'carb-light' originates from English, specifically combining 'carb' (short for 'carbohydrate') and 'light' (meaning 'low in quantity').

'carb' is a shortened form of 'carbohydrate,' which comes from the French word 'carbohydrate,' and 'light' has been used in English since the Middle Ages to denote something of lesser quantity.

Initially, 'light' meant 'not heavy,' but over time it evolved to also mean 'low in quantity' in contexts like food and drink.