Extension Communications Extension 4-H Youth Building Ames, Iowa 50011-3630 (515) 294-9915

6/18/04

Contacts:
Ruth Litchfield, Ph.D., Food Science and Human Nutrition, (515) 294-9484, litch@iastate.edu
Diane Nelson, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-3178, dinelson@iastate.edu

Buyer Beware! Are Low Carb Products Really Low Carb?

AMES, Iowa - Net Carb! Effective Carb! Impact Carb! What does it all mean? This labeling appears on everything from chocolate chip cookies to salad dressings. In fact, nearly 1,000 new 'low carb' products have been introduced just this year.

"First and foremost, consumers must realize that there is currently no legal definition for any of these carb-related terms," said Ruth Litchfield, Iowa State University Extension nutritionist. "Manufacturers can make up their own definitions."

Consumers are entitled - and perhaps need to be encouraged - to be skeptical of advertising claims. "Remember all the "fat-free" labeled products that filled the shelves when fat was identified as the villain? Fewer grams of fat or carbohydrates do not always mean fewer calories," Litchfield said.

Some food products actually are modified to lower the total carbohydrate content. Yet, many of these products use alternative flours that raise protein or fat content of the product at the same time the carbohydrate content is lowered.

"Products that are labeled as 'low carb' can end up with the same or more calories than the original," Litchfield said.

For example: one regular chocolate chip cookie has 70 calories, 10 grams of carbohydrates, three grams of fat and one gram of protein. One low carb chocolate chip cookie also has 70 calories, nine grams of carbohydrates, four grams of fat and one gram of protein.

"Nutritionally, these cookies are essentially the same; however, the price is significantly different - $2.99 for the original package of 30 cookies versus $3.99 for the low carb package of 10 cookies," Litchfield said.

Here's another example, two ounces of regular spaghetti has 210 calories, 42 grams of carbohydrates, one gram of fat and seven grams of protein. Two ounces of low carb spaghetti also has 210 calories, plus 13 grams of carbohydrates, three grams of fat and 27 grams of protein.

"No calories are saved; however, there is a significant difference in protein and in price - 50 cents for the regular spaghetti versus $4.49 for the low-carb version," Litchfield said.

"The important fact to remember is that all these carbohydrates have calories and excess calories lead to weight gain," Litchfield said. "Consumers need to be savvy and read labels carefully - not only from a nutritional standpoint, but also from an economic standpoint."

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