Net Carb Macro Tracking

Flueriza
Flueriza Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I’ve been using MFP to track macros but it’s going by total carbs instead of net carbs. Is there some secret to getting MFP to calculate properly or is this an enhancement opportunity to better support the KETO community?

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,937 Member
    edited July 2019
    When you search for food you can type "net carbs" into the search box. That's one way, but I don't rely on other peoples' food entries anyway, they still need to be vetted for accuracy the first time I use any entry.

    If I can't find one that suits me, I enter a new database item. Once I do that, it's in MY FOODS, entered just the way I like it. Once I use it I can then just add it with one click from my "Recents" list.


    This is true for every food and all nutrition parts. I don't trust any items. I check every one. That's the beauty of this website, being able to enter things the way I want them. If you aren't willing to do that then you're going to find a lot of errors (and not just in the fiber/net carbs,) the database is 99% crowd-sourced (created by users.)

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
  • Flueriza
    Flueriza Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you! I’ll try this but it seems like a lot more work than scanning a code and using that information.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    MFP is free, but if you don't the way it's set up I'm sure they'll refund your money. 😉

    Excel and Google Sheets can be made to do what you want. I used Google Sheets to count calories years ago. It was tedious, but it worked.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Net carbs are not a universally agreed on thing. So how can they put it? Some diets consider sugar alcohol to not be a net carb, other diets do consider it a net carb. Some diets consider it half a net carb.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Flueriza wrote: »
    Thank you! I’ll try this but it seems like a lot more work than scanning a code and using that information.

    Don't just scan a code. The chances that the database will bring up a very inaccurate entry are very high.

    MFP is not going to completely overhaul their database for a small minority of members who are following a trendy diet. The information is there. Just change your diary settings to show total carbs and fiber and do a quick 10 second subtraction in your head.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    The advice about not just using a bar code and checking all information the first time you use an entry is right on.

    The easiest way to do net carbs if in the US or Canada is just log entries with total carbs and track fiber and do the subtraction in your head. IMO, it's valuable to have the fiber information anyway.
  • CLAlvarez1956
    CLAlvarez1956 Posts: 1 Member
    I agree with the OP. It seems it would be easy to do. MFP is NOT free. I am a premium member, pay for it, and still can't get it to calculate net carbs automatically.
  • Pipsqueak1965
    Pipsqueak1965 Posts: 397 Member
    What is the difference then? I didn't even know that net and total carbs were a 'thing'!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Move to Europe and you won't have the problem as our food labelling (like the majority of the world) is net carbs.

    Or lobby your politicians to change your food labelling standards?
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    Pipsqueak1965 wrote: »
    What is the difference then? I didn't even know that net and total carbs were a 'thing'!

    Looks like you are in England? If so, your labels are in net carbs. Just be aware that many entries in the database are not (like anything from the USDA), so fiber is included in the carb count.

    In Canada and the US, "carbs" = sugar + starch + fiber.

    In pretty much everywhere else, I think, carbs on a label would not include fiber.
  • Pipsqueak1965
    Pipsqueak1965 Posts: 397 Member
    Oh right - so any fibre calories would be taken out and that is net carbs? Thank you :)
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    CLAlvarez1956 wrote: »
    I agree with the OP. It seems it would be easy to do. MFP is NOT free. I am a premium member, pay for it, and still can't get it to calculate net carbs automatically.

    Net carbs is not and has never been a premium feature. I'm honestly surprised by the number of people who seem to think it is only to be disappointed.

    Most countries outside US and Canada are net carbs on their packaging already. Allowing a net carb option then makes those entries incorrect, unless they make the database location specific. Considering they can't seem to sort out the bloated database (when's the last time you ate a human soul), I can't see them spending the manpower fixing it. Either add 'net carb' into the search bar, or do the subtraction.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,889 Member
    Additionally, MFP is a US-based site and there is no requirement for net carbs on US labels, so it wouldn't make sense for MFP to have this.

    One can add Fiber to the Nutrients Tracked panel here: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    I have no need to track Sodium and Sugar so swapped them for Fiber and Iron (I'm anemic.)

    I'm not interested in net carbs - meeting my fiber (and protein) goals helps keep me full on less calories.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,547 Member
    Interestingly I wonder if in Europe they cheat with net carbs and calories or end up showing a more accurate picture.

    I've "caught" a few entries where the caloric count subtracts fiber calories on a 1:1 ratio from carb calories--what I would term "net carbs".

    But when you look at the type of fiber, actually quite often 33% to 66% of that fiber energy gets absorbed during the food's transit through your system. So really the 1:1 reduction in calories is not always justified!

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