Fit Tip - Net Carbs

In this fit tip, Tom tells you where the term net carbs came from, as well as some no-brainer diet advice that is tried-and-true so that you can spend time working out rather than worrying about what the package says.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Fitness Disrupted, a production of I Heart Radio.
I am Tom Holland and this is fitness Disrupted. Fit tip.
What our net carbs? Now, you may have seen this
term and have no idea what it is. It is

(00:22):
often found on different products, bars to so many different
food products made super popular back with Atkins resurgence with
the keyto Diet. So what are they, what's the science
behind them? Does it matter? And how does it impact
your health? Quick fit tip on net carbs. So really simply,

(00:44):
the concept of net carbs is based on the principle
that not all carbohydrates affect the body in the same manner,
and that is true, all right. A net carb calculation
is when you're going to take the total absorbed carbohydrate
and food and you're gonna subtract it is not absorbed.
And we're talking about what is and what isn't and

(01:04):
what isn't In the concept of net carbs, we're talking
about fiber and we're talking about sugar alcohols. Okay, So
the net carb calculation is total carbohydrates minus fiber minus
sugar alcohols. All right, here's one thing you should know
right up front, though, the food and drug administration has

(01:26):
not weighed in on an official definition of net carbs.
There is no legal definition of the net carbs, and
it also goes by active carbs or impact carbs. So
where did this term come from? Not surprisingly, net carbs,
active carbs, impact carbs synonymous. They all come from the

(01:49):
food companies and they have been made up essentially to
make their products more appealing. Okay, So let's get into
some quick simple science. All right. So there are some carbohydrates,
like you're simple or refine starches and sugars that are
absorbed rapidly okay, and have a high what is known

(02:10):
as glycemic index, meaning they cause your blood sugar levels
to rise really quickly, okay, after you have a meal
of these types of carbohydrates. And examples of these would
be what you'd expect candy, white rice, white bread, a
lot of your processed foods. Other carbohydrates, such as the
fiber you're gonna find in fruits and vegetables and whole grains, well,

(02:35):
not surprisingly, those move more slowly through your digestive system,
and much of it isn't digested at all, and that
is your insoluble fiber. Okay, So fiber has no impact
on your blood sugar and your insulin. The sugar alcohols, however,

(02:55):
their carbohydrates that are yeah, they're found naturally in some foods,
but they are prime, merrily found and you're going to
consume them in your low carb food products. Okay, And
yes they're only partially digested, but they're glycemic index. Again,
the number how to measure the impact they have on

(03:16):
your blood sugar and your insulin relies on the type.
So there's many different types of sugar alcohols, some zero
glycemic index and some pretty high, so you have to
know that as well. But it's relatively low compared to
table sugar. Okay, So here's how you Here's how they
would compute a net carb calculation. So let's say you

(03:41):
ate a food that had grams of carbohydrates per serving
and twelve grams of fiber and no sugar alcohols. Will say, okay, carbohydrate,
you've got twelve grams of fiber, so we're gonna subtract
twelve from and you've got thirteen net carbs. If you
have three grams of sugar alcohol, then it would be

(04:04):
ten grams net carbs. Okay, But again, the problems with
the sugar alcohols. There are some sugar alcohols that can
raise your blood sugar pretty you know, it can raise it.
It's not zero and it's not super low. Uh, it
depends on the sugar alcohol because some sugar alcohols do
have a higher glycemic index, but they're still not counted

(04:27):
as carbohydrate when it comes to this calculation. And here's
one of the real kickers, which you know, isn't surprising
when it comes to processed you know, foods that are
are not as natural as they should be because these
sugar alcohols are not completely absorbed. If you eat too many,
what are the side effects gas, bloating and yes, diarrhea.

(04:52):
To the point that certain foods with sugar alcohols have
a warning on the package that eating a lot of
these foods could act as the laxative we will have
a laxative effect. The history sugar alcohols, they've been in
chewing gum for years in small amounts though, so we
don't truly know the long term effects of sugar alcohols

(05:16):
that have been consumed in large quantities. So we're talking fiber,
we're talking sugar alcohols and net carbs. But here's the
final takeaway. Most people who are consuming these products are
doing so for weight loss. For weight loss, Now, our

(05:39):
carbohydrates involved in weight loss, yes to some degree, but
as I've said on so many other shows, and as
the research shows, it's about calories. So here's the huge problem.
If weight loss is your goal, and that's why you're
looking at net carbs, it's the big sea, as they say,
not the little sea, that matters calories, not carbon hydrates,

(06:01):
if weight loss is your primary goal. Because here's where
we're gonna end up. If you eat one of these bars.
There are bars that you will pick up and it
will say only four net carbs, but that bar has
three hundred and forty calories. So many people will consume
that bar just seeing that four net carbs, going wow,
this is super low in carbohydrates. Well, to make that

(06:24):
taste really well and palatable and make it big, they
gotta add some calories in there, and it's got to
come from somewhere, and quite often they are high calory.
So that's why when I say to you when it
comes to pure weight loss, the first thing, when it
comes to pure weight loss, not health, the first thing
you look at is calories. Then you start to make

(06:46):
your way down and ideally you hunt a food that
is low in calories and high in quality, but that's
not often what you're getting when it's a processed food,
and when it has a turn them on it, like
net carbs or active carbs or impact carbs. You are

(07:08):
better off eating whole foods that are naturally low in
refined carbohydrates. What are those foods we just talked about them.
Fruits and vegetables and whole grains, the snack bars, the
processed foods, the ones that are able to have a

(07:28):
term like net carbs stamped on it. They're doing that
for a reason. And the reason when it comes to
your health, and oftentimes when it comes to your weight,
isn't the right reason, and it's not going to get
you to your goal. So, as Jack Olaine said, if
man makes it, don't eat it. I'll qualify that there's

(07:49):
some man made foods that are pretty healthy now getting
healthier and healthier. But the point is well taken. Let's
focus on the fiber and not so much the sugar alcohols.
Let's focus on the whole old foods and not the
process foods. Let's not worry about carbo hydrates, net carbo
hydrates as much as the quality of the food and
the quantity of the food and what that food is

(08:12):
going to do for us with our nutrients and vitamins
and minerals and all the good things. And then you
have it net Carbs. I am Tom holland thank you
for listening to this fit tip. If you have not
yet rated the show, please do so. I would greatly
appreciate it. If you have rated it, thank you, And

(08:33):
if you can leave a comment where you're listening, that
would be great as well. Tom h Fit is my Instagram.
Tom h Fit is also my Twitter. Can follow me
there and if you want to ask questions, have comments,
go right to Fitness Disrupted dot com and you can
do so through the website. And finally, if you are
talking about this on social media, if you use the
hashtag fitness disrupted, I will see that and we can

(08:56):
connect that way as well. Again, my goal is to
help you have your best life, to wade through all
the misinformation and fuzzy math and fuzzy science, and oftentimes
it's the simple stuff that works. And remember, we have
three things that we can control, how much we move,
what we put into our mouths, and our attitudes and

(09:19):
that is awesome. Thank you for listening. I am Tom Holland.
This is Fitness Disrupted. Believe in yourself. Fitness Disrupted is
a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from
my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

(09:42):
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.