Fiber is the indigestible portion of food, and therefore does not have any caloric value as a carbohydrate. Both soluble and insoluble fiber are an important part of your diet because they provide bulk to increase the size and frequency of your bowel movements, and also bind to fat and cholesterol in your digestive tract and carry them out of your system. However, you should not include fiber in your carbohydrate and calorie counts.
Step 1
Determine the total number of carbohydrate grams from the "Nutrition Facts" label on the food of your choice.
Step 2
Determine the number of fiber grams from the "Nutrition Facts" label.
Step 3
Subtract the number of fiber grams from the total grams of carbohydrate. For example, if a food contains 44 g of carbohydrate and 6 g of fiber, it only contains 38 net grams of carbohydrates because 44 minus 6 equals 38.
Tips and Warnings
- Eat a minimum of 25 g of fiber a day to promote heart health and healthy weight, and reduce your risk of colon cancer.
References
- USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2010; December 2010
- "Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy: 12th Edition"; L. Kathleen Mahan, et al.; 2008
- "Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care: Fifth Edition"; Sylvia Escott-Stump; 2002
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