted.
But keep in mind that this is not a cut-and-dry rule for all sugar alcohols. Malitol is one sugar alcohol that does impact blood sugar levels and should be counted in your net carbs.
For a safe, low carb way to satisfy your sweet tooth, stick with common keto sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol, which will not count toward your net carb total.
Fiber
Fiber is another type of carb that can be digested by the body. Since our guts don’t have the enzymes to break down fiber, it passes through the digestive system without impacting blood sugar. That’s why keto dieters consider fiber to have zero carbs.
To sum it up, you can calculate the net carbs in any given food by simply subtracting its total amount of carbs with its amount of fiber and sugar alcohols.
Let’s use the example of an avocado. Half of an avocado contains 9 grams of total carbs, 7 grams of fiber, and zero sugar alcohols. When you subtract the fiber (7 grams) from the Total Carbohydrates (9 grams), you’re left with 2 grams of net carbs.
In other words, 9 grams of carbs - 7 grams of fiber = 2 net carbs!
Pretty straightforward, right?
That said, if you are looking for an even easier way to crunch your carbs, the Biohackers Lab blog has a handy net carb calculator that allows you to determine net carbs with a click of the button!
How Many Carbs Can You Eat and Still Be in Ketosis?
Most keto dieters limit their net carbs to approximately 20-50 grams per day in order to get in and stay in ketosis, but the exact number can vary from person to person.
For that reason, it’s essential to test your ketones to know what your own unique net carb limit is.
Testing also ensures that your carb intake is low enough to deplete your body’s glycogen stores, which in turn allows your body to enter and maintain a state of nutritional ketosis, which is where all of the keto diet’s fat-burning and energy-boosting benefits come from.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is the difference between total carbs and net carbs? Total carbs include all carbohydrates listed on the nutrition label. Net carbs subtract fiber and sugar alcohols because these have minimal impact on blood sugar.
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How many net carbs can I eat to stay in ketosis?
Many keto followers aim for around 20-50 g net carbs per day, though your ideal number may vary. Natural Force -
Should I ignore total carbs entirely?
While net carbs matter most for ketosis, it’s still wise to monitor total carbs—especially if using processed foods with hidden sugar alcohols or fibers that may spike blood sugar.
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