Welcome back to math class 😆. I know it may have been awhile since you used some of these fun calculations, but as my 7th grade math teacher, Mrs. Dance, always said, you’ll use what I teach and think of me. Well, Mrs. Dance, it’s time to do just that and “dance” a little while we reminisce on some equations.
When you look at a nutritional label, fiber and sugar are grouped together and found near the middle of the label and under the bolder category, “Carbohydrates.” Fiber comes first and some labels will break out both soluble and insoluble fiber. Sugar is found below fiber and some labels may also state sugar alcohols.
Fiber has many different definitions worldwide. In the USA, the FDA states that dietary fiber which can be declared on a Nutrition and Supplements Facts Label to be ‘relevant part, as "non-digestible soluble and insoluble carbohydrates (with 3 or more monomeric units), and lignin that are intrinsic (naturally occurring) and intact (not removed from food) in plants; isolated or synthetic non-digestible carbohydrates (with 3 or more monomeric units) determined by FDA to have physiological effects that are beneficial to human health." The effects that are beneficial are as stated “lowering blood glucose and cholesterol levels, reduced calorie intake, and increasing the frequency of bowel movements” (1).
So…What does that mean? Basically there are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble fiber aka a type of carbohydrate and from a naturally and intact plant (also made synthetically) to have beneficial effects which are lowering your blood sugar (glucose) and cholesterol levels, reducing calories consumed (due to the effect of eating fiber foods increasing your feeling of fullness), and increasing how often you have a bowel movement (poop). There are more effects and some countries even focus much more in depth on the benefits of fiber and types of fiber.
Carbohydrates are starch, fiber, and sugar.
For now, so we don’t go into the weeds, we’ll stay surface level and be focusing on carbohydrates, the two types of fiber, the three main benefits per the FDA, and how it relates to looking at a nutritional label including how sugar plays into the equation. This equation is going to be finding the net carbohydrate, but this number isn’t foolproof, as knowing more about fiber and sugar is going to help you decide if this food is worthy enough to be in your body.
“Carbohydrates” on a nutritional label are really broken out into three main parts: total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and sugar. Total carbohydrates relate to starch, fiber, and sugar. For those “counting carbs,” mathematically you can change this number depending on the amount of fiber and sugar the food possesses and thus you may see a better representation when you monitor your blood sugar levels, accurately administering your insulin, as well as timing your other meals and exercise routine. This equation refers to net carbs. We’ll go over this in a bit. First, let’s find out more about fiber and sugar.
Fiber is both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and creates a gel-like substance. This substance adds a little extra viscosity to your gut, which then decreases digestion because it takes longer to absorb the foods’ nutrients, thus decreasing a potential sugar and cholesterol surge into your bloodstream. Therefore, this effect can help diabetics and those with heart issues such as blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. in the fight for being healthier. This benefit of fiber is also how the FDA and other health organizations can say, through research, that fiber can help support decreasing cholesterol and stabilizing blood glucose levels.
Insoluble fiber is fiber that does not dissolve in water, but stays together and adds “bulk” in your GI tract. This helps add substance in your gastrointestinal tract and gives…extra pushing power to exit your body, possibly aiding in a clean bowel movement (but you also need water to help with this process so as to not cause pains and/or constipation).
How much fiber do you need each day?
There are recommended amounts of how much one should eat each day, and these numbers also vary depending on age, gender, activity level, and state (i.e. pregnant, breastfeeding, illness, etc.). If you want more information about this, check out this video on “How Much Fiber Should I Take Each Day.” It will help you know what your number may be and there are some great ideas to ease into your goal number. There is a fine balance to have enough of both insoluble and soluble fiber for comfortable and easy bowel movements, one to three times a day. Below is a general table showing some soluble and insoluble fiber. High fiber foods contain at least 2.5 grams (good source) and 5 grams (excellent source) per serving.
While it’s best to get fiber from naturally containing foods like fruits, vegetables, and complex starches, there are some other supplements you can add to smoothies, cookies, soups, hot cereals, etc. to help you reach your number. My favorite fiber supplement is from Essential Stacks, Friendly Prebiotics, as it’s free of the top allergens, made in the USA, and is third party tested. You can order it here and this is NOT an affiliated link. This is the fiber supplement my family, friends, and I use…because it’s worthy enough to be in my loved ones and my body. Also, if you use the promo code “richelle” you’ll receive 10% off your order (even if they are having a sale!). Again, it’s best to eat your fiber number from food, if you need help, reach out to me and I’d love to help you on your health journey.
Sugar…the other “carbohydrate.” This may be news to you, as it has been to many of my clients. All food breaks down into three categories, if it’s not protein or fat it’s carbohydrate and that is EXACTLY where sugar falls into. Sugar is a carbohydrate and there are SO MANY TYPES of sugar…I won’t go on a tangent here (that’s for another post). There are two types of sugar, naturally occurring sugars as those found in milk and fruit, and those added during processing such as in sodas, baked goods, and lattes. Sugar has calories (4 calories per gram of natural sugar) and is easily absorbed into the body. If you don’t use it, you store it, which can be exceptionally beneficial when needed. On a nutritional label under sugar, the product may contain sugar alcohols because these usually have about half the calories of regular sugar…but don’t fret, they are neither sugar nor alcohol. These also occur naturally in some fruits and vegetables, but unfortunately, most are man-made and added during processing. There are other types of sugars, and noncaloric sugar substitutes such as aspartame, sucralose, stevia, monk fruit, etc., but I’ll discuss that at a later time as they usually do not contribute to the calories nor carbohydrate load because usually the body cannot break them down. If there are any sugar alcohols, it should say on the label in both this section AND in the ingredients.
Calculating Net Carbs
Back to math class… x - y = z…
Net carbs calculation is assuming that your body is not going to be absorbing the fiber (yep both fibers in this calculation) and sugar alcohols, thus decreasing the total amount of carbohydrate number on the label. The fiber section above means that even though soluble fiber does dissolve into a gel, some of it possibly doesn’t absorb into the body to calculate a calorie or carbohydrate, therefore, we can include it in the calculation. This isn’t 100% accurate, so working with a skilled dietitian and experience with certain foods can better determine what works for you, especially if you are needed to accurately calculate an insulin dosage for example, and monitor your blood glucose levels closely!
Using the generic nutritional label at the beginning of this article, it states:
Using the equation above, by subtracting dietary fiber and the sugar alcohols in the nutritional label, you have a new total carbohydrate amount or "Net Carb, " which is 13 grams.
Again, some calculations can be different for you as some sugar alcohols may digest differently in your body. Erythritol is NOT at all digested by the body and you can fully subtract the number in this calculation, but other sugar alcohols may slightly be absorbed by your body and you may have a different ratio of fiber, so experts say to subtract half the number. That is why it’s best to monitor your blood glucose levels, work with your dietitian, and, per the American Diabetes Association recommends using "total grams of carbohydrate and closely monitoring your blood sugar when consuming foods high in fiber or sugar alcohol to determine how they affect your body.”
Whew…we had quite the dance didn’t we? Looking at a nutritional label is a LOT of work, requires knowledge, and can sometimes be confusing. I’ve even grabbed a food product thinking it was perfectly okay, then to only come home and look at it again with no distractions and guess what, it wasn’t! I returned it! Please be patient with yourself, this is a process and the start to your journey for healthy living. This section of the nutritional label is one I usually teach to diabetics and those counting carbohydrates. There isn’t a magical number, it’s for food that has a nutritional label. If your goal is more fiber, then look at the fiber section. Again, naturally occurring fiber is usually found in complex carbohydrates like whole grain foods, oats, bran, etc.; fruits, and vegetables. If you’re concerned about your sugar intake, go back to the portion article and see if you may be overindulging…or talk to a dietitian as to why you are concerned with how much sugar you are taking. There is no set guideline to reach a sugar amount, the less is usually best unless you are hypoglycemic. All sugar, just like all carbohydrates aren’t bad…more on that later.
In the meantime, this is just a start. Subtraction can be fun, and if you’re a parent, maybe have your kid(s) “help” calculate these problems. Happy counting!
References:
Bowes & Church’s Food Values, 18th edition
American Diabetes Association
American Dietetics Association
Food Insight
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