Carbs v Fiber

freerange

What is the deal with fiber/Carbohydrates/sugars? Does all fiber pass thru your system without adding calories, or what? The reason I’m asking is; take the avocado, the nutritional information list total carbs as 18g, 14g of fiber and 2g of sugars, don’t ask me what happened to the other 2g. If I’m counting calories from carbs, would I count the fiber or not?

Shweedog

Well if you have the nutritional info then you should have the total calories listed for you, right? No need to count your own calories based on the other nutrients if that's the case...

NoExcuseTina

NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber

SaraTonin

Fiber is not calories, it is the indigestible part of, say, a fruit or vegetable. So, the FIBERS!

Calories are calculated as the total carb count, plus the fat (probably high in an avocado), plus the protein. There are 9 calories in a gram of fat, and 4 calories in a gram of carbohydrate or protein.

sharoniballoni

I think you're saying you want to count your carb calories separately, so you know how much you're eating and you're just not understanding why sugar + fiber aren't adding up. It's because starch makes up the rest and it's not mandatory to list that on a nutrition label.

freerange

Well if you have the nutritional info then you should have the total calories listed for you, right? No need to count your own calories based on the other nutrients if that's the case...

There is if I'm watching how many carbs I eat, thus the question, thanks.

SaraTonin

In that case, just take the total carb count on the nutrition info, so, the 18g. It takes the sugar, plus starches and complex carbs that aren't listed. Fiber does pass right through the body, but people like to track how much they're consuming so it is listed. Technically fiber IS a carbohydrate, it's just one that our body can't break down and use for energy, so it has no calories for us.

freerange

In that case, just take the total carb count on the nutrition info, so, the 18g. It takes the sugar, plus starches and complex carbs that aren't listed. Fiber does pass right through the body, but people like to track how much they're consuming so it is listed. Technically fiber IS a carbohydrate, it's just one that our body can't break down and use for energy, so it has no calories for us.

Is that right? I wouldn't count the 18 would I, just the 2 sugars and the 2 starches and complex carbs not listed, and discard the 14 fibers. Since the fiber isn't absorbed as calories, they would not be counted towards carbs in my diet plan,,,,,,,,, right?

MTGirl

NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber

^^ What she said. That is the easiest way to count your actual carbs.

SaraTonin

18g is the way the diabetics do it. If you're doing some sort of atkins net carbs tracking then yes, net carbs = total carbs - fiber.

freerange

Alright I got it now, thanks everyone