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Do I Subtract Fiber from Carbohydrates?
Q: In the past, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommended that when a serving of food has 5 or more grams of fiber, people should subtract that number from the total grams of carbohydrates, because fiber is not broken down into glucose.
I don't see this mentioned anymore, even in resources that incorporate high-fiber foods into diabetes diets. Now, more information discusses the glycemic index of high-fiber foods instead. Are people supposed to count and cover with insulin all of the carbohydrates in a serving of black beans, 23 grams, or subtract the 15 grams of fiber, and say it is 8 grams carbs?
Karen Lavine, RN, CDE
Albuquerque, New Mexico
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A: You are correct and the example is a good one. The ADA recommendations on adjusting carbohydrate calculation for high-fiber foods remain the same. Foods high in fiber are a healthy addition to a meal plan. Since fiber is not completely digested and absorbed, a high-fiber meal would not provide as much available carbohydrate as a low-fiber meal of similar total carbohydrate content.
A high-fiber food is one that contains 5 or more grams of dietary fiber per serving. When there are 5 or more grams of fiber per serving, subtract them from the total grams of carbohydrate to determine how much carbohydrate is available.
For example, a breakfast cereal containing 28 grams of total carbohydrate and 6 grams of dietary fiber can be counted as 22 grams [28 - 6 = 22] of available carbohydrate.
Anne Daly, MS, RD, CDE
Vice President, Health Care and Education
American Diabetes Association
Springfield, Illinois
Categories: Diabetes, Food, Insulin, Nutrition Advice
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Nov 1, 1999
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Diabetes Health
Diabetes Health is the essential resource for people living with diabetes- both newly diagnosed and experienced as well as the professionals who care for them. We provide balanced expert news and information on living healthfully with diabetes. Each issue includes cutting-edge editorial coverage of new products, research, treatment options, and meaningful lifestyle issues.
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Topics
- Diabetic / Diabetes Health
- Type 1 / 1.5 Diabetes
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Blood Glucose / Sugar
- High/Low Blood Sugar / Fast Acting Glucose
- Insulin- Pumps, Pens & Syringes
- Continuous Glucose Monitors, CGM, Infusion Sets
- Type 2 Medications
- Hyperglycemia
- Hypoglycemia
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