Carb counting - confused!

[-Artemis-]

OK - so really confused now.... I'm just getting the knack of carb counting (I thought) - I have a small electronic scales and its really helped....

So I guess I'm thinking about it a bit more - fine tuning my ratios etc if you will - and I'm also reading Think Like A Pancreas.... last night I read a bit that said "of course, don't count the dietary fire in food when calculating your dose. If it's listed, subtract it from the total carb amount"

- but I also happened to see my DSN this week 0 and because I was already thinking about how to fine tune carb counting - I asked her - do I just count all carbs as listed on the packet - and she said yes.

So now I'm really confused - do I count dietary fibre or not....??

ie - if something has 35g carbs, but 12 grams are dietary fibre - do I bolus for 35g or 23g....?

Help!

 

[Indy51]

In Australia (and I think the UK is the same), the dietary fibre is already deducted from the total carbs. Unlike the USA where the fibre is included. So, depending on where your food originates, you may or may not have to deduct fibre.

 

[-Artemis-]

In Australia (and I think the UK is the same), the dietary fibre is already deducted from the total carbs. Unlike the USA where the fibre is included. So, depending on where your food originates, you may or may not have to deduct fibre.

Ohhhhh..... I think he's American - so that makes more sense!!

*however* I'm still a bit confused - I'm walking round my kitchen looking at packets - and notice the dietary fibre of almonds is almost exactly the same as the carb content: ie if I did subtract the dietary fibre then the carb content would be zero - and almonds have NO impact on my blood sugars.... but is that just co-incidence and nothing to do with the dietary fibre...?

 

[Indy51]

Sorry, no idea and I don't have any packets of almonds in the house to check, though looking at the Australian Calorie King website, 100g of whole almonds has 4.8g of carbs (same amount is listed as sugars), fibre is 8.8g.

 

[CarbsRok]

Ohhhhh..... I think he's American - so that makes more sense!!

*however* I'm still a bit confused - I'm walking round my kitchen looking at packets - and notice the dietary fibre of almonds is almost exactly the same as the carb content: ie if I did subtract the dietary fibre then the carb content would be zero - and almonds have NO impact on my blood sugars.... but is that just co-incidence and nothing to do with the dietary fibre...?

You are making things complicated for yourself Ignore everything except the carb content. The UK food labels state total carbs and that is what you count.
Almonds as do all nuts have a lot of protein and fibre you will find if you eat a lot of them your blood sugar will take a hit about 4 hours after you ate them.

 

[moz1]

I do not count nuts and they have very little effect on bg levels, unless you eat excessive amounts! I use carbs and cals for carb counting and it is normally really accurate.

 

[noblehead]

Yes it's just the Total Carbs that you need to be concerned about Artemis.

 

[-Artemis-]

Thanks guys - my head was spinning earlier.... was in danger of looking like I was an extra in the exorcist - at least Halloween appropriate...!!