Low-carbohydrate foods differ in the way that they incorporate fiber into the daily carbohydrate counts of the foods you eat. Nutritional labels in the United States include fiber as part of the overall carbohydrate count of the foods, which may be confusing if you are trying to determine whether or not you can include certain foods in your diet. Various low-carbohydrate diets treat fiber differently as it relates to the carbohydrate counts of the foods you eat.
Definitions
Sugar, starches and fiber make up the dietary component, carbohydrates. Dietary fiber is found in plant foods such as fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables. Your body does not absorb fiber. Instead, it passes through your intestines relatively unchanged, adding fecal bulk or dissolving in liquids to help slow absorption of glucose through intestinal walls.
Carbohydrates and Weight Loss
Eating sugars and starches causes your blood glucose levels to rise. The rise in blood glucose triggers the release of insulin from your pancreas. Insulin is a fat-storage hormone, and when it is present in your bloodstream, your body stores food as fat and is unable to convert stored body fat to fuel. By controlling insulin in your bloodstream, your body is able to burn stored fat. This is the primary mechanism of low-carb weight loss, suggests Gary Taubes, author of "Good Calories, Bad Calories." Although it is classified as a carbohydrate, fiber does not cause a rise in blood glucose because it is not absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal walls. Additionally, soluble fiber slows down glucose absorption, which may help to keep blood sugar levels stable and prevent the release of insulin.
Effective Carb Counts
Some diet plans recommend that you measure your carbohydrate intake using effective carbohydrate counts. To do this, subtract the amount of fiber carbohydrate grams from the total number of carbohydrate grams. The resulting number is the effective carbohydrate count of the foods. For example, if a nutrition label has 5 g of fiber and 11 g of carbohydrates, then the effective carbohydrate count is 6 g. Some European countries use effective carbohydrate counts on their nutrition labels instead of total carbohydrate counts.
Recommendations
Two of the main low-carbohydrate diet plans, Atkins and Protein Power make specific recommendations as to whether or not to use effective carbohydrate counts during the diet. Atkins suggests using the total carbohydrate count--including the fiber--in your daily carbohydrate intake. In other words, if you are on the Atkins diet, do not subtract fiber from your overall carbohydrate count. Protein Power suggests the opposite, recommending that you use the effective carbohydrate count for your per-meal carbohydrate intake. So, if there is a food that has 10 g of carbohydrates and 4 g of fiber, then you would only count 6 g of carbohydrates as your intake for that meal.
Considerations
Fiber plays an important role in health. It helps promote a healthy colon and may help prevent certain cancers, lower blood cholesterol and control blood sugar. It also improves satiation and may aid in weight loss. Eating a high-fiber diet is important for good health. Talk to your doctor before going on a diet that restricts fiber intake.
References
- MedlinePlus: Dietary Fiber
- "Good Calories, Bad Calories"; Gary Taubes; 2007
- "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution"; Dr. Robert C. Atkins; 1992
- "Protein Power Lifeplan"; Dr. Michael R. Eades and Dr. Mary Dan Eades; 2000
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet
Member Comments