1) carbs/fibre. 2) energy crash
LyndaSBenham
Posts: 9 Member
I've been using MFP since just before Xmas and eating to my metre and LCHF for just over a month. Aim for 1200 calories/day plus any extra from exercise and for about 10% carbs, 25% protein, 65% fat. In ketosis. Have lost just over 29lb so far. I've always been aware of the importance of low carb and managed my BS levels pretty well but now getting really good readings ie staying in the '5% club' ranges recommended on the bloodsugar101.com website. Fasting BS nearly always in 5s, occasionally in 4s.
However, there are two questions I would appreciate help with
1) the perennial net carbs debate. Have read and read and still unclear. Eg MFP says 100gm of Suma Organic Golden Flax Seed, which is what I use, is 34 carbs and 28 fibre so 34 is what would get added to my carbs total. But I'm sure that can't be right because that would make it a high carb food. Must be 34-28 ie 6 and metre readings would seem to confirm this. But this means the total carbs I see at the bottom of my Diary page is incorrect and therefore my % carbs is incorrect.
Do other people using MFP to track carbs take the total carbs figure as correct or the total carbs minus total fibre? I don't use processed low carb foods so not bothered about the 'net carb' debate wrt to those. But it IS relevant re the whole foods that I eat.
2) for the last week or so I have a big energy crash in the afternoon. If I am sitting I fall asleep. This is NOT due to a BS spike followed by a crash because my BS is not spiking (ie happens after meals where BS level after one hour is less than 140 or even in normal range. This never used to happen! Anyone else had his problem? Did it pass?
However, there are two questions I would appreciate help with
1) the perennial net carbs debate. Have read and read and still unclear. Eg MFP says 100gm of Suma Organic Golden Flax Seed, which is what I use, is 34 carbs and 28 fibre so 34 is what would get added to my carbs total. But I'm sure that can't be right because that would make it a high carb food. Must be 34-28 ie 6 and metre readings would seem to confirm this. But this means the total carbs I see at the bottom of my Diary page is incorrect and therefore my % carbs is incorrect.
Do other people using MFP to track carbs take the total carbs figure as correct or the total carbs minus total fibre? I don't use processed low carb foods so not bothered about the 'net carb' debate wrt to those. But it IS relevant re the whole foods that I eat.
2) for the last week or so I have a big energy crash in the afternoon. If I am sitting I fall asleep. This is NOT due to a BS spike followed by a crash because my BS is not spiking (ie happens after meals where BS level after one hour is less than 140 or even in normal range. This never used to happen! Anyone else had his problem? Did it pass?
0
Replies
-
1) here's what Diabetes Health Magazine has to say about counting fiber. The Mayo clinic says the same
http://diabeteshealth.com/read/1999/11/01/1700/do-i-subtract-fiber-from-carbohydrates/
Q: In the past, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommended that when a serving of food has 5 or more grams of fiber, people should subtract that number from the total grams of carbohydrates, because fiber is not broken down into glucose.
I don't see this mentioned anymore, even in resources that incorporate high-fiber foods into diabetes diets. Now, more information discusses the glycemic index of high-fiber foods instead. Are people supposed to count and cover with insulin all of the carbohydrates in a serving of black beans, 23 grams, or subtract the 15 grams of fiber, and say it is 8 grams carbs?
Karen Lavine, RN, CDE
Albuquerque, New Mexico
- - - - -
A: You are correct and the example is a good one. The ADA recommendations on adjusting carbohydrate calculation for high-fiber foods remain the same. Foods high in fiber are a healthy addition to a meal plan. Since fiber is not completely digested and absorbed, a high-fiber meal would not provide as much available carbohydrate as a low-fiber meal of similar total carbohydrate content.
A high-fiber food is one that contains 5 or more grams of dietary fiber per serving. When there are 5 or more grams of fiber per serving, subtract them from the total grams of carbohydrate to determine how much carbohydrate is available.
For example, a breakfast cereal containing 28 grams of total carbohydrate and 6 grams of dietary fiber can be counted as 22 grams [28 - 6 = 22] of available carbohydrate.
Anne Daly, MS, RD, CDE
Vice President, Health Care and Education
American Diabetes Association
Springfield, Illinois0 -
So based on this answer Is it possible to subtract the total daily fiber intake from the total carbohydrate.
Or....say for lunch I eat four items that have 4 grams of fiber each and 6 grams of carbohydrate each, could I then subtract 16 grams of carbs from the 24?
Another words is this cumulative,all day,per meal or just for one particular food? i.e. the black bean example?0 -
The guidelines to subtract fiber are best used for each meal and snack, and not cummulative for the day. That's because we digest the foods we eat at one time together, and the fiber in each individual meal and snack will impact the digestion of the carbohydrate in that individual meal or snack. You ask a great question! ~Lynn /Glucerna0
-
I use net carbs only with things I know I can trust the fiber count of ... well-known things like vegetables, etc.
I don't take marketing claims into account (ie: Julian Bakery products, Quest Bars and their 'protected carbs', etc.). If my meter tells me it's low net carbs, that's what I go with.
As for configuring MFP for it ... there's some good scripts that will add Net Carbs to your MFP food tracker: http://cavemanketo.com/configuring-mfp/0 -
I usually work by net carbs.
I use Firefox and have downloaded 'Greasemonkey' Add on and its Script for MFP. Gives me net carbs and a nice pie graph for Protein/Fat/Net Carbs. BUT relies on the MFP data base being correct. Also look out for entries that are already 'corrected' for net carbs, the script usually will pick up on these as the net carbs will come out as negative values.
If only all foods had negative carbs :bigsmile:0 -
Thanks for the info re adding script. I didn't know such things existed. I use MFP mainly on my ipad (Safari) but use Chrome on my laptop. If I install the script on my laptop do you know if the new info will also show on my ipad?0
-
No, it won't show on the ipad. It's device-specific.0
