Reading the label...?

[MomtoCarli]

I could have SWORN I read something once upon a time about the carb count being readjusted depending on the sugars and dietary fiber in the item. Can anyone confirm?

How would you read the following carb count?

Carb 7
Fiber 2
Sugar 1

?

[Georgiana]

I'm not sure if I get what you mean, but I assume you are asking how one should compute the net carbs in a food.

If so, you find the net carbs by subtracting the fiber and the sugar alcohols from the total number of carbohydrates. In your example,
NET CARBS = 7 - 2 = 5,
so you count it as 5 grams of net carbohydrates.

One remark about the sugar alcohols. Although you are supposed to subtract them by the book, they stall some people so they must count them towards the net carb intake.

According to DANDR 2002, you should count net carbohydrates and not the total carbohydrates, so make sure you stay under your limit (e.g. 20 g for induction) after subtracting the fiber.

[MomtoCarli]

Originally Posted by Georgiana

I'm not sure if I get what you mean, but I assume you are asking how one should compute the net carbs in a food.

If so, you find the net carbs by subtracting the fiber and the sugar alcohols from the total number of carbohydrates. In your example,
NET CARBS = 7 - 2 = 5,
so you count it as 5 grams of net carbohydrates.

One remark about the sugar alcohols. Although you are supposed to subtract them by the book, they stall some people so they must count them towards the net carb intake.

According to DANDR 2002, you should count net carbohydrates and not the total carbohydrates, so make sure you stay under your limit (e.g. 20 g for induction) after subtracting the fiber.

That's what I thought but I couldn't find it anywhere.. and I wasn't sure if I dreamt it or something. =)

So are you advising that for induction - I just go with the initial total carb count to be on the safe side?

[Georgiana]

If you go with the initial carb count you will have to eliminate many veggies from the 'other' list. Although high in carbs, most of them are also high in fiber. Besides, it will make it difficult for you to find your CCLL later and even to add new foods on OWL.

My opinion is that you should go by the book and count net carbs.

You can use a website like Fitday to track your food. It will count the total carbs and the fiber for you, and you only have to subtract them to figure out the net carbs.

[MomtoCarli]

Originally Posted by Georgiana

If you go with the initial carb count you will have to eliminate many veggies from the 'other' list. Although high in carbs, most of them are also high in fiber. Besides, it will make it difficult for you to find your CCLL later and even to add new foods on OWL.

My opinion is that you should go by the book and count net carbs.

You can use a website like Fitday to track your food. It will count the total carbs and the fiber for you, and you only have to subtract them to figure out the net carbs.

Here is my yesterday:

16.8 carbs and 3.8 fiber... equals 13 carbs? I guess I am still a little confused by initial carb count/net carbs. What is the difference? And why would I have to eliminate many veggies from the "other" list?

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by MomtoCarli

Here is my yesterday:

16.8 carbs and 3.8 fiber... equals 13 carbs? I guess I am still a little confused by initial carb count/net carbs. What is the difference? And why would I have to eliminate many veggies from the "other" list?

Exactly, that makes 13 carbs. A body cannot digest fiber, so it does not affect your metabolism. Basically it will only improve your digestion so that you don't become 'stuck'.

Because if you count total carbs, you might go above your carb allowance by eating 2 cups of salad veggies and 1 cup of other veggies. For example, you have a cup of X, a cup of Y, and a cup of Z. Z is a veggie from the 'other' list.

CARBS IN X = 5 | FIBER IN X = 3
CARBS IN Y = 5 | FIBER IN Y = 2
CARBS IN Z = 12 | FIBER IN Z = 6

Your total carbs would be 22, so you went above 20. By the book however, your NET CARBS are only 11, so you are well under 20. Got it now?

[MomtoCarli]

Originally Posted by Georgiana

Exactly, that makes 13 carbs. A body cannot digest fiber, so it does not affect your metabolism. Basically it will only improve your digestion so that you don't become 'stuck'.

Because if you count total carbs, you might go above your carb allowance by eating 2 cups of salad veggies and 1 cup of other veggies. For example, you have a cup of X, a cup of Y, and a cup of Z. Z is a veggie from the 'other' list.

CARBS IN X = 5 | FIBER IN X = 3
CARBS IN Y = 5 | FIBER IN Y = 2
CARBS IN Z = 12 | FIBER IN Z = 6

Your total carbs would be 22, so you went above 20. By the book however, your NET CARBS are only 11, so you are well under 20. Got it now?

So I can eat a little "more" if I count net carbs, and eat the veggies with a higher fiber? The other list is the one that includes veggies high in fiber?

[Georgiana]

Oh, you have a signature. Nice.

Yes, counting net carbs will allow you to eat more veggies. And you are right, that is the 'other' list I am talking about.

Besides allowing you to eat more veggies, there's the other side of it. Induction lasts for 2 weeks. After this time, you will have to introduce new foods and find your CCLL, i.e. the maximum number of NET carbs you can eat and still lose weight. Let's say one day you have some avocado and flax meal, and these raise your total carb count to 45, although 20 of these are fiber, which would give you 25 net carbs. In some other day, you have 1 cup of milk and no high carbs/fiber foods, and your total carb count is 35, but only 5 g of these are fiber, so you'd have 30 net carbs. In the day when you had avocado, you'd lose weight. In the day with milk, you'd not. Now if you want to find your CCLL, this would be confusing because you are counting total carbs - how can you lose weight with 45 carbs and not with 30? BUT, in reality, you have only eaten 25 carbs in the day when you lost weight, and had 5 carbs more in the day when you didn't.

[MomtoCarli]

Originally Posted by Georgiana

Oh, you have a signature. Nice.

Yes, counting net carbs will allow you to eat more veggies. And you are right, that is the 'other' list I am talking about.

Besides allowing you to eat more veggies, there's the other side of it. Induction lasts for 2 weeks. After this time, you will have to introduce new foods and find your CCLL, i.e. the maximum number of NET carbs you can eat and still lose weight. Let's say one day you have some avocado and flax meal, and these raise your total carb count to 45, although 20 of these are fiber, which would give you 25 net carbs. In some other day, you have 1 cup of milk and no high carbs/fiber foods, and your total carb count is 35, but only 5 g of these are fiber, so you'd have 30 net carbs. In the day when you had avocado, you'd lose weight. In the day with milk, you'd not. Now if you want to find your CCLL, this would be confusing because you are counting total carbs - how can you lose weight with 45 carbs and not with 30? BUT, in reality, you have only eaten 25 carbs in the day when you lost weight, and had 5 carbs more in the day when you didn't.

Ah - that makes sense now. Examples definitely help! Thank you =)

[Georgiana]

You're welcome!