| Net carbs are the carbohydrates that can be | | | | However, fibre does get in the way with the |
| digested and processed by the body as dietary | | | | absorption of some nutrients. For example, up to 5% |
| carbohydrate. Therefore, they directly impact blood | | | | of the fat in a moderately high fibre diet is not |
| sugar. You can determine how many net carbs you | | | | absorbed because of this interference. This may |
| are eating by subtracting the grams of fibre, | | | | even be a good thing in Australia, given that 63% of |
| glycerine, and sugar alcohols from the total grams of | | | | men and 47% of women were overweight in 1995, |
| carbohydrate. Net carbs are the only carbs that you | | | | with no sign that these levels of overweight and |
| need to count when you are on low-carb diets, such | | | | obesity will decrease. High fibre foods also interfere |
| as the Atkins diet. | | | | to some extent with the absorption of some |
| It is important to understand why fibre does not | | | | essential minerals and trace elements, but a high fibre |
| count as a regular carbohydrate. Fibre substance | | | | diet is also probable to provide you with extra |
| does not break down into sugar, so it does not play | | | | minerals and trace elements, so the effect is not |
| a part in the overall sugar load of the carbohydrate. | | | | believed to be very significant for normal Western |
| If a slice of bread has 27 total carbohydrate grams | | | | diets. |
| and 3 grams of fibre you have a net carbohydrate | | | | Despite these minor detrimental effects, a high fibre |
| content of 24 grams (27 g - 3 grams = 24 grams). | | | | intake is understood to be considerably advantageous |
| This explains why some high fibre foods will have a | | | | on the whole. Low intake of fibre, particularly of the |
| more favourable impact on the blood sugar and insulin | | | | insoluble forms of fibre such as those in bread and |
| levels. | | | | other wheat products, is one of the major causes of |
| Only plant foods contain dietary fibre. Fibre has a | | | | constipation. Low fibre intakes are also strongly |
| number of effects on digestion, some beneficial, and | | | | associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis. |
| some more harmful. One positive effect is that fibre | | | | Although the evidence is less compelling, lack of fibre |
| is likely to decelerate the rate of digestion of food. | | | | in the diet may also contribute to the incidence of |
| This leads to a more gradual emptying of the food | | | | rectal cancer, haemorrhoids, obesity, appendicitis and |
| from the stomach into the small intestine. This means | | | | ulcerative colitis. High intake of soluble fibres such as |
| that there is less possibility of large quantities of | | | | the pectin and gums, found in fruits, vegetables, |
| glucose being absorbed quickly from the small | | | | rolled oats, and saponins, found in legumes, is |
| intestine into the blood, and therefore a lower chance | | | | associated with reduced blood cholesterol. High intake |
| of an insulin surge. Insulin is the hormone that is | | | | of foods of plant origin, all of which contain some |
| released when glucose is absorbed from the small | | | | fibre, is linked with a reduced threat of heart disease, |
| intestine. It is possible that by slowing stomach | | | | cancer, and an improved life expectancy. |
| emptying, fibre helps avoid the situation where the | | | | Another benefit, and one that may help with weight |
| body has to produce large quantities of insulin, as a | | | | control, is the sensation of satiety, that is, a feeling |
| result of repeated rapid release of glucose into the | | | | of fullness, which follows a meal plentiful in fibre. It is |
| intestine. In turn this may help protect against | | | | also true that high fibre foods are almost always low |
| diabetes in susceptible people. | | | | in fat, so a high-fibre diet will usually be a low-fat diet. |