FROM candies to bagels to beer, more than 1,000 new "low-carb" products have hit store shelves since 1999.

But don't let the promises of guiltless indulgence confuse you: Just because a food is low-carb doesn't mean it will help you lose weight. And if you're not careful about calories, it could do the opposite.

Remember the fat-free craze? Consumers were led to believe they could eat all the pretzels, crackers, and devil's food snack cakes they wanted, regardless of calories - as long as the label said 0 grams of fat. As a whole, US consumers ate less fat, but they also gained more weight.
Today's low-carbohydrate offerings may create a similar trap, especially when it comes to sweets and treats. For example:

. A 1/2 cup scoop of Keto's Rt 66 Rocky Road low-carb ice cream has markedly more calories (270) and fat (21 grams) than the same-size serving of many regular ice creams - even premium, full-fat Ben 7 Jerry's.

. A "serving" of four Russell Stover Low Carb Pecan Delight chocolates has just 3.2 net carb grams, but 200 calories. Four Hershey's Kisses with Almonds have half those calories.

It remains unclear whether a low-carb diet is a good long-range weight-loss programme for most people. If you're considering a low-carb product, compare calories with standard versions. It may pay to instead eat a reasonably sized portion of the regular food, especially if the low-carb claim tempts you to overeat. To your body, a calorie is a calorie - no matter how few carbs are in the food it comes from.

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