How to Calculate Net Carbs on Atkins

The Atkins diet is one that focuses on cutting a substantial amount of carbohydrates out of the diet. The Atkins website states that unused carbohydrates in foods turn into sugar, which can raise glucose levels in the body. Therefore, when you consume a minimal amount of carbohydrates, your body uses the fat consumed for energy instead, which can help you lose weight. Not all carbohydrates, however, are created equal. The Atkins diets states that when a food contains fiber, you are actually eating fewer carbohydrates overall per serving.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Calculator, if necessary

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Instructions

• 1

  Find the nutritional information for a food item. You can usually find the nutrition label on the back or side of a food product's packaging. If the food does not have a label, such as a piece of fruit, the supermarket you purchased it at may have the nutritional information displayed in the produce section.

• 2

  Locate where it says "total carbohydrates per serving" on the nutrition label. Record that number.

• 3

  Search for the amount of fiber the food has in it per serving. Record this figure.

• 4

  See how many grams of polydextrose, glycerin and/or sugar alcohol the food contains per serving and record it.

• 5

  Figure out the amount of net carbs in a food. Add up the total amount of fiber, polydextrose, glycerin and/or sugar alcohol. Subtract the sum from the total amount of carbohydrates to find the net amount of carbohydrates in a food.