Are All Carbs the Same? Bill Bailey, Ph.D., MH, ND, CNHP, CTN (Dr. Bailey can be reached at Traditional Naturopath)

Now, why mention all this? Recently, the FDA has released guidelines that are requiring manufacturers of low carbohydrate food products to list ALL carbs on their labels...as defined by the government! The products have NOT changed... only the label requirements enforced by the government have changed. Here's what Universal Nutrition, maker of the "Doctor's CarbRite Bars" says about the new rules: 

"Our Doctor's CarbRite Diet line has been created to support all 'low carb' diets. Low carb dieting encourages the control of insulin through modifying sugar and carbohydrate intakes. An integral part of our line is the best-selling Doctor's CarbRite Diet Bars. Due to recent FDA clarifications, we have taken the initiative and made some important changes to the labeling of these bars. Not all nutrients act the same way in a person's body. For example, while conventional carbs are digested and turned into blood sugar, other 'carbs' act differently and, while digested, are not readily turned into glucose. Some of these 'carbs' have virtually no calories and can even pass through the body without being digested.

Unfortunately for the consumer, the FDA has not yet focused on these important biochemical differences; they view all carbs as being the same. By deduction, the FDA defines carbohydrates as anything that is not protein, fat, moisture, or ash. For the low carb dieter, this 'Carbohydrates by Difference' approach does not distinguish between conventionally-recognized carbs (which should be avoided) and those that are acceptable for all low carb dieters.

The 'carbs' in question include polydextrose, glycerine and polyols (sugar alcohols) such as maltitol and mannitol. While similar in some respects to conventional carbs, these nutrients are dissimilar in other key respects. Chemically, they differ. Metabolically, they can differ as well, especially for individuals on specific diet programs. For example, polyol caloric yields differ from conventional carbs. Typical carbs produce 4 calories per gram. Polyols, on the other hand, can yield as few as 1.6 calories per gram. More importantly for low carb dieters, these 'carbs' can differ metabolically: they are extremely low glycemic-index substances. As such, they have lower impact on blood sugar and insulin levels. The elevation of blood sugar levels produces an accompanying rise in insulin, and this hormone has been linked to obesity and other health complications such as diabetes.

As this issue affects all low carb bars on the market, Universal Nutrition, along with members of the Natural Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) been working closely with the FDA to further these issues. We will continue to participate in the process of petitioning the FDA to update the definition of carbohydrates to reflect the many important differences in carbs so that consumers can make the best informed choices. Until more permanent solutions are reached, we will be proactively changing our labels to comply with FDA guidelines in the full spirit of cooperation."¹

So what is the "bottom line" on the Doctor's CarbRite Bar (formerly called the Doctor's Diet LowCarb Bar) label? The label now says 22 grams of carbs per bar... but the "Effective Carb Count" is STILL 2 grams of carbs! Nothing has actually changed. So, you need to ask yourself, "When I ate these bars before, did I stay in ketosis... did I lose weight?" If the answer is, "Yes," then go for it! We need to educate ourselves in matters of carbohydrate content and what is a "good" or "bad" carb! The real issue is insulin production in your body. So, you need to be an informed consumer. The Low Carb Nexus" is a member of the Natural Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) as well. Hopefully, the NNFA lobbying efforts will bring about clarification on these issues as soon as possible.

Have you ever wondered about a food label that indicates 5 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of "sugars," yet 0 grams of dietary fiber?  Where are the other 3 grams of carbs?  If no other carbohydrate containing component is listed... where are those other 3 grams!?!  Well, now we know.  The FDA's ignoring of the importance, and type, of carbohydrate content, allows them to say, "If it is 'left over' it is a carbohydrate."  So, it could be anything that is NOT protein, fat, moisture, or ash!  It may actually have NO effect on your glycemic reaction!

One thing we can note is that the order of ingredients on a food label is relative to the content of the food, by FDA regulation.  "Ingredients still are listed in order by weight from the one present in the greatest amount to the least.  All foods are required to carry an ingredient listing, even those previously exempted due to 'standards of identity.'"²

And, for the "last word," here's what Dr. Atkin's Atkins Center says about the issue: "The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requires that the packaging of every manufactured food product display certain information, including a list of ingredients in descending order of weight, as well as a 'Nutrition Facts' panel. Almost everything displayed on this panel is based on specific laboratory procedures, called assays, regulated by the FDA. The quantity of fat, protein, ash and water can all be directly and exactly assayed. (Water and ash need not be listed on nutrition panels.) But the amount of carbohydrate is arrived at only after the above four components are directly computed: In other words, what is not fat, protein, ash or water is called carbohydrate.

To complicate matters, carbohydrates are comprised of several sub-groups, which include dietary fiber, sugar, sugar alcohol, and 'other' carbohydrates--a kitchen sink grouping of gums, lignans, organic acids and flavenoids. (These individual items can be assayed.) The FDA requires that a nutrition label include the total carbohydrates. The amount of dietary fiber and sugar must also be listed. However, the law does not require that other carb sub-categories appear. Some manufacturers voluntarily include the sub-categories of sugar alcohol and 'other carbohydrate.'

Not all types of carbohydrates behave the same way in your body. For example, when your body digests table sugar, it turns immediately into blood sugar. So sugar and most other carbohydrate is what we call 'digestible carbohydrate.' Other carbs, such as sugar alcohol or glycerine, can be digested but do not turn to blood sugar. Still others, such as dietary fiber, are indigestible and pass through your body without impacting your blood sugar level. To date, the FDA has not focused on these important biochemical differences and treats all carbohydrates alike. This means that when you look at a food label, you do not see a number for the carbs that impact your blood sugar level. To do so, simply subtract the number of grams of fiber from the total number of carbohydrate grams.

We believe that consumers deserve to get all the information they need to follow a controlled carbohydrate nutritional approach and make healthy eating decisions. Therefore, Atkins Nutritionals labels include the Net Grams of carbohydrates (those that impact your blood sugar) as well as total carb grams. For example, an Atkins Chocolate Mocha Crunch Advantage™ Bar contains 19 grams of total grams of carbohydrate as defined by the FDA. But of that total, 15.5 grams comprise dietary fiber, glycerin and other carbohydrates that do not impact blood sugar, so the number of carbs that you need to count when you do Atkins is actually only 3.5 grams."³

So, to review... the FDA currently only "cares" about fats... they are "catering" to low FAT diet concerns... not low CARB diet concerns... they don't give any thought to the actual action of carbs in the body. As low carbers, we already know this!  And yet, the FDA is the enforcement body for food labels.  We need to be careful about what we eat, and labels are currently our only guide.  Yet, if the "authority" that we are counting on looks at fats seriously, and protein levels, and cholesterols... but then says, "anything left over is a carbohydrate," (the "Carbohydrates by Difference" approach mentioned above)... without any consideration about how carbohydrates actually effect our metabolism... then we have to educate ourselves on what kinds of carbs are truly "evil!"  Let be careful... and smart... out there!

1. Universal Nutrition, Doctor's CarbRite Bars Product circular.  February 2002

2. University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, "Food Labels: Understanding What You Read," Rosemary Rodibaugh, Ph.D., R.D. L.D., Extension Nutrition Specialist

3. Atkins Center Web Site, FAQs, "How Should I Read Food Labels So I Can Count The Carbs Properly?"  September 2002

Back to Articles