net carbs

jasonweinberg

i've only recently become aware of this concept and am hoping others on here can educate me about it more. i have been avoiding fruits which i love because i have been trying to keep my carbs and sugar down but now am learning that the fiber content in foods negates the carb content at a 1:1 ratio. i have been eating a very high fiber diet anyway but realize now that i maybe was sacrificing things that i enjoy needlessly. i assume this is intended to be calculated based on each individual meal or snack as opposed to cumulative throughout the day (in other words you can't load up on fiber throughout the day and then eat foods high in carbs but without significant fiber content). anyway, since this is all new to me, please share what you know about it. and next time i go to the store i'm going to get me some apples and bananas.

saverys_gal

Net carbs = carbs - fiber - sugar alcohol.

Most fruits are fairly high in carbs and low in fiber. I follow a low carb eating plan and strictly watch my carb and sugar intake, so when it comes to fruit I'm pretty strict- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cantaloupe in smaller portions aren't too high on the net carb count. Bananas, as much as I love them, are through the roof.
I think if you are eating a low carb diet you should very closely watch you fruit intake, however, if you are only concerned with your calorie intake, read up on the nutritional content of your favorite fruits and eat them in moderation.
Hope this helped! :flowerforyou:

July24Lioness

I agree with Saverys_gal.

Apples are good for you and have the fiber your looking for.

I believe I read you are a Diabetic somewhere before...............If so, bananas are one of the worst fruits you could ever eat. Maybe 1 a couple times a month and not too close together.

Stick to fruits like berries, melons, citrus fruits have lots of fiber and so do apples. Peach, nectarines and plums are good fruits to have also.

The tropical fruits should be eaten very sparingly..............bananas, mangos, pineapple, grapes are in that high sugar category also.

jasonweinberg

i am not a diabetic but i was trending that way. i just schooled myself on sugar alcohols as that is all new to me, as well. i guess they are generally an additive not found naturally in foods. so, bananaa are out but apples are okay. i am not technically on a low carb diet but when i got stuck on my first plateau i cut out my fruits and started to lose again. like i said: i've been trying to keep my protein and fiber up, and trying to watch my carbs and sugars in conjunction with obviously counting calories and getting lots of exercise. but learning about net carbs helps me, because it shows me that i can basically lesson the impact of the carbs i do consume, by consuming them ion conjunction with fiber.

July24Lioness

i am not a diabetic but i was trending that way. i just schooled myself on sugar alcohols as that is all new to me, as well. i guess they are generally an additive not found naturally in foods. so, bananaa are out but apples are okay. i am not technically on a low carb diet but when i got stuck on my first plateau i cut out my fruits and started to lose again. like i said: i've been trying to keep my protein and fiber up, and trying to watch my carbs and sugars in conjunction with obviously counting calories and getting lots of exercise. but learning about net carbs helps me, because it shows me that i can basically lesson the impact of the carbs i do consume, by consuming them ion conjunction with fiber.

If you were trending that way to the Diabetic side, then you have some degree of Insulin Resistance. To keep yourself from swaying to the Diabetic side, it is best to keep the carbs on the lower end...........

For me a high fat, moderate protein, very low carb diet keeps my blood work GREAT and my blood sugars stable, which is what I aimed to do. Weight loss is an added benefit.

jasonweinberg

i try to stay low fat as well.

saverys_gal

i am not a diabetic but i was trending that way. i just schooled myself on sugar alcohols as that is all new to me, as well. i guess they are generally an additive not found naturally in foods. so, bananaa are out but apples are okay. i am not technically on a low carb diet but when i got stuck on my first plateau i cut out my fruits and started to lose again. like i said: i've been trying to keep my protein and fiber up, and trying to watch my carbs and sugars in conjunction with obviously counting calories and getting lots of exercise. but learning about net carbs helps me, because it shows me that i can basically lesson the impact of the carbs i do consume, by consuming them ion conjunction with fiber.

I find it interesting that you broke through a plateau by cutting out fruits from your diet. I say this because even eating lower carb fruits and eating one small portion a few times a week completely stalls my weight loss. I don't gain, which is great, but I can't lose at all. At this point in my weight loss journey I eat fruit once every week or two as a treat since I still have a reasonable amount of weight to shed.
And yes, the sugar alcohols will just be an additive found in processed foods.

jasonweinberg

i'm sure you know this a a low-carb oriented person , but my understanding is that if your body has carbs available to it it will feast on those rather than burn fat even if you are very low on calories. isn't that pretty much the whole theory beind low-carb diets?

July24Lioness

i try to stay low fat as well.

I like the high fat, moderate protein because I can eat way less and keep my blood sugar even Steven.................It stays very steady eating this way for me. No highs and lows at all.

jasonweinberg

i know your primary goal is blood sugar control, but doesn't a high fat diet make keeping your calories down hard?

July24Lioness

i know your primary goal is blood sugar control, but doesn't a high fat diet make keeping your calories down hard?

No, actually when I have a really high fat day, I stay so full feeling that I barely eat 1200 - 1300 calories per day.

I strive to get about 1800 - 2000 calories per day and I barely break the 1500 mark on a good day.

July24Lioness

double post

lilmissy2

I'm surprised nobody that is even a little bit 'pro-carbs' has replied to you! I'm not getting involved (it's too close to the end of the week haha... exhausted!). I will make this comment to you that a dietitian colleague made the other day:

'I see so many diabetics that give their diet history and happily admit to loads of chocolate biscuits, chips, large portions, take aways but then assure me that they don't eat bananas because they've heard they are bad for them... I just shake my head, giggle a little and reply buy yourself some bananas!'

jasonweinberg

personally, i find the discussion very interesting. i always thought i knew how to eat well but was just too busy, lazy, etc. to do so. now i realize there really are a lot of intricacies to it. i'm also so excited that because of my new-found knowledge i am clearly much, much better nourished while eating much less. at the same time, i am constantly learning how much you can actually eat, if you are making the right choices...

akaDumbo

As a point of interest I have recently been diagnosed with diabetes. I came away from the doctors with a handful of leaflets on various topics with the NHS guidelines. One of the leaflets was entitled Diabetes eating for health and amongst other things it gives you suggestions for a days meals. For snack ideas it says "The healthiest snack is a piece of fruit - try to eat at leats 3 portions of fruit each day". Having said that I don't eat a fraction of the daily carbs they suggestion and my blood sugar levels are still sky high.

jackie500

As a diabetic I also struggle with carb intake...thanks for the input.