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How does carb counting work? In simple terms, carbs are digested or broken down into sugars, which then circulate in the bloodstream. As sugar levels in the blood rise, so does insulin. Peaks of insulin push the body to store excess sugar as fat. By cutting carbs, you effectively cut sugar surges and not only store less fat but also start to burn off more of the fat you have. If this were the whole story, of course, there would be little controversy and none of the colossal food frenzy being waged among companies desperate to get on the right side of the carb culture.
But there is a second front in carb wars--good carbs vs. bad carbs. The good ones are found in whole-grain breads, beans, fruits and vegetables. They contain fiber and break down slowly when digested, avoiding those damaging sugar and insulin spikes. The bad ones are found in white rice, potatoes, most commercial breads and all manner of processed crackers, cookies, chips, soda and candy bars. Bad carbs break down more quickly and result in sugar overload.
As you might imagine, those in the carb business are trying to claim that their carbs are the benevolent ones. The most extensive push has come from pasta manufacturers, which in February footed most of the bill for a global summit in Rome, gathering scientists, physicians, nutritionists and chefs to address the carb issue. Their somewhat predictable finding: pasta is wonderful; the cereal grains used to make some types contain critical nutrients that break down slowly.
If science is unavailing, there is always marketing. The U.S. Potato Board and Idaho Potato Commission, alarmed at a 5% drop in potato consumption, have launched separate ad campaigns playing up the vitamin C and potassium in spuds and the energy value of carbs for active people. Orange-juice manufacturers are bitter over a similar decline in consumption that they attribute to Agatston's South Beach diet, which holds that o.j. carries an excessive sugar load. "Obesity? Diabetes? These are not a by-product of people drinking too much orange juice," says Eric Boomhower of the Florida department of citrus. At one point, citrus growers looked into whether they could use an obscure state law against disparaging agriculture to sue Agatston. "There is a shift in consumer demand," Agatston responds. "People should get on the bandwagon and stop complaining." The growers have done both. They launched a $7 million ad campaign last week playing up their product's nutritional value, and they have started offering lower-carb juice.
All this spin can make the low-carb universe difficult to navigate. But there are a few simple things to keep in mind. First, any bald-faced low-carb claims can get foodmakers into trouble--call it carbage. That's because the Food and Drug Administration has yet to define what constitutes a low-or light-or reduced-carb anything. Hence the proliferation of fuzzier labeling terms like carb smart, carb conscious, carb aware and carb fit. Russell Stover, for example, received a warning letter from the agency about the name of its Low Carb line of chocolates. The company has offered to change the name but hopes it won't have to since the FDA announced in March that the agency will come up with a definition for low carb.