School of Thought

When talking to my dietitian about fiber, i become slightly confused.
 
"Always subtract the amount of fiber on the label from the amount of carbs.  Unless it is less than 5grams.  Then don't worry about it.  But you can also subtract the sugar alcohols."

Uh huh, sure.

So i decided to go online and see what i could find out about this whole "fiber" thing.

Here is what i learned:

~~Because dietary fiber does not contribute to elevating blood sugar levels, nor does it provide energy, it can be safely subtracted from the total carb count provided on the label.

~~Only the sugar and starches are available to be converted to glucose to be used by the body for energy.

~~Fiber does, however, help eliminate fat and cholesterol from the body.

~~Using available, or "net carbs" to track your carb intake, allows you to better understand the impact those carbs have on your blood sugar levels.

So that being said, why then, do I sometimes subtract the fiber, and other times not?  Is that why sometimes when I eat something, say my favourite bagel, I get different results?  Do I sometimes subtract and other times not?  Likely.  Would it not make much more sense to just do one thing and stick to it every time?

After more searching and reading, there does not seem to be just one school of thought.  it seems that there are plenty of schools, each preaching teaching something different.

Here's my thought.  I think that I will subtract the fiber, all of it.  Not just when it's over 5 but always.  I will do this for a week.  I will write down what i eat and the total carbs minus the fiber.  I will keep track of my blood sugars.  Then, after 1 week, I will do the exact same thing, but I will NOT subtract the fiber.  I will do this for 1 week, and at the end of that I will compare things.  I will note each time i have a low, or my sugars are high. 

Keeping in mind that I will not likely be eating the exact same things each day for 2 weeks, this is not a "true scientific experiment".  But for me, it will be close enough. 

In the meantime, let me know, if you will, whether or not you subtract the fiber from your carb count.  I'd be interested to know how many of you do or don't.

Thanks for your input.  I'll post the results in 2 weeks!