Non-digestable, complex and simple carbs differences.

[Yorksman]

Just trying to get my head around non digestable carbs. My understanding is that digestable carbs are either complex, as in flour or simple, as in sugar. These are often given as total carbs yyy of which xxx is sugar on the product labels.

However, some products which are said to be zero carb still have total carbs zzz on the label. Are these the category referred to as non digestable carbs, ie the type that pass through the body and which are not converted into glucose?

 

[carb-counting-mum]

I'm new to all of this (daughter diagnosed a month ago) but from what I understand it's non-digestible fibre? In the UK this is apparently already taken off the carbs content, confusingly in the USA they include this in the total carb content (so you would have to subtract the fibre content to get the net carb content). I THINK this is what you are on about? Like I said, I'm new to all this so don't take my word for it, hopefully an expert will come along soon!

 

[phoenix]

Basically you are right about simple and complex ie mono and Polysaccharides.
As far as I can see you are right that 'non digestible' carbs are fibre. These are carbohydrates and may pass through or ferment in the gut .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber

As you may probably have discovered there are also firms that claim to contain things like protected carbs that apparently don't count.
You might want to read about this example:
http://www.meandmydiabetes.com/2012/10/ ... ranscript/