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Handy dandy tools for low-carb success

Hidden Carb Calculator

Hidden carbs can really do a number on your menu. Thankfully they are easy to find. All it takes is the nutrition label and a little math. Here's an example of how it works:

The Great Value Heavy Cream nutrition label says it has 50 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0 carbohydrates, and 0 grams of protein per 1 tablespoon. To see if this is accurate we simply use the following formula:

fat x 9 calories + carbs x 4 calories + protein x 4 calories = total calories per serving.

Here's how this works. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories. Each gram of carbohydrate contains 4 calories. Each gram of protein contains 4 calories. (Now you know what that little line at the bottom of the nutrition label means!) In our example above, our fat should be calculated like this:

5 grams of fat x 9 calories = 45 calories.

That accounts for most of the calories in this product. But we still need to find out where the other 5 calories are coming from.

0 Carbohydrates x 4 calories = 0 calories.

0 Protein x 4 calories = 0 calories.

Now we have a problem. There are 5 calories unaccounted for. Most likely those are attributed to carbohydrates. So while the label says there are 0 carbs per 1 tablespoon, in all likelihood there are actually 1.25 carbs per tablespoon.

5 left over calories divided by the 4 carb calories = 1.25

How does the food industry get by with this? In most cases all they have to do is keep the serving small enough that the carb count is below 1. It could be .9 carbs and they can still list it as 0 because it isn't technically a full gram of carbs. Do you see how easy it can be to ingest more carbs that you realize? Now this isn't meant to make you paranoid about everything you eat. It's just a little tool you can use to help with those items you aren't so sure about.

 

Measuring Tape

Any measuring tape will do, but sometimes it's tough to get accurate measurements when you are doing it by yourself. Here's where I can help. Go to your local department store and look around in the sewing department. For around $1.95 you can find this little dandy:

I'll take, "yellow thing with lines on it" for $500, Alex.

  

The plastic slide moves around easily to help you find the right measurement. The red line helps you easily see the marks.

 

 

The slide on the back snaps to the end of the tape. Once you have the tape in place, simply unsnap and look at the slide! No more trying to bend over to see and worrying that you'll move the tape.

 

Muscle Vs. Fat

Another thing that can help you understand the importance of measurements is the following picture:

 

As you can see, fat takes up more space than muscle. So the next time you feel like nothing is happening because the scale hasn't budged, remember this picture. You easily could weigh the same as you did two weeks ago, but be smaller! Replacing fat with muscle is always a good thing.