One of the most confusing aspects of starting keto is understanding the difference between net carbs and total carbs. Getting this right is essential for reaching and maintaining ketosis.
Total carbohydrates include every gram of carbohydrate in a food — starches, sugars, dietary fibre and sugar alcohols. This is the number you see first on a UK nutrition label.
Net carbs are total carbohydrates minus dietary fibre (and certain sugar alcohols). Fibre is not digested by the body and does not raise blood sugar, so most keto practitioners subtract it from their carb count.
The formula is simple: Net Carbs = Total Carbs − Dietary Fibre. For example, 100g of broccoli has 7g total carbs and 2.6g fibre, so it contains approximately 4.4g net carbs.
Most keto guides recommend tracking net carbs, aiming for 20–50g per day. If you are new to keto or not seeing results, try tracking total carbs at 20g to be more strict.
Knowing your macros helps you plan meals effectively. Check out our keto main dish recipes and keto snacks — all come with macro information.