My doc said that fiber is a good thing for diabetics. I take 2 fiber
pills with my evening meds. Now I am hearing that fiber is carbs. Is
this correct? TIA

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 01:01:32 GMT, Ken Cochrane <usaken@pacbell.net>
wrote:

Yes on both counts IMO. Fibre is good and it is probably carbs. But I
doubt that the amount of carbs in a pill will have a significant effect.
I prefer to get my fibre via high-fibre foods, but then you do have to
look at the carbs closely because high fibre and high carb often go
together. Therefore, I am very careful about portion size, GI and
timing.

Easy way to find out if it's a problem - test an hour after taking it
with water, without any other food.

Cheers Alan, T2, Oz
dx May 2002, diet and not enough exercise.
--
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.

The actual fiber carb should not affect your blood sugar. Those of us on a
low carb diet are allowed to subtract the fiber carbs from the total as they
are not converted to blood glucose.

The only problem you might run into is that many fiber preparations contain
a lot of sugar too.
Some of the sugar free contain aspartame <yuk>.

Metamucil makes a no sugar no aspartame version but you can only find it in
some drug stores, not all. It comes in a green container. That's what I
take.

-- Jenny

Cut the carbs to respond to my new email address!
New photo: http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/jennypics.htm
Weight: 168.5/137
Diabetes Type II diagnosed 8/1998 -
HBa1c 5.2 10/03
Low Carb 9/1998 - 8/2001 and 11/10/02 - Now

http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean
How to calculate your need for protein * How much people really lose each
month * Water Weight Gain & Loss * The "Two Gram Cure" for Hunger Cravings
* Characteristics of Successful Dieters * Indispensible Low Carb Treats *
Should You Count that Low Impact Carb? * Curing Ketobreath * Exercise
Starting from Zero * Do Starch Blockers Work? * NEW! Why the Low Carb Diet
is Great for Diabetes * NEW! Low Carb Strategies for People with Diabetes


"Ken Cochrane" <usaken@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:Mhzub.6730$yZ7.56509630@newssvr21.news.prodig y.com...

In article <Mhzub.6730$yZ7.56509630@newssvr21.news.prodigy.co m>,
Ken Cochrane <usaken@pacbell.net> wrote:

Yes, fiber is carb, but it's the carb you subtract from the total carb
to get the effective carb.

Priscilla

"Ken Cochrane" <usaken@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:Mhzub.6730$yZ7.56509630@newssvr21.news.prodig y.com...
Correct, but when you figure your carbs, you deduct the grams of fiber from
the total grams of carbs to get the amount of carbs you are eating. The
fiber is not digested. Note that this only applies to those of us in the
USA. In other countries they've already done the math for you. It is also
better to get your fiber from natural sources like whole grains, vegetables
and dried beans. But if that's still not enough for you, then I guess the
pills wouldn't hurt.

--
Type 2
http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/

This post not CC'd by email
On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 01:01:32 GMT, Ken Cochrane <usaken@pacbell.net>
wrote:

G'day G'day Ken,

You didn't say whether you are a T1 or T2 diabetic.

T2 diabetics like to lower the rate at which carbohydrate appears in
the blood as glucose. Some types of fibre will control the blood
glucose spiking that occurs after meals. Some types of fibre will
have no effect at all. The type that helps T2 diabetics control blood
glucose levels after meals is called soluble fibre. Many people have
a mental picture of fibre as being like the hairy stuff on the outside
of coconut. Soluble fibre isn't a bit like that. Think of jelly.
Pectin that sets jams is a soluble fibre. Agar agar used in
vegetarian jellies is a soluble fibre. The okra used to thicken
chicken gumbo is like that. Some soluble fibre though doesn't
increase the viscosity or form gels. The fibre in carrots is an
example. The ones that do form gels are probably the ones referred to
by your doctor even though the other ones are also useful.

Although dietary fibre is technically a carb it isn't digested in time
for glucose to be absorbed. Think of fibre as free carbs. In the US,
T2 diabetics read the carbs then the fibre. Then they subtract the
fibre from the carbs to get the available carb.

On the US label
Carbs 12 g
Fiber 3 g

Mentally you work out 12 - 3 = 9
So available carb = 9 g

If you are traveling to Australia or New Zealand then it pays to
notice that our labels would be different.

On the Australian or New Zealand label
Carbs 9 g
Fibre 3 g
And it is all done. No addition or subtraction required.
Oh, and we spell fibre differently.

Yes it is correct. Fibre is a carb.
BUT it is NOT available for forming glucose.

If you need any further explanation please feel free to ask.

Best wishes,

--
Quentin Grady ^ ^ /
New Zealand, >#,#< [
/ \ /\
"... and the blind dog was leading."

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin