Question about carbs and fiber

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caveninit
caveninit Posts: 153 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have my macros set as 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fat. I try to keep my carbs low due to being diagnosed as "pre-diabetic". I have lost 17 pounds since that diagnosis in January. My question is, I noticed that a lot of the food I eat that has carbs..like for instance, a Quest bar ..also has a lot of fiber. When tracking carbs should I be subtracting the number of fiber from the number of carbs? Or do I have to stay at or under my set grams of carbs WITHOUT subtracting the fiber?
Thanks!

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  • scubasuenc
    scubasuenc Posts: 626 Member
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    Total carbs - Fiber = Net Carbs. I believe the macros are based on Total Carbs not Net Carbs. Macros are calculated from your calorie allowance. If you have a 2000 calorie diet and 40% carbs it would be 800 calories of carbs. 800 calories / 4 calories per gram of carb = 200g carbs.

    Many people on low carb diets prefer to count Net Carbs. I am a Type 2 Diabetic. Personally I just count total carbs. Actually my focus is on my protein macro. I find if I focus on getting protein, my carbs are naturally lower.
  • FocusTorn
    FocusTorn Posts: 2 Member
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    I for one have never beleived in "Net-Carbs", however......

    Carbs are converted and digested to be used for energy, where Fiber on the other hand is NOT digested and thus will not affect or cause a blood sugar spike.

    Very well could be a low carb diet lover wanting to get in a little extra carbs with out feeling bad.
  • msbklynfrankie
    msbklynfrankie Posts: 17
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    The diabetic educators I know don't mention fiber at all. The expectation is that you keep total carbs under control. Of course you can try three months of calculating your net carbs and then have another A1C blood test to evaluate where you are. If your A1C is above 5.5 then you know you have to be stricter on your carb control. Diabetes is no joke.
  • msbklynfrankie
    msbklynfrankie Posts: 17
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    BTW, the weight loss alone will serve you well. I'm confident your blood sugar is much improved since your last doctor's visit. Great job! :drinker:
  • Thimbelinda
    Thimbelinda Posts: 34 Member
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    If diabetes is part of your health concerns you might want to look into low glycemic foods. They are less likely to cause a spike in blood sugar. Do a Google search and you can find a list of foods by glycemic level, the lower the number the less likely for a sugar spike. Foods that are high in fiber tend to take longer to digest so again less of a spike.
  • caveninit
    caveninit Posts: 153 Member
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    Thanks for the replies and help...I understand it much better now. I'm going to just keep tracking the total carbs, but choosing foods with higher fiber and lower glycemic.

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