CarbWell Fudge Striped Shortbread: $3.49 (5.5 oz), 16g carbs, 9g net carbs ^[1] (per 2 cookies)

Fudge Stripes: $3.49(11.5 oz), 14g carbs, 13g net carbs (per 2 cookies)

Even a carb-counting fanatic is rue to toss her cookies. So Snackwell's, ever-attuned to the latest diet taboo, presents us with their CarbWell Cookies, including Fudge Striped Shortbread. But they only have 1g of carbs less per cookie than their regular counterpart, the Fudge Stripes from the Keebler Elves - that's hardly "low-carb"!

From a weight-loss point of view they're also no better because the calorie and fat content is basically the same per cookie (54 calories, 6-8g fat). And when it comes to taste... well, would you pay twice as much to eat sugar-alcohol saturated cookies that won't make an inch of difference to your waist-line or your health? (Keebler's cookies are $3.49 for 11.5 oz, Snackwell's are $7.58 for about the same amount!)

And there's another problem with the "low-carb" cookies; you're more likely to eat more of them. As well as the larger cookie size, people are likely to fall into the trap of thinking "it's low-carb so I can eat more" when in fact the calorie content is exactly the same. If you do polish off the whole box you'll be 660 calories the worse for wear.

What's more, you'll also reap the uncomfortable consequences of a sugar-alcohol "hangover" from the maltitol and polydextrose that constitute the "sugar" in these cookies. Although sugar alcohols raise blood sugar levels more slowly than regular sugar (making them better for people with diabetes), after excess consumption they also cause bowel and stomach problems, including diarrhea, unpleasant gas, and bloating.

Taste Rate:

The dry cookie, waxy chocolate and chemical taste didn't do these cookies many favors on the taste-test rounds. Some of us did prefer the slightly less-sweet taste compared with the richer Fudge Stripes. But with 2g of saturated fat per cookie, they weren't great.

Anthony's "Reduced Carb" Lasagne: $3.49 (12 oz), 19g carbs (per 2 oz.), 31g net carbs (per 2 oz.)

Anthony's Lasagne Noodles: $2.29 (16 oz), 29g carbs (per 2 oz.), 41g net carbs (per 2 oz.)

While they may never take off in Italy, low-carb lasagne noodles are finding their way under the meat sauce in many US kitchens - and largely to good effect. Anthony's cuts the carbs from 41g per 2 oz. in their regular lasagne to 31g in their "Reduced Carb" version. This is achieved primarily by bulking the ingredients up with 9g more protein an extra 10g of fiber; you can't really complain about that! The reduced-carb lasagne also has 10 less calories per 2 oz. serving. Both varieties contain 1g of fat.

All in all, the addition of wheat protein compounds to Anthony's reduced-carb lasagne, as well as the high-fiber count, make it the better nutritional boost-for-your-buck - if you want to spend the extra dollar. However, if you compared the low-carb pasta with whole-wheat pasta, the benefits would not be dramatically better and you may prefer the fuller taste of whole-wheat pasta.

Taste Rate:

Surprise, surprise - it tastes like pasta! Slightly blander pasta, but pasta nonetheless. And if you smothered it with tasty tomato sauce, you'd never know the difference.

Dreyer's Carb Benefit Vanilla Bean: $5.99 (1.75 quarts), 13g carbs, 4g net carbs (per ½ cup)

Dreyer's Grand Light Vanilla: $5.99 (1.75 quarts), 15g carbs, 15g net carbs (per ½ cup)

There's nothing like a bowl of creamy vanilla ice cream on a hot summer's day - or on a cold winter's evening for that matter! And Dreyer's "Carb Benefit" vanilla bean ice cream makes it that much easier to indulge if you're counting carbs. By replacing the sugars used in regular ice cream with the artificial sweetener sorbitol (Splenda), and using polydextrose - a carbohydrate that is 90% fiber - as its second ingredient, the low-carb ice cream weighs in at only 4g net carbs. (Remember, fiber doesn't "count" as a "net carb").

But the calorie and fat counts for this low-carb scoop are bad news. It has 140 calories, 9g of fat, and - get this - 6g of saturated fat (!) per serving. Compare that with 100 calories, 3.5g fat and 2g saturated fat in the Dreyer's "Grand Light" vanilla ice cream.

If you're an ice cream purist you may also appreciate the fact that the "Grand Light" ice cream boasts milk, skim milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup as it's first five ingredients, while the low-carb version is made primarily from skim milk cream, polydextrose, sorbitol, glycerin, and mono and diglycerides. And surprisingly, despite less fat, the low-fat ice cream is actually creamier in texture than the low-carb. We suspect that the high glycerin content in the "Carb Benefit" ice cream might explain its slightly slimy texture.

All in all, the "Carb Benefit" ice cream is an OK choice if you are only concerned with carb content, but "Grand Light" is a better choice for your health, your weight, and your taste buds.

Taste rate:

If you want a "greasy, airy" ice cream, then pick this one! Those were the words used by our testers to describe the texture of this dessert. Although the flavor of the low-carb ice cream wasn't bad, everyone voted the "Grand Light" ice cream (appropriately described on the container as "unbelievably rich and creamy") to be a far better taste experience.

Oroweat Carb Counting, 100% whole wheat: $3.39 (16 oz), 9g carbs, 6g net carbs (per slice)

Oroweat regular loaf, 100% whole wheat: $2.89 (16 oz), 12g carbs, 10g net carbs (per slice)

Man cannot live by bread alone - but how does he fare on carb-counting bread alone? Pretty well, as it turns out. Although a 3g difference hardly makes for a low-carb product, Oroweat's "Carb Counting" 100% whole wheat bread is actually much better for you. Carbs are reduced by removing honey and high-fructose corn syrup from the mix (the fourth and seventh ingredients in Oroweat's regular whole wheat bread, respectively). Fructose and molasses are added to the low-carb bread, but they're a long way down the ingredient list, making for a bread that's less sweet and more healthy than the regular version.

Oat fiber and wheat protein isolate in the carb counting bread also boost its fiber and protein content above that of the regular bread. The only pitfall is that the "carb-counting" bread has more fat. However, as dietitian Allan Borushek explains, "the fat is really neither here nor there. It's such a small amount and there's no saturated fat involved. A modest fat increase for one regular serving is not significant in health terms." The calorie difference is also negligible.

By virtue of its higher fiber and lower sugar content then, it seems that the carb counting bread is a healthier choice. It's also better for dieting purposes as it has a lower GI which won't raise blood glucose levels as fast as the regular bread. But don't forget to watch what you put on your bread; slathering it in butter isn't a smart move if you're trying to lose weight.

Taste Rate:

This one got a mixed reaction from CK staffers, however the majority gave it the thumbs down for it's blander taste and less substantial texture. For those not in favor of sweet bread though, it got better recommendations.

Low-Carb Special K: $3.99 (13.5 oz), 19g carbs, 12g net carbs (per 1 cup)

Regular Special K: $3.99 (12 oz), 21g carbs, 20g net carbs (per 1 cup)

Ever wondered what's so special about Special K? Well, now you can wonder what's more special about Kellogg's "Special K for a Low-Carb Lifestyle". And you'll find your answer by comparing the first three ingredients.

While healthy and substantial wheat bran, soy grits, and rice top the ingredient list of the low-carb cereal, regular Special K is made primarily from rice, wheat gluten, and (you guessed it) sugar. By removing the high content of sugar from the original cereal and replacing the refined grains with wheat bran and soy grits, the low-carb K not only manages to reduce carbs by 8g per serving, but also up fiber by 4g per serving. It makes for a nutritious breakfast that will satisfy your appetite considerably longer than the high-sugar version. That's "cerealously" good going!

Low-carb K also wins the protein count with 10g per serving against 7g in the regular. Total calories are very similar, but as with most "low-carb" foods, the fat does increase; this time from 0 to 3g. However, it's mostly omega-6 and monounsaturated fats from soybean oil and it's therefore mostly "good" fat. It's important to remember though, that if you are eating low-carb foods, you still need to count fat grams and make sure you don't go over your 30% of calories from fat per day (10% from saturated fat).

Perhaps when the original Special K was introduced in 1955 it was passable as a dieter's friend, but today's concepts of good nutrition don't include processed crisp rice and sugar! Low-carb wins this health contest hands down.

Taste Rate:

On a blind taste-test only one CK staffer preferred the regular Special K over the "low-carb" version. The hearty, full-bodied and complex flavor of low-carb K won the rest of us over, especially when we compared it with the regular version which, as one tester put it, "tastes like sweet air."

Hood's Carb Countdown Dairy Beverage: $4.19 (half gallon), 3g carbs (per 8 fl oz.)

Lucerne 2% Reduced Fat Milk: $2.19 (half gallon), 15g carbs (per 8 fl oz.)

Got milk? Not if you've got Hood's "Carb Countdown Dairy Beverage"! This milk substitute does, however, boast a truly low-carb content at 3g per 8 fl. oz compared with 15g in 2% reduced-fat milk. The manner in which the naturally occurring carbohydrate in milk - lactose - gets reduced is pretty simple; the milk is watered down by about 80%. Water is the number one ingredient in the Hood beverage.

After dilution, the beverage is built back up with cream so as to resemble the texture of milk. Gum is also added as a thickener. Extra protein and calcium are thrown into the mix so that levels equal those present in regular milk. Calorie-free sweeteners enhance the taste.

Per 8 fl. oz., the 100 calories in the Hood beverage outdoes the 140 calorie-count in standard reduced fat (2%) milk. However, the fat content is similar - 4.5g for the dairy beverage and 5g for the milk. (Both have 3g saturated fat.) Both drinks are vitamin A & D fortified, and both list 35% calcium per the RDA.

Although the packaging on the Hood beverage advertises "50% more protein than whole milk", it's important to note that comparing with whole milk is a deceptive comparison as the Hood beverage is 2% reduced-fat! Compared with 2% reduced-fat milk, the protein counts are similar at 12g (beverage) and 10g (milk).

What may make consuming the new drink worthwhile to a carb-watcher is indeed the lower carb count - if you're willing to fork over $4.19 compared to $2.19 per half-gallon for imitation milk. But whether it's worth the sacrifice in taste is another story...

Taste Rate:

"It tastes like water with cream added to it," was the reaction of one CK staffer. And she was right on the mark - it is water with cream added to it! Some of us agreed that it would be OK on cereal or in coffee, but the consensus was that "cookies and Hood's Carb Countdown Dairy Beverage" doesn't have nearly the same ring - or taste - as "cookies and milk". And let's just say that a grimace (of which there were several) is worth a thousand taste-tests!