I've noticed some confusion in threads about food labels and how to read them. Can anyone help?

If a food says this:

Carbs - 20
Sugars - 5
Sorbitol - 2
Maltitol - 10
Aspartame - 25 mg

Okay, so do we just subtract the Sorbitol and Maltitol from the Carb total, to get 8 effective carbs? OR do we just count the sugars, and say it is only 5 carbs? Can't there maybe be a starch in there that accounts for some of the carbs?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

You can subtract sorbitol and maltitol...I limit myself to no more than 18g of Sorbitol or Xylitol on occassion. I won't eat Maltitol at all anymore. Aspartame is not allowed on Atkins because it spikes insulin levels causing weight gain and cravings. Too fill in the gaps, there are 4 types of carbs: Sugars, Sugar Alcohols, Starches, and Fibers. Fiber is not listed on that label...so, we can only assume the other 3g must be from Starch.

Carbs -- 20g
Sugars -- 5g
Sorbitol -- 2g
Maltitol -- 10g
Starch -- 3g
Aspartame - 25 mg