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Low (or lower) carb question

PostPosted: 18 Apr 2016, 15:48
by cblasz
Hello,
I was wondering if those of you who keep track of your carbs take fiber into consideration. Do you subject grams of fiber from total carbs to come up up with your carbs number for the day?
Thanks!

Re: Low (or lower) carb question

PostPosted: 18 Apr 2016, 15:57
by carorees
Hi @cblasz

If you're in the US, then yes you need to subtract the fiber content. In the UK (and I presume Europe and probably Australia and NZ but I'm not 100% sure) the carbohydrate content quoted on packages does not include fibre. However, I am not sure whether my fitness pal and calorie count etc quote with or without fibre. As a lot of their data is submitted by the public, it could be that both are used which is not very helpful for us!

I don't actually count carbs any more because I just avoid all starchy foods and sugars (apart from my 2 squares of 85% dark chocolate) and reckon that my carb count will be low enough anyway.

Um, my reply was not all that helpful in the end was it? Sorry!

Re: Low (or lower) carb question

PostPosted: 18 Apr 2016, 18:13
by ADFnFuel
I've only counted calories recently as an attempt to calibrate my own estimates.

Fitness Pal has two reports, one for net carbs, the other for carbs, but both appear to present the exact same data. Their system requires a great deal of faith in too many areas to be considered anything but approximate. Its value lies in that a vague measure is slightly better than no measurement at all.

Re: Low (or lower) carb question

PostPosted: 18 Apr 2016, 19:49
by cblasz
Thank you! You did answer my question Carorees. You basically said that you should subtract the fiber, but how to do that (or if it's already done, is a different story.) I did not realize it was different in the U.K. than the U.S.

ADFnFuel - I don't see where it has a net carbs report. It has a calories and net calories report, which subtracts the exercise from the calories.

I do appreciate the info and have a better understanding now. I will take the information in MFP with a grain of salt!

Re: Low (or lower) carb question

PostPosted: 18 Apr 2016, 20:07
by ADFnFuel
cblasz wrote: ADFnFuel - I don't see where it has a net carbs report. It has a calories and net calories report, which subtracts the exercise from the calories.


I'm sorry. You are correct. I don't see a difference between the two graphs because I don't log exercise. The idea behind subtracting fiber from the carb total it that fiber can't be digested.

Re: Low (or lower) carb question

PostPosted: 18 Apr 2016, 20:41
by cblasz
ADFnFuel wrote:
cblasz wrote: ADFnFuel - I don't see where it has a net carbs report. It has a calories and net calories report, which subtracts the exercise from the calories.


I'm sorry. You are correct. I don't see a difference between the two graphs because I don't log exercise. The idea behind subtracting fiber from the carb total it that fiber can't be digested.


Right, I understand that. I just didn't know if when people say they are trying to stay under 100g of carbs, they meant with or without fiber!

Re: Low (or lower) carb question

PostPosted: 19 Apr 2016, 01:28
by ADFnFuel
cblasz wrote: ...Right, I understand that. I just didn't know if when people say they are trying to stay under 100g of carbs, they meant with or without fiber!


This link seems to have the best discussion about that:

http://ketodietapp.com/Blog/post/2014/1 ... lly-Counts

Re: Low (or lower) carb question

PostPosted: 19 Apr 2016, 05:25
by MLCDz
I am now following a ketogenic diet for my diabetes, so I am on 20 grams or less total carbs per day. I don't subtract out the fiber. I'm doing it for diabetes control and have basically cut all starches, all sugar, and all grains. My 20 grams of carbs each day are made up of above-ground vegetables, a few nuts, and maybe some dairy -mostly cheese. Many will recognize it as Atkins induction phase, but I am so carb sensitive, I've had to leave it that low. I also have to moderate my protein to avoid gluconeogenesis, which leaves healthy fat for the balance of my intake. On MyFitnessPal, I learned you can arrange how you want your nutrients, so I put my fiber right under my carb, and if I want to use net carbs (which is total carb minus the fiber), then I just do it in my head. One thing I have learned over the last 6 months is there are many, many, many, ways to do low carb "correctly" and you just have to figure out what works best for you. Many people who are not carb sensitive can eat up to 50-100g carb per day & be considered "moderate" low carb or even 100-150g per day & be considered "liberal" low carb. Dietdoctor.com from Sweden uses these categories to sort their recipes, hence my adoption of the verbiage. It may be called something else as well.