If I'm making up a big batch of something with lots of spices, I measure it and
count it as part of the total before dividing it into servings.  If I'm just
slapping something together with a little pepper, garlic powder, paprika, etc., I
eyeball it and may or may not "officially" count it -- I think it depends on
whether or not I think I've exceeded 1/2 tsp.  For the most part, I don't count
dashes here and there since I'm not as strict about my carbs now (as long as I
keep them under about 45/day).

I don't count carbs in sprinkle-on spices.  I'm not going to either.

I do count mustard and other condiments, if/when I use them.

Hum, not sure what kind of garlic powder your using, mine has 0 carbs, my
mustard also has 0 carbs.  Are you buying in India???

Who eats a teaspoon of garlic powder a day, or a teaspoon of
black pepper. Even eating 1 tablespoon of mustard a day seems
very high.

And even if you ate that much of them, you're only adding
1 or 2 carbs.

Chuck Demas

Lately though there has been a LOT in the news about certain spices
actually assisting in weight loss effects.  Specifically the use of hot
sauce, black and white pepper etc.

Here is an interesting article that speaks to this very issue:

http://members.shaw.ca/myatkins/thermogenic.htm

Possibly this outweighs the small amount of carbs that these would
actually add to a personal overall daily count anyway.  Just a thought!

I'm not counting carbs, just watching Glycemic Load. There seem to be
some interactions between spices/flavorings and foods that may make a
dish flavored with garlic or whatever actually have a lower GL than the
main food would have alone. So the few carbs in the spice might be a
good trade-off.

I think it was on Mendosa's site that I just saw articles about a salad
dressing of oil and vinegar bringing down the GL of a dish. Also soaking
a veg in yoghurt whey brings it down. (Might explain how a mango lassi
seems to me to have less impact than the mango alone.)
http://www.mendosa.com/acidic_foods.htm

Here are some things that 'lower blood sugar', including garlic and
fenugreek:
http://tortech.com.au/nutrition/avoidhypoglycemia.html

Skinny --
pre-diab hypo
-----------------------

Spices are, after all, seeds. The function of seeds is to store food
for the prospectively developing embryo. (Oatmeal is babykilling!)

Not realizing that, we started the Atkins diet eating a great deal of curry.
Our breaking an early stall was not likely to have been merely coincidental
with our discovery that curry powder, in the quantitities I prefer to use
it, is surprisingly high carb.

We still curry, but less often, and with less sneeze-with-joy in the spices.

Martin (215/162/165 since 4/2003)

SO uses onion and/or fresh garlic in just about everything
he makes.  I don't count it.  It's too small of an amount
and we refuse to do without it.

Marsha/Ohio

Doug

I don't count, at all.

In my mind there are foods that I can have, and there are foods that I can't
have.  I have no clue how many carbs I consume in a day.

If I want some spice in whatever I am cooking, I add it.  There is only so
much spice that you can add before it's too much.

Kaye