Do net carbs count when youre only counting calories?
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alexastoutxo
Posts: 139 Member
I'm confused as to whether net carbs would count if you're counting calories..for example I just ate a chocolate brownie questbar which is 170 calories but if you multiply the fat(9 calories), protein(4 calories) and carbs (4 calories)together, you actually get 230 calories. Which calorie amount is correct? I don't mind the carbs but Im just confused as to what the actual calories are .
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Replies
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I haven't heard of anyone doing that. You're multiplying fat, carbs and protein to get a number??
If the nutritional information on the package says 170 calories then that's what it is....0 -
I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?0
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I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.2 -
I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.
Well when it comes to counting calories doesn't each macronutrient have calories in them? I've always heard that fat is 9 calories, carbs are 4 calories and protein is 4 calories and multiplying them together give you the calorie amount a food contains. I don't know that's what I've always seen and heard so I'm not sure what is right or what is wrong! Haha I'm still confused as to whether the calories listed are the calories that are correct though0 -
alexastoutxo wrote: »I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.
Well when it comes to counting calories doesn't each macronutrient have calories in them? I've always heard that fat is 9 calories, carbs are 4 calories and protein is 4 calories and multiplying them together give you the calorie amount a food contains. I don't know that's what I've always seen and heard so I'm not sure what is right or what is wrong! Haha I'm still confused as to whether the calories listed are the calories that are correct though
That's true but nutrition labels aren't exact, especially in the US. Both the calories and macros can get rounded. Manufacturers have choices about how to list fiber depending upon solubility.
Calories on labels are determined independently through lab testing rather than by multiplying the macros out. Go by the calories listed on the nutrition label for the calories.0 -
It is complicated. Per the US FDA regulations manufacturers must list grams of fiber in Total Carbohydrate grams, but they have the option of counting the 4 Cals/g Dietary Fiber in the Total Calories (which most packaged items do) or not counting the Calories from grams of dietary fiber (insoluble fiber) when reporting Total Calories from Net Carbs (Carbs grams minus Fiber grams).
Edited to add: It gets even more complicated when there are sugar alcohols present, which requires about only half of those Calories to be included in the Total Calories calculation.1 -
alexastoutxo wrote: »I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.
Well when it comes to counting calories doesn't each macronutrient have calories in them? I've always heard that fat is 9 calories, carbs are 4 calories and protein is 4 calories and multiplying them together give you the calorie amount a food contains. I don't know that's what I've always seen and heard so I'm not sure what is right or what is wrong! Haha I'm still confused as to whether the calories listed are the calories that are correct though
You multiply the fat grams by 9
Protein grams by 4
Carb grams by 4
Add them together to get calories. I personally use total carbs in the calculation, not net carbs0 -
Yes, adding together the calories from the macros is actually how they figure the calorie content of a food. The old bomb calorimeter method is not often used these days. Rather, the food is analyzed in a lab for protein, carbohydrate, alcohol, and fat content, and the calories per gram are added up. There are 4 cal/g for protein and carb, 7 cal/g for alcohol, and 9 cal/g for fat.
A Quest chocolate brownie bar has 20g of protein, 22g of carbs, and 7g of fat according to the label. This should result in 20*4 + 22*4 + 7*9 = 231 calories. However, Quest says 170 calories, which is what you get when you take the 15g of fiber out of the carbs.
According to Scientific American this is not incorrect as fiber, while technically a carb, is not digested and absorbed by the body. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-food-manufacturers/0 -
alexastoutxo wrote: »I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.
Well when it comes to counting calories doesn't each macronutrient have calories in them? I've always heard that fat is 9 calories, carbs are 4 calories and protein is 4 calories and multiplying them together give you the calorie amount a food contains. I don't know that's what I've always seen and heard so I'm not sure what is right or what is wrong! Haha I'm still confused as to whether the calories listed are the calories that are correct though
That's true but nutrition labels aren't exact, especially in the US. Both the calories and macros can get rounded. Manufacturers have choices about how to list carbs depending upon solubility.
Calories on labels are determined independently through lab testing rather than by multiplying the macros out. Go by the calories listed on the nutrition label for the calories.
Oh okay so since they are ultimately lab tested then the calories listed on the package (for example the questbar i ate is 170) are correct right?0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »alexastoutxo wrote: »I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.
Well when it comes to counting calories doesn't each macronutrient have calories in them? I've always heard that fat is 9 calories, carbs are 4 calories and protein is 4 calories and multiplying them together give you the calorie amount a food contains. I don't know that's what I've always seen and heard so I'm not sure what is right or what is wrong! Haha I'm still confused as to whether the calories listed are the calories that are correct though
You multiply the fat grams by 9
Protein grams by 4
Carb grams by 4
Add them together to get calories. I personally use total carbs in the calculation, not net carbs
Exactly but then that would mean the calories in the questbar I ate is 231 calories rather than 170 like it says on the package. I only count calories so that's why I'm confused as to which one is correct to log on my diary for accurate calories0 -
It depends. If it's soluble fiber, some estimate you get as much as 2 cal/g; that is, half as much as other carbs. If it's insoluble fiber, it pretty much just passes right through you unchanged and provides no calories.
Either way, it probably doesn't make enough difference in this case to matter much.0 -
Not all manufacturers test food items in a lab to determine Calories. The US FDA regulations also allow manufacturers to use the Atwater Calories per gram values, in conjunction with one of many different methods to determine Total Calories, without any lab testing. As I said up thread, it is very complicated. The Total Calories on any packaged item is an educated estimate, which can vary depending on the method the manufacturer chooses to use. There are also US FDA rounding rules in the regulation that further complicate the Total Calories reported.(A) Using specific Atwater factors (i.e., the Atwater method) given in table 13, USDA Handbook No. 74 (slightly revised, 1973),
(B) Using the general factors of 4, 4, and 9 calories per gram for protein, total carbohydrate, and total fat, respectively, as described in USDA Handbook No. 74 (slightly revised, 1973) pp. 9-11;
(C) Using the general factors of 4, 4, and 9 calories per gram for protein, total carbohydrate (less the amount of non-digestible carbohydrates and sugar alcohols), and total fat, respectively, as described in USDA Handbook No. 74 (slightly revised, 1973) pp. 9-11. A general factor of 2 calories per gram for soluble non-digestible carbohydrates shall be used. The general factors for caloric value of sugar alcohols provided in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(F) of this section shall be used;
(D) Using data for specific food factors for particular foods or ingredients approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and provided in parts 172 or 184 of this chapter, or by other means, as appropriate;
(E) Using bomb calorimetry data subtracting 1.25 calories per gram protein to correct for incomplete digestibility, as described in USDA Handbook No. 74 (slightly revised, 1973) p. 10; or
(F) Using the following general factors for caloric value of sugar alcohols: Isomalt—2.0 calories per gram, lactitol—2.0 calories per gram, xylitol—2.4 calories per gram, maltitol—2.1 calories per gram, sorbitol—2.6 calories per gram, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates—3.0 calories per gram, mannitol—1.6 calories per gram, and erythritol—0 calories per gram.
Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-11867/p-29181 -
Not all manufacturers test food items in a lab to determine Calories. The US FDA regulations also allow manufacturers to use the Atwater Calories per gram values, in conjunction with one of many different methods to determine Total Calories, without any lab testing. As I said up thread, it is very complicated. The Total Calories on any packaged item is an educated estimate, which can vary depending on the method the manufacturer chooses to use. There are also US FDA rounding rules in the regulation that further complicate the Total Calories reported.(A) Using specific Atwater factors (i.e., the Atwater method) given in table 13, USDA Handbook No. 74 (slightly revised, 1973),
(B) Using the general factors of 4, 4, and 9 calories per gram for protein, total carbohydrate, and total fat, respectively, as described in USDA Handbook No. 74 (slightly revised, 1973) pp. 9-11;
(C) Using the general factors of 4, 4, and 9 calories per gram for protein, total carbohydrate (less the amount of non-digestible carbohydrates and sugar alcohols), and total fat, respectively, as described in USDA Handbook No. 74 (slightly revised, 1973) pp. 9-11. A general factor of 2 calories per gram for soluble non-digestible carbohydrates shall be used. The general factors for caloric value of sugar alcohols provided in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(F) of this section shall be used;
(D) Using data for specific food factors for particular foods or ingredients approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and provided in parts 172 or 184 of this chapter, or by other means, as appropriate;
(E) Using bomb calorimetry data subtracting 1.25 calories per gram protein to correct for incomplete digestibility, as described in USDA Handbook No. 74 (slightly revised, 1973) p. 10; or
(F) Using the following general factors for caloric value of sugar alcohols: Isomalt—2.0 calories per gram, lactitol—2.0 calories per gram, xylitol—2.4 calories per gram, maltitol—2.1 calories per gram, sorbitol—2.6 calories per gram, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates—3.0 calories per gram, mannitol—1.6 calories per gram, and erythritol—0 calories per gram.
Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-11867/p-2918
Oh my so much info but still so confused! Haha thank you for the info though0 -
alexastoutxo wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »alexastoutxo wrote: »I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.
Well when it comes to counting calories doesn't each macronutrient have calories in them? I've always heard that fat is 9 calories, carbs are 4 calories and protein is 4 calories and multiplying them together give you the calorie amount a food contains. I don't know that's what I've always seen and heard so I'm not sure what is right or what is wrong! Haha I'm still confused as to whether the calories listed are the calories that are correct though
You multiply the fat grams by 9
Protein grams by 4
Carb grams by 4
Add them together to get calories. I personally use total carbs in the calculation, not net carbs
Exactly but then that would mean the calories in the questbar I ate is 231 calories rather than 170 like it says on the package. I only count calories so that's why I'm confused as to which one is correct to log on my diary for accurate calories
Personally, I track macros, so would use an entry with total carbs but disregard the calories. I check and double check all my entries so they're total carbs and go by that.0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »alexastoutxo wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »alexastoutxo wrote: »I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.
Well when it comes to counting calories doesn't each macronutrient have calories in them? I've always heard that fat is 9 calories, carbs are 4 calories and protein is 4 calories and multiplying them together give you the calorie amount a food contains. I don't know that's what I've always seen and heard so I'm not sure what is right or what is wrong! Haha I'm still confused as to whether the calories listed are the calories that are correct though
You multiply the fat grams by 9
Protein grams by 4
Carb grams by 4
Add them together to get calories. I personally use total carbs in the calculation, not net carbs
Exactly but then that would mean the calories in the questbar I ate is 231 calories rather than 170 like it says on the package. I only count calories so that's why I'm confused as to which one is correct to log on my diary for accurate calories
Personally, I track macros, so would use an entry with total carbs but disregard the calories. I check and double check all my entries so they're total carbs and go by that.
I don't track macros, well other than getting enough protein but I just track calories. So what would be more accurate to use then.. 170?0 -
alexastoutxo wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »alexastoutxo wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »alexastoutxo wrote: »I also haven't heard of multiplying those together?? I agree if it says 170 then that's what it is... are you thinking about if there is high fiber? For example if your diabetic and there is 2 grams of fiber and 20 carbs you subtract... bringing your carbs to 18. But calories don't change?
I'm imagining they are actually asking if the fiber calories don't count, which would be incorrect. While people on low carb diets tend to say fiber "doesn't count" towards their carb total, it IS still calories which shouldn't be ignored when considering calorie content/intake.
Well when it comes to counting calories doesn't each macronutrient have calories in them? I've always heard that fat is 9 calories, carbs are 4 calories and protein is 4 calories and multiplying them together give you the calorie amount a food contains. I don't know that's what I've always seen and heard so I'm not sure what is right or what is wrong! Haha I'm still confused as to whether the calories listed are the calories that are correct though
You multiply the fat grams by 9
Protein grams by 4
Carb grams by 4
Add them together to get calories. I personally use total carbs in the calculation, not net carbs
Exactly but then that would mean the calories in the questbar I ate is 231 calories rather than 170 like it says on the package. I only count calories so that's why I'm confused as to which one is correct to log on my diary for accurate calories
Personally, I track macros, so would use an entry with total carbs but disregard the calories. I check and double check all my entries so they're total carbs and go by that.
I don't track macros, well other than getting enough protein but I just track calories. So what would be more accurate to use then.. 170?
What I am trying to point out is that no one can truly tell you what the *correct* total Calories are to log in your Diary.
The total Calories listed on the package are likely no more accurate than the total Calories calculated by any one of the methods as listed in the US FDA regulations.
The science of determining how many Calories a body can use from all available macronutrients is not exact.
There are multiple methods for estimating the available Calories from each type of macronutrient, so there is going to be a range of estimates that are used by scientists, manufacturers, or individual consumers.
I think the best anyone can do is choose to follow one of the methods that are available, track all food entries in MFP using that method for a few weeks, and then re-evaluate and adjust depending on whether weight loss/gain/maintenance is on track.0
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