Deducting fibre from carb count?

winniebago
winniebago Posts: 22 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hi folks.
Is it correct that you can deduct the fibre from the total carb count of a food? I've been trawling back to try and find out but without success.
For example if the carb count of half a tin of reduced-sugar baked beans is 26g, can I reduce that to 18g if the fibre is listed as 8g?

By extension, does this mean that you can look at your total daily food diary on mfp and deduct your fibre intake from your carbs as a whole, or is that too simplistic?

Replies

  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    I notice you spell fibre not fiber. Can I take from this you are in the UK?

    If so, your baked bean label is already correct for your carb count. It is only in the US (and some other countries) where carbs do not already have the FIBER content accounted for. It's simply down to the different way nutritional quantities are calculated in Europe versus The Rest of the World.
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    or, by your correct spelling (hahaha) you could be Canadian??

    In which case, yes, simply deduct Fibre from total carbs.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Depends on what your nutritional/macro goals are. As someone who is T2 diabetic (not on insulin), I cannot. Total carbs instead of net carbs are most important when totaling up the day. Foods with more fiber do a great job of preventing blood sugar spikes after eating them, but do not affect the 3 month average as measured by the A1c blood test.

    Most people, especially on low carb or keto diets, can
  • winniebago
    winniebago Posts: 22 Member
    sytchequeen wrote: »
    or, by your correct spelling (hahaha) you could be Canadian??

    In which case, yes, simply deduct Fibre from total carbs.


    British.

    The bean tin lists: Carbohydrate= 25.9g ....of which Sugars =6.7g. On a separate line; Fibre = 8.1g and then a load of things like protein, fat etc (which I'm not particularly bothered about as I'm mostly interested in keeping the carbs down).

    So it depends whether or not you are T2D if you can deduct the fibre from the total carbs? All a bit confusing!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    winniebago wrote: »
    sytchequeen wrote: »
    or, by your correct spelling (hahaha) you could be Canadian??

    In which case, yes, simply deduct Fibre from total carbs.


    British.

    The bean tin lists: Carbohydrate= 25.9g ....of which Sugars =6.7g. On a separate line; Fibre = 8.1g and then a load of things like protein, fat etc (which I'm not particularly bothered about as I'm mostly interested in keeping the carbs down).

    So it depends whether or not you are T2D if you can deduct the fibre from the total carbs? All a bit confusing!

    The real question is - Why do you ask? What are your goals? Are you doing a specific diet that requires a certain "net carb" level? Are you eating a diet prescribed due to a medical condition?

    I don't bother with carbs, I just try to hit my protein, fat, and fiber goals, and let the carbs fall where they may.
    If you have a specific reason to target net carbs, posting it might get you better answers. If you don't, then honestly, net carbs are total carbs doesn't really matter.
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    nah. If it's a british product no need to deduct anything from the carb total.
    I think they are saying if you aren't diabetic why worry about carbs?

    If you try to deduct your fibre from the carb total it will throw it badly out. The scientific technique used in EU/UK to get your nutritional info is just different. No need to worry about "net carbs" in the UK
  • bizgirl26
    bizgirl26 Posts: 1,795 Member
    sytchequeen wrote: »
    or, by your correct spelling (hahaha) you could be Canadian??

    In which case, yes, simply deduct Fibre from total carbs.

    I am Canadian and I always forget this . I don't really care if I go over in carbs but my fibre is always high so I don't feel like my carbs are that bad now that I think about it lol


  • winniebago
    winniebago Posts: 22 Member
    The reason I ask is that current theory ( From Malhotra, Noakes et al) seems to indicate that the low-fat public-health advice that's been given for a couple of decades is probably fueling the obesity crisis, and the dietary advice has often come from 'interested parties'.

    I tried full-on keto but couldn't do it. Felt yukky and missed all my fibre sources so have reintroduced some carbs to alleviate digestive problems, but still want to keep below 80-100g daily, if possible.
    Am not T2D (as far as I know) but suspect I may be insulin-resistant to some degree as the weight is v-e-r-y slow to come off, even though am averaging about 1200-1300 cals daily.
    It struck me that since the food labels indicate both carb AND fibre, then a deduction might cut me some slack, but don't want to make a silly mistake.
  • SouthernMamaUnderConsruction
    SouthernMamaUnderConsruction Posts: 2,724 Member
    You deduct fiber and sugar alcohol
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited September 2018
    SouthernMamaUnderConsruction wrote: »
    You deduct fiber and sugar alcohol

    She's in the UK. Their labels are already net carb.

    OP, you don't subtract anything.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    winniebago wrote: »
    sytchequeen wrote: »
    or, by your correct spelling (hahaha) you could be Canadian??

    In which case, yes, simply deduct Fibre from total carbs.


    So it depends whether or not you are T2D if you can deduct the fibre from the total carbs? All a bit confusing!

    More importantly, it depends on your nutrition goals and if you are managing a health condition.

  • winniebago
    winniebago Posts: 22 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    SouthernMamaUnderConsruction wrote: »
    You deduct fiber and sugar alcohol

    She's in the UK. Their labels are already net carb.

    OP, you don't subtract anything.

    Damn! :D

    Oh well - thought it was too good to be true.....just as well I asked.
    Thanks folks. :)
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    winniebago wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    SouthernMamaUnderConsruction wrote: »
    You deduct fiber and sugar alcohol

    She's in the UK. Their labels are already net carb.

    OP, you don't subtract anything.

    Damn! :D

    Oh well - thought it was too good to be true.....just as well I asked.
    Thanks folks. :)

    There is so much conflicting information out there, it's difficult to cut through which is correct and which is incorrect, but may sound close enough to possibly be a bit true. :laugh:
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