Dumb Question (I get smarter from these) :) ...Fiber??

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llpaq
llpaq Posts: 263 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I guess I can try and research this myself but can someone just tell me isn't Fiber really just carbs in most cases? I just watched a special that said fiber was the "broom" of your body and you need plenty of it to sweep away all junk...(yea I get that) but I'm afraid of carbs at this point...... I eat plenty of spinach, romaine, veggies etc- do you think I'm ok on the Fiber Front?

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  • TOMEKA18
    TOMEKA18 Posts: 103 Member
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    OH GOODNESS...I PUT FIBER IN MY SMOOTHIE EVERY MORNING...I HOPE IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME...
  • Roxiehart9
    Roxiehart9 Posts: 32
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    I've had this dilema as well and have found other ways of gettin fiber into my diet. I've started putting chia seeds in my cottage cheese and protein shakes, as well as fiber powders like fiber one and such. I'm much more prone to the chia seeds as they def fill you up and are essentially tasteless and you can put them in anything. Spinach, broccoli, green beans have some fiber in them as well. I'm on a prety strict low carb diet...under 80 grams a day but high in protein. My body just doesn't have the awesomeness to enjoy carbs and I recognize that. (don't appreciate it, but recognize it) It's been about 8 months of bein gon this "lifestyle change" and learning about what I can and can't have and food portions and such, but I was DEF lacking in fiber and assumed they were cabrs as well. But you cna get your fiber other ways.

    Best of Luck,
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    track net carbohydrates (carbs- fiber = net carbs) example broccoli 8g carbs per serving 5g fiber = 3g net carbs
  • llpaq
    llpaq Posts: 263 Member
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    OH GOODNESS...I PUT FIBER IN MY SMOOTHIE EVERY MORNING...I HOPE IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME...

    I think that's good :smile: ! I need to, what kind of fiber do you add in?
  • llpaq
    llpaq Posts: 263 Member
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    I've had this dilema as well and have found other ways of gettin fiber into my diet. I've started putting chia seeds in my cottage cheese and protein shakes, as well as fiber powders like fiber one and such. I'm much more prone to the chia seeds as they def fill you up and are essentially tasteless and you can put them in anything. Spinach, broccoli, green beans have some fiber in them as well. I'm on a prety strict low carb diet...under 80 grams a day but high in protein. My body just doesn't have the awesomeness to enjoy carbs and I recognize that. (don't appreciate it, but recognize it) It's been about 8 months of bein gon this "lifestyle change" and learning about what I can and can't have and food portions and such, but I was DEF lacking in fiber and assumed they were cabrs as well. But you cna get your fiber other ways.

    Best of Luck,

    I will certainly look into getting some Chia Seeds! Thanks for the advice!
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Yes. Fiber is the common term for cellulose, which is a sugar. Namely, it's the sugar the makes up cell walls (of plants and protists etc). HOWEVER, cellulose is not digestible to humans. Herbivores have several stomachs to break it down, but it just goes right through us. So yes, cellulose is a sugar, and no, it is not used by your body. You just poop it out.

    And there is no need to be afraid of carbs. They are necessary to your body function. Your body can break down the carbohydrates into simpler sugars quickly, rather than having to convert more complex molecules such as proteins (which it can do, but would rather not). Without going into a huge lecture on cellular respiration, Carbs = ATP and NADH and FADH2 (energy molecules.) As long as you hit your macros, enjoy all the carbs you like.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    Fiber is a carbohydrate, but it's carbs that your body cannot digest. They're one of the "good" carbs.
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
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    You need a certain amount of fiber in your diet to properly process the food you're eating. Although natural fiber is contained in a variety of foods, including vegetables and grains, you should be more concerned about not getting enough than getting too much. If you're eating a well balanced diet, including lots of fruits and veggies, then you are probably okay. You can track your fiber intake on MFP by modifying your tracking categories under food. It will give you a target and you can soon identify high fiber, low cal foods that will help your digestive system and still allow you to lose weight. I get most of mine through whole grain oatmeal, fiber enriched bread, bosc pears, apples, berries and brussel sprouts (for example). None of these foods are going to sabotage a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. Good luck!
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    I guess I can try and research this myself but can someone just tell me isn't Fiber really just carbs in most cases? I just watched a special that said fiber was the "broom" of your body and you need plenty of it to sweep away all junk...(yea I get that) but I'm afraid of carbs at this point...... I eat plenty of spinach, romaine, veggies etc- do you think I'm ok on the Fiber Front?

    Fibre cannot be digested by humans so doesn't have calories and doesn't mess with your blood sugar - there are two types soluble and insoluble and each perform somewhat different functions in the body. Fibre in fruit and veggies is important and helps feed the friendly bacteria in the gut but these foods don't bulk up in the gut like fibre in wholegrains, beans and lentils. The low carb solution is nuts and seeds which any low carber should be having loads of for the minerals and healthy fats anyway: chia and ground flax are particularly high fibre and bulk up well.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    If you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables then you are likely gettng enough fiber.

    I'm not sure why you fear carbs, but personally I think fiber is the important factor when considering carbs. Higher fiber foods with carbs, such as beans, whole grains, vegetables and fruits I try to eat more often than low fiber carb foods like overly processed (white) grains and added sugars.
  • mactaffy84
    mactaffy84 Posts: 398 Member
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    Try ground flax seeds. You can put them in anything (I even make my spaghetti sauce them it). Neutral taste and it can add some thickness to what you put it in. If you get whole flax seeds, fine, just remember that yu would need to grind them before you eat them.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,121 Member
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    You can set your Food Diary to show fiber as one of your five columns. I think thhe recommended is 25-40g a day (?)

    Or, go to the Printable Version of your Food Diary (see that orange button at the bottom of your Food Diary?) Fiber is tracked by default anyway on the printable version. So you can see it there.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Fiber is a good thing, both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is particularly beneficial when you're trying to control blood LDL through diet...this is why oatmeal on a regular basis is recommended for people like me trying to control their bad cholesterol with diet and exercise. Fiber also slows the process by which fructose is metabolized which comes in handy when you have spikes and also slows down it's conversion to fat in the liver...which is great for triglyceride issues. 25-30g per day should cover you.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,735 Member
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    I guess I can try and research this myself but can someone just tell me isn't Fiber really just carbs in most cases? I just watched a special that said fiber was the "broom" of your body and you need plenty of it to sweep away all junk...(yea I get that) but I'm afraid of carbs at this point...... I eat plenty of spinach, romaine, veggies etc- do you think I'm ok on the Fiber Front?

    fiber, starches, and sugars are carbs.

    don't be afraid of carbs.

    you need carbs... well, technically you don't *need* them if you're healthy, but they are the body's most readily available form of energy from your diet.

    there are diet plans out there that preach certain foods are "bad". if you're adhering to one of those such plans and they've told you that all carbs are "bad", then take some time to search out and learn from many wise people on here who have repeatedly debunked those sorts of claims.

    there is nothing wrong or unhealthy about meeting your daily carb macro goal, and some percentage of that goal should be fiber.
  • NinjaJinja
    NinjaJinja Posts: 147 Member
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    I'd just like to put in that my cousin has gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying) and she actually has to attempt to eat a LOW fiber diet. Which really kind of sucks because people are so fond of putting fiber in everything.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
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    Yes. Fiber is the common term for cellulose, which is a sugar. Namely, it's the sugar the makes up cell walls (of plants and protists etc). HOWEVER, cellulose is not digestible to humans. Herbivores have several stomachs to break it down, but it just goes right through us. So yes, cellulose is a sugar, and no, it is not used by your body. You just poop it out.

    huh, didn't realize it was a sugar.

    I'm going to go ahead and say its not really a 'carb' for people since there is no nutritional value, even though its a sugar molecule.

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