Carb Carnival - Low Carbs

Low Carbs

Foods Labeled as Having Low Carbs

Remember the last diet craze--low fat? Before then, only full-fat versions of things like sour cream, cream cheese, puddings, etc. were available. But now you can get regular versions, low-fat versions and non-fat versions. People on low fat diets often thought this gave them license to eat as much as they wanted of these foods, but the calorie count was often the same.

Now low carbs is the focus of more and more consumers. Food low in carbs is all the rage now. In addition to the multitude of foods with low fat versions, there are now more and more foods labeled as having low carbs. People on low carb diets might be tempted to buy these foods thinking that it's okay to eat these foods on their low carb diets. But like the low-fat and non-fat foods, the calorie count is generally not much different, and cutting calories is still the key to weight control. In addition, the FDA doesn't have rules about labeling foods as having low carbs.

In addition to having as many calories, these products usually don't have significantly fewer carbs. What they do is subtract other nutrients, like fiber, from the total carb count, leaving a number they refer to as "net carbs." So a food with 12 total grams of carbs per serving has 4 grams of fiber, the total "net carbs" is 8 grams. Here are a couple of examples:

A slice of Atkins bread has 60 calories and 8 grams of total carbs (3 of which are "net carbs"); whereas, a typical slice of diet bread usually has 50 calories and 10 grams of carbs. (They don't subtract the fiber grams, but you could do that and come up with the same number.)
A 12-ounce can of Michelob Ultra beer has 95 calories and 2.6 grams of carbs, but a 12-ounce bottle of Miller Lite has 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbs.

As you can see, labeling foods as having low carbs is just that--a label. Why not compare the labels before deciding which foods really have low carbs. Or if net carbs are important to you, you can figure that out now too. Eating low carbs is not the only way to lose weight. You can now opt for a balanced diet, which contains good carb foods, and still shed the pounds. Exercise will certainly help you in your weight loss goal, so whichever diet you choose, try to play a sport, walk, or go to the gym.

Next:

Learning about good carbs and counting carbs.