Understanding the Default: Total Carbs vs. Net Carbs
The fundamental reason MyFitnessPal's free version tracks total carbohydrates is due to its default nutritional philosophy, which is based on broader dietary guidelines. Unlike niche low-carb diets, general nutrition advice often focuses on total carbohydrate intake as part of a balanced diet. For most users, counting total carbs provides a sufficient overview of their carbohydrate consumption, which is the body's primary energy source.
The Science Behind Total Carbs
Total carbohydrates include three components: sugars, starches, and fiber. While fiber is a type of carbohydrate, it is indigestible and does not raise blood sugar levels in the same way as sugars and starches. Net carbs, a term not officially regulated by bodies like the FDA, subtract this fiber count. The standard practice of tracking total carbs avoids the potential ambiguity of different fiber types and their varying digestive impacts. This provides a more straightforward and universally applicable metric for the general user base.
User-Submitted Data and Accuracy
A significant portion of MyFitnessPal's vast food database is user-submitted, and the nutritional information may not always be verified. If the app were to automatically calculate net carbs for every entry, any inaccurate or inconsistent fiber data would lead to flawed results. By defaulting to total carbohydrates, the app maintains a more reliable and consistent standard across its database, even with user-generated content. For users on specialized diets, this places the responsibility of verifying data and calculating net carbs on them, which can be done manually.
The Premium Solution: Net Carbs Mode
For those who strictly follow low-carb diets like keto, MyFitnessPal offers a solution through its Premium subscription. The Premium version includes a feature called "Net Carbs Mode," which automates the calculation.
How to Activate Net Carbs Mode
Premium users can enable this feature in their app settings, which then replaces the 'carbohydrates' total in their diary with 'net carbs'. This saves time and removes the need for manual calculations for each food item. However, this premium feature is not available everywhere. Some users in countries outside the US and Canada have reported not having access to this toggle.
Limitations of the Premium Feature
Even with the premium feature, there are some important details to consider:
- Regional Availability: As noted, the feature is geographically limited, which is a major point of frustration for international users.
- Website Limitation: Net Carbs Mode is currently a mobile-app-only feature. While web users can set goals on the app and see the updated number on the website, they cannot activate the mode or view the specific metric from the web interface.
- User Data Reliance: The accuracy still depends on the quality of the food database entry. If a food item lacks accurate fiber data, the net carb calculation will be incorrect. This is why cross-referencing with verified food labels is always the best practice.
Manual Tracking: The Free User's Workaround
For those who do not wish to pay for a Premium subscription, calculating net carbs manually is a straightforward process. This is the most reliable method, as it relies on the user verifying the nutritional information from the product label.
How to Manually Calculate Net Carbs
To find your net carbs, simply subtract the grams of dietary fiber from the total carbohydrates. Some diets also account for sugar alcohols, which should be subtracted as well (often at a partial rate).
Comparison Table: Free vs. Premium Net Carb Tracking
| Feature | Free MyFitnessPal | Premium MyFitnessPal (with Net Carbs Mode) |
|---|---|---|
| Default View | Displays Total Carbohydrates in the food diary. | Displays Net Carbs in the food diary once enabled. |
| Automatic Calculation | No automatic calculation of net carbs. Requires manual subtraction. | Automatically calculates net carbs for you based on food entries. |
| Calculation Method | User must manually subtract fiber from total carbs for each food item. | App performs the subtraction automatically. |
| User Effort | High effort for those tracking net carbs, especially for frequent logging. | Low effort, provided the feature is available and enabled. |
| Availability | Available to all users, regardless of location. | Only available to Premium subscribers in specific regions (e.g., US, Canada). |
| Interface Support | No specific interface support for net carbs. | Replaces the carbohydrate metric with net carbs for easier viewing. |
Conclusion
The reason MyFitnessPal doesn't count net carbs by default is a combination of catering to its broad user base, which largely tracks total carbohydrates, and the legacy limitations of its user-generated database. While a Net Carbs Mode exists, it is a Premium-only feature with regional and platform-specific restrictions. For the free user or those outside supported regions, a simple manual calculation provides the same result and offers more control and certainty over the data being used. Ultimately, the app's approach offers different solutions for different users, whether they prefer the simplicity of total carb tracking, the convenience of a premium feature, or the control of manual calculation.
To learn more about net carbs and their calculation, you can visit a reputable source like Verywell Health.
