Should I be counting "total carbohydrates" or "net carbs" on nutrition labels?

While "net carbs" is a popular marketing term on food packaging, it is not a legally regulated or medically standard term. It is calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates. For people managing diabetes, it is generally safer and more accurate to look at the Total Carbohydrates. While your body doesn't digest dietary fiber, some sugar alcohols can still partially raise your blood sugar and cause digestive upset. If a food has more than 5 grams of fiber, you can subtract half the fiber grams from the total carbs for a more accurate estimate, but always base your primary medication dosing and meal planning on the total carb count.