Confused between carbs and net carbs!!

oopsadaisydoddle

A lot of you will know I am trying to get to grips with my binge eating and have been trying low carb which I have to say has helped...I find I feel full more quickly and for longer. I haven't lost any weight yet but I haven't always got it right (couple of picking at the wrong things moments but nothing like before) so not too concerned about that right now.

Anyway, i have been looking for some info re low carb recipes and noticed that some of the info relates to net carbs. What should I be counting??

I am not trying to be too rigid yet, more ease into this as a new way of life (rigidity has only had had ill effects on my bingeing before) but I want to know what to aim for and whether i should use carbs or net carbs to get there!

Thanks again to all for the ongoing support!

shykins

for the US etc net carbs is basically the total carbs less the fibre count

in the uk tho our packets etc always display the fibre deducted figure ie net carbs so its probably easier for u to count them then do lots of calculations

hth

daska

Glad to hear it's going well

There's a lot of confusion and misinformation surrounding net carbs. Some of this stems from difference between US and UK labelling - our carbohydrate figures have the fibre already deducted whereas the UK list fiber both as carbs and as a separate figure so you have to do the sums.

But... I recently saw an article reporting on how some carbs aren't actually counted correctly so it may be more accurate to include some of the fibre in the net carbs rather than subtract it. My memory is that it mostly affected grains and sugar alcohols such as erithritol. (though I may be well off the mark there as I can't find the reference, I'm pretty sure it was on the low carb support thread but I'm being blind!)

margaretclare - there are a growing number of people who have found that carbs are the major trigger for a binge and that eating low-carb they can control their blood sugar levels and through that their bingeing. From previous threads it seemed that oops might well fall in this group (PCOS) and I'm really glad it seems to be working for her.

margaretclare

Yes, I agree about eating low-carb, although I hadn't heard of net carb before now. For some time now, DH and I have been eating low-carb (he's an insulin-using Type II diabetic) as in: few or no potatoes, little or no processed food, wholemeal bread rather than white bread, no refined foods as in cakes, biscuits, breakfast cereals etc. It works for us, which is why I was so irritated by the idea of sitting in front of plates of cakes etc for an hour and why anyone at all would think that was a good idea for anyone trying to control cravings.

oopsadaisydoddle

Thanks for the responses..again! I have to say, the protein and fat is filling me more than the carbs ever did and at present, that is enough to keep my binges at bay.

I have had the worst day at work too, so much so, I felt sick and exhausted when I came home and normally i would scoff my way through loads of junk - instead i had a couple of spoonfuls of coleslaw and a coffee with a drizzle of cream (and having cream means I don't need sugar - progress!!)

I have been putting things on my fitnesspal to track the carbs for now, not to be strict, more to see how much I am really having.

Thanks again for the wonderful advice!

Fire_Fox

margaretclare wrote: »

Yes, I agree about eating low-carb, although I hadn't heard of net carb before now. For some time now, DH and I have been eating low-carb (he's an insulin-using Type II diabetic) as in: few or no potatoes, little or no processed food, wholemeal bread rather than white bread, no refined foods as in cakes, biscuits, breakfast cereals etc. It works for us, which is why I was so irritated by the idea of sitting in front of plates of cakes etc for an hour and why anyone at all would think that was a good idea for anyone trying to control cravings.

Sounds more lower glycaemic index than low carb?

Chapman125

Thanks for sharing.