Question:
Do I count the total carbs from my protein bars or the Net Carbs????

Please tell me I count the net carbs!!!!....I love my two protein bars, Chocolate Chip Brownie by Advant Edge which has 25 protein, 20 total carbs, and Chocolate Peanut Crunch by CarbWise which has 21 protein, 23 total carbs. On fitday, I've been going off the package which says to count 3 grams (sugar/starch) toward my daily carbohydrate intake, so that is what I've been doing. I saw somewhere this was wrong...and freaked out because even though I eat only complex carbs from veggies and minimal fruit, it will throw my protein/carb. ratio off if I have to count the "Total Carb." I try to keep my protein a good distance ahead of my complex carbs and this would really mixes things up. If I do count the total is it considered a simple or complex carb??? Sorry so long, but I always get such good advise here so I thought I'd ask you guyz!! thanks a bunch....Missy 09/15/03 210/currently 115/100-110goal.    — Lola C. (posted on May 11, 2004)

May 11, 2004
I am not sure if this will help, but if you are following Atkins they tell you to count the net carbs, when you are counting carbs. Hope this helps!
   — sac287

May 11, 2004
As I labored with the total v. net carb counting crisis, I was concerned that counting "net" carbs would provide me yet another basis for rationalizing ppor food choices--- after all, I had previously (pre-operatively) convinced myself that peanut butter cups were a protein food, that bagels were low in fat which was good and that cream cheese was low in carbs (and that was good) and that, therefore, a bagel smothered in cream cheese couldn't have ben that bad a choice (even when I was on Atkins). So, to prevent my regressing, I decided to count the net carbs just from the protein bars (my choice-- Atkins Peanut Butter Chocolate) and to count every carb from all other sources.
   — SteveColarossi

May 11, 2004
My opinion, and only mine, is that the most you can deduct from any food is the fiber. So if the total carbs is 15 and fiber is 5 then you are getting 10 net carbs. The problem is that most protein bars subtract out all kinds of other things because the net carbs they are talking about is what effects your glucose levels etc. and applies to diabetics. The same product with the stats I gave you would likely have 2 net carbs listed. For a diabetic this would be true as the remaining things do not effect their blood sugar etc. For us, who are not diabetic, those carbs do affect us. So the most I stick with subtracting fiber to be safe and no more. I actually do not keep track much anymore but when I was, in the early days, I counted all carbs. Didn't even subtract the fiber. It's balance and making reasonable choices that will serve you best in the long run. If you try to find ways "around" the system it's just going to backfire. My feeling is that all carbs exist and each one is 4 calories. Once you are to maintenance and there is minimal malabsorption involved and the pouch is quite larger, then it comes down to calories in versus calories burned as to what happens with our weight. Again, this is just my opinion as I know some will not agree.
   — zoedogcbr

July 31, 2006

   — Big Loser