If you’ve started researching the keto diet, you’ve almost certainly come across the terms “net carbs” and “total carbs.” Understanding the difference is crucial — it determines whether you stay in ketosis or accidentally knock yourself out of fat-burning mode.
Total carbs includes everything — sugars, starches, fibre, and sugar alcohols. It’s the number you see first in the nutritional breakdown on UK food labels (listed as “carbohydrate” or “of which sugars”).
Net carbs = Total carbs minus dietary fibre. Fibre cannot be digested or absorbed by the body, so it doesn’t raise blood sugar or trigger an insulin response. Since ketosis is maintained by keeping blood sugar and insulin low, fibre doesn’t count towards your carb limit.
On UK food labels, look at the “carbohydrate” value, then subtract “fibre” (listed under carbohydrate). The result is your net carbs. Example: 100g of broccoli has 7g total carbs, 3g fibre = 4g net carbs. This is the number you track for keto.
Sugar alcohols (like erythritol, xylitol, maltitol) are sometimes partially subtracted from total carbs. Erythritol has zero impact on blood sugar and can be fully subtracted. Maltitol has a significant glycaemic impact and should NOT be subtracted. Always research specific sugar alcohols before subtracting them. Explore our keto main dish recipes with pre-calculated macros, and check our keto snack recipes for low net-carb snacking ideas.