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Hi Reader!

Like many of my clients, you might be striving to manage your weight or blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates play a crucial role in both these goals, but understanding what carbs are, choosing the right kinds, and deciphering labels can feel overwhelming. Don’t worry—with some know-how, you’ll be empowered to make smarter choices that suit your health needs.

So, what's low-carb? How low do you need to go? How do you read a label to pick the right product? And what exactly are net carbs? These are common questions, and answering them can help you take control of your diet and, ultimately, your health.

What Are Carbs?

1. Carbohydrates are one of the three main macronutrients (along with fats and proteins) that provide energy for your body. We often divide carbs into simple sugars (like glucose and fructose) and more complex forms like starches (in grains, beans, and potatoes).
2. The way single sugars bind to each other makes them more or less digestible by the human gut. Cooking makes foods more digestible. To absorb carbs in our digestive tract, we must first break them into simple sugars.
3. Fiber is a unique carbohydrate. Our bodies can't digest it, but it plays a crucial role in gut health, regulating blood sugar, eliminating waste, and keeping you full.

Carbs in Everyday Foods

Carbohydrates are naturally found in many foods, but not all carbs are created equal. For instance, grains like wheat, rice, and oats are high-carb foods, while green vegetables like spinach, cucumbers, and asparagus are low in carbs and packed with fiber.

Compare 1 cup of cooked long-grain rice that contains 45 grams of carbs and no fiber with 1 cup of cooked green beans with 10 grams of carbs and 4g of fiber.

As you can see, rice delivers a high amount of carbs without the balancing benefits of fiber, while beans provide fewer carbs but more fiber to help with digestion and blood sugar control.

Processed Foods and Nutrition Labels

Let’s say you’re picking up a protein bar at the store. The front of the package is full of claims: “low-carb,” “low-glycemic,” or “high-protein.” It sounds healthy, right? But the real story is on the back of the package, where the nutrition label lives.

How to Read a Label:

Start with the Serving Size

Don’t assume the serving size on the label is the amount you should eat. No one can recommend a portion until we know who is eating. A serving for a 10-year-old girl will be quite different from a serving for a 25-year-old soccer player. The serving size on the label helps you calculate the nutrient content of what you eat. For example, if you eat half a bar, you get 140 Cal, 4.5 g fat, 10 g protein, and 15.5 g carbs. Until next week, take care!

Check the Total Carbs

Let’s look at the label. The total carbs (31 g) include:

1. Dietary fiber (3): Your goal is to eat about 25–34 grams of fiber per day, so it’s important to know how much you’re getting per serving.
2. Total sugar (17): This figure includes both naturally occurring and added sugars. In our example, there are no naturally occurring sugars, so all 17 grams are added. According to the American Heart Association, women should eat no more than 6 teaspoons and men 9 teaspoons of sugar a day.
3. Take total carb number (31), subtract fiber (3) and total sugar (17) and you end up with about 20 grams of starch in the bar.

Calculate Net Carbs

Net carbs measurement is not on nutrition labels but can be easily calculated. Net carbs are the carbs that your body can digest and turn into glucose, raising blood sugar levels. To calculate net carbs, subtract fiber from the total carbs. In our example, that would be:

31 grams (total carbs) - 3 grams (fiber) = 28 grams of net carbs

This calculation gives you a more accurate picture of carbs that will affect your blood sugar levels.

In summary

Carbohydrates don’t need to be confusing. You can feel confident in managing your weight and blood sugar by learning how to read nutrition labels, choosing natural, fiber-rich carbs, and calculating net carbs.

Next time you’re shopping, don’t just rely on the front of the package—turn it over, read the label, and make the smart choice for your health. You’ve got this!

Take care,

Olga