"False" advertising on Atkins protein bars. Beware

fishgutzy
fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was checking out the box on the Atkins "low carb" protein bars.
In bold print on the front they tout "3g Net Carbs."
But when you look at the actual carb count it is 18g.
Apparently fiber and sugar alcohol carbs don't count.
I call BS.
BTW, these things are far more expensive than the bars I prefer anyway.

Replies

  • dobenjam
    dobenjam Posts: 232 Member
    Different carbs are handled by the body differently (i.e. fiber doesn't get digested and provides no calories to the body). Sugar alcohols do provide calories but they do not spike the blood sugar (alcohol is burned right away without the use of insulin and the body will stay in ketosis).

    The purpose of the Atkins diet is that you are in Ketosis (burning fat for fuel instead of carbs) and in order to do that you are limited by the number of Net Carbs you can have daily.

    If you aren't on the Atkins Diet and you don't like the bars, then I suggest not eating them, but it isn't false advertising.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    Different carbs are handled by the body differently (i.e. fiber doesn't get digested and provides no calories to the body). Sugar alcohols do provide calories but they do not spike the blood sugar (alcohol is burned right away without the use of insulin and the body will stay in ketosis).

    The purpose of the Atkins diet is that you are in Ketosis (burning fat for fuel instead of carbs) and in order to do that you are limited by the number of Net Carbs you can have daily.

    If you aren't on the Atkins Diet and you don't like the bars, then I suggest not eating them, but it isn't false advertising.
    I thought there had to be an explanation for the extreme variance in numbers.
    There is a so-called low carb pasta that one person did a blood glucose test using himself as a guinea pig. Contrary to the box label, it caused a huge and sustained spike in blood glucose.
    So I tend to be a little skeptical when I see "net carbs."

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