Subtracting fiber

[momofone]

I just saw an interesting post in another thread that mentioned subtracting the fiber only if over 4g. I was told to subtract all fiber. Is this another YDMV or a "rule?"

[swellman]

Originally Posted by momofone

I just saw an interesting post in another thread that mentioned subtracting the fiber only if over 4g. I was told to subtract all fiber. Is this another YDMV or a "rule?"

If it's a rule then we've been breaking it forever. We subtract all fiber.

My only defense is that it is my understanding that dietary fiber can't be converted into glycogen and so it shouldn't have any effect. If there is an understood mechanism that describes how dietary fiber can be converted to glycogen then I would love to see it. I do not feel, however, that people could have very differing mechanisms as far as fiber is concerned.

So, in my opinion, unless there's a known mechanism I haven't heard about, the dietary fiber can't contribute to BG.

It might very well be that it normally makes very little difference if you do or don't unless you have a sensitive IC ratio.

$0.02

[Jacob'sDad]

Maybe the mechanism is that if fiber slows digestion then there's the potential for a higher percentage of the carbs to be absorbed. So in that way it could indirectly affect BG.

That being said, I still always subtract all the fiber. It's more habit than anything else.

[swellman]

Originally Posted by Jacob'sDad

Maybe the mechanism is that if fiber slows digestion then there's the potential for a higher percentage of the carbs to be absorbed. So in that way it could indirectly affect BG.

That being said, I still always subtract all the fiber. It's more habit than anything else.

Perhaps I should have been more clear in saying how that mechanism might affect individuals differently.

[Ali]

I do not disagree with any of the advice given but just a note that I have never subtracted any fiber and all that means is that over time my basal and bolus numbers reflect that fact. I tend to eat very much the same type of food day after day. Also i tend to not bother to bolus for vegies unless it is an obvious sugar like corn or cooked pumpkin or potatoes. I have considered accounting for fiber and then just readjusting all my working numbers just in case I might see better numbers, have just been too lazy to do it yet.ali

[Jordansmom]

We were taught to subtract half the fiber only if the fiber is over 5 grams. I remember reading an article at dx about this being the "new" official recommendation around 2008. It was a change in the previous position from subtracting all fiber.

From the ADA "If a food has 5 grams or more fiber in a serving, subtract half the fiber grams from the total grams of carbohydrate for a more accurate estimate of the carbohydrate content."

But there is a lot of controversy over this and different "experts" give conflicting advice.

[maciasfamily]

Originally Posted by Jordansmom

We were taught to subtract half the fiber only if the fiber is over 5 grams. I remember reading an article at dx about this being the "new" official recommendation around 2008. It was a change in the previous position from subtracting all fiber.

From the ADA "If a food has 5 grams or more fiber in a serving, subtract half the fiber grams from the total grams of carbohydrate for a more accurate estimate of the carbohydrate content."

But there is a lot of controversy over this and different "experts" give conflicting advice.

We were told the same thing. To be honest though, I rarely pay attn to the fiber because most of what he eats isn't high on fiber.

[momofone]

Very interesting.... the plot thickens

[danismom79]

Originally Posted by Jordansmom

We were taught to subtract half the fiber only if the fiber is over 5 grams. I remember reading an article at dx about this being the "new" official recommendation around 2008. It was a change in the previous position from subtracting all fiber.

From the ADA "If a food has 5 grams or more fiber in a serving, subtract half the fiber grams from the total grams of carbohydrate for a more accurate estimate of the carbohydrate content."

But there is a lot of controversy over this and different "experts" give conflicting advice.

That's what we were told as well (same for sugar alcohols).

I don't subtract fiber from most foods. However, I don't even count veggies, except starches, so in a roundabout way I guess I do consider the fiber there.

[MomofSweetOne]

We weren't taught to subtract fiber at all. After we took the Type1University classes, I asked our endo about it. She said they don't teach it because the amount of information at diagnosis is overwhelming already and that for the typical American diet, there isn't that much fiber. She told me that if we did start, we would see even better control that we had. I took the plunge, adjusted the bolus ratios, and she was right.