Carbs, sugars,and fiber

As we wrap up our series on added sugars I’d like to leave you with something useful. There’s so much confusion around label reading and all the things involved with the term “Total Carbohydrate”.

Does anyone really know how to read these things? Let me break it down for you…

Total Carbohydrate - the sum of all types of carbohydrates in the food

Dietary Fiber - the number of grams of fiber (one type of carbohydrate) in the food

Total Sugars - the total number of grams of sugar (one type of carbohydrate) in the food

Added Sugars - the number of grams of added sugar (a specific type of sugar) in the food

Many people interpret this section of the food label incorrectly, likely because the food label is unnecessarily complicated! First, you need to know that there are three types of carbohydrates - sugar, starch, and fiber. All three impact your blood sugar, so it’s most important for people with prediabetes and diabetes to look at “Total Carbohydrate” values on the label.

I recommend everyone look at “Added Sugars” so that you don’t exceed the recommendation of 25 grams/day for women and 38 grams/day for men. To learn more about the risks of overeating added sugars, check out our recent blog post.

Tto really grasp what portions of the food label are most important for YOU, consult with a dietitian. Our clients receive specific advice and guidance to help focus them on what matters most for their health goals.