Carbs & Fiber

mrstrivette
mrstrivette Posts: 21 Member
edited November 9 in Food and Nutrition
For the first week of 2015 (maybe longer), I'm going to limit my carbs to 50 or less. My question - Do you include fiber into that 50 or less?? I see a number of low carb items that will say like "8g net carbs" but has like 20 total carbs. Help!

Replies

  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    Hi!

    Net carbs is calculated by subtracting sugar alcohols and total fiber from the total carbs. For instance, a package of Atkins chocolate candies says it is 1g of net carbs. The total carbs is 19g, but it has 14g of sugar alcohols and 4g of fiber (19-14-4 =1g net carbs).

    I personally track net carbs. I'm diabetic and base my insulin dosages off total net carbs (fiber and sugar alcohols have very little effect on blood glucose levels), so it is easier for me to track my macros with it also.
  • Unknown
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  • AnxiousToLose
    AnxiousToLose Posts: 2 Member
    Is it bad to eat more fiber than the goal limits that MyFitnessPal sets?
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    AnxiousToLose wrote: »
    Is it bad to eat more fiber than the goal limits that MyFitnessPal sets?

    No. Fiber is one of the micronutrients that you want to try to get at least the recommended amount of. Just don't go crazy and suddenly up your fiber intake to 40g a day (suddenly consuming very high amounts of fiber can cause gastrointestinal upset).
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    So you'll lose a couple of pounds of water weight then put it back on when you up your carbs?
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    I would consider the amount of fiber calculated by MFP to be a minimum. Different sources give different recommendations. It varies by age, weight, gender, etc. Generally women need a minimum of 25 grams a day whereas men need 38; the average American eats 15 (too little -- ergo all the laxative ads on TV). Here are some useful links:
    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/
    http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/fiber-how-much-do-you-need
  • cdn_beaver
    cdn_beaver Posts: 130 Member
    You can customize your goals to make it easier to track your food. Add in a fiber column and change your macros for fats, protein, and carbs.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    mrstrivette wrote: »
    For the first week of 2015 (maybe longer), I'm going to limit my carbs to 50 or less. My question - Do you include fiber into that 50 or less?? I see a number of low carb items that will say like "8g net carbs" but has like 20 total carbs. Help!

    mrstrivette if you are not planning to do a low carb high fat diet but just want to jump start a standard Calorie In Calorie Out diet I would not worry about the fiber numbers for a week. Keep in mind you may lose 5+ pounds in one week but it will return some when you restart eating carbs.
  • mrstrivette
    mrstrivette Posts: 21 Member
    I don't intend to fully going back to cramming a bunch of carbs in me....that would be lots of junk food. I will stick with my low carb bread, lower carb peanut butter, healthier pasta, etc (none of which I will eat this week). I'm still gonna try to limit my carbs after this week, just not to 50 or under. And the 50 or less comes from advice of my brother-in-law who's been doing this much longer than I have. I had lost 15lbs prior to my last pregnancy but due to poor eating choices AND medical issues & prescriptions, I weigh MORE now than I did full term with the last pregnancy! That is highly depressing! I also have a condition called diastasis recti & if I'm ever gonna fix that, I NEED to lose weight. Just NOT happy with how I look, not happy with how I feel...too many pains...emotionally & physically. I need to do this to be healthier & feel better about myself.

    So, I don't think my question was answered. I'm not concerned about tracking the fiber. I'm tracking the carbs. Do I include or exclude the fiber in my 50g of carbs or less??? That is my question.

    I appreciate the responses.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Your 50 gram limit would typically include fiber if you're an American. The item you asked about with its unusual ingredients it's probably best to go with the number on the front or "net carbs".

    The question is a bit circular, because typically people set a goal with a definition - Atkins Induction is traditionally 20 grams of net carbs for example. Westman's "no sugar no starch" clinic diet is 20 grams of total etc. So in setting your 50g you may have made some assumption about how it was made up.
  • mrstrivette
    mrstrivette Posts: 21 Member
    @yarwell - I'm not following any marketed diet plan. As I stated, the 50g or less of carbs comes from advice of my brother-in-law. My question is very straight forward.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited January 2015
    As yarwell said, the only way to answer the question is to know the theory behind your choice of 50. We don't. If the intent is to do whatever your brother in law did, why not ask him.

    For a while I limited carbs to 100 grams and now limit them to 40 percent usually, and I include fiber in that. I don't find the net carb thing useful for me. But then I also choose not to use products with what seem to be artificially lowered carbs, like low carb bread or pasta. That just makes no sense to me. Your own dietary choices may well be different and similarly you should decide if you want to count carbs or net carbs.
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