Net carbs

Net carbs: Net carbs are total carbohydrate minus dietary fiber and (in some calculations) part of sugar alcohols. The idea is to count only the carbs that meaningfully raise blood glucose. Fiber doesn't raise glucose because humans don't digest it; sugar alcohols vary by type.

The formula

Net carbs = Total Carbohydrate − Dietary Fiber − (Sugar Alcohol ÷ 2). For most whole foods (vegetables, fruit, nuts) sugar alcohols are zero, so it simplifies to Total Carbohydrate − Dietary Fiber.

Is "net carbs" a regulated term?

No. The U.S. FDA does not recognize "net carbs" as a regulated nutrition claim. The number is widely used by keto and low-carb communities but it is not on the Nutrition Facts label and there is no single official formula.

Should diabetics use net or total carbs?

Most U.S. diabetes care teams recommend total carbs for insulin dosing because fiber values on labels can be off by ±20% under FDA rounding rules. Read our guide on net carbs for the full discussion.