Should you count Fiber?

Yes, you absolutely should.

Many people think simply because we aren't able to digest fiber, there's no need to count it. This is true to a point, "we" do not digest fiber. However, the bacteria in our guts do.
And upon doing so the fiber is broken down into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and we absorb that for energy.

Studies shows fiber can be responsible for up to 10% of a daily energy needs. That is most definitely calories.

On a 3000 kcal diet, that's 300 calories. That's pretty much a 5 ounce sirloin steak extra in calories if you aren't counting.


Also, fiber is very beneficial to the overall health and make-up of gut bacteria. A positive change in gut bacteria has been shown to increase a variety of things.
Improved Glucose metabolism.
Increased fat breakdown and reduced fat storage.
Higher energy expenditure.
Lower Inflammation.
Better immune health.
Reduced appetite.

Effects of fiber and gut bacteria on health is still in a very "fresh" stage. And is currently undergoing more research.

Very interesting. I've been tracking my daily macro's in a Excel spreadsheet for well over 3 years now and I have always subtracted the insoluble fiber from the total carbohydrate count before entering it ... so going by what you have posted I have been ingesting more carbohydrates than I thought all these years? Or should I create a new column in the spreadsheet to track the insoluble fiber but assign it caloric value for the overall kCal count? I get what you are saying about the gut bacteria digesting the fiber so it would seem that it really isn't a carbohydrate by definition on the front end but does provide kCal / energy further down the line. Something to ponder. Thanks

Hmmmmm I never count leafy greens personally. That's pretty cool info though.

People would be shocked if they knew how much gut health cab effect all aspects of your daily function.

Very good info brother.

Montego1 said:

Hmmmmm I never count leafy greens personally. That's pretty cool info though.

People would be shocked if they knew how much gut health cab effect all aspects of your daily function.

Click to expand...

Exactly Monte. Gut health plays a MAJOR role in daily life. Where do you think some of the old sayings originated from .... "use your gut" "that gut feeling" "what does your gut tell you" Research has shown that gut health has a very strong effect on mental health. So much so in fact that many issues that big pharma is tossing SSRI's at can be remedied through improving gut health. Proper balance of gut bacteria makes every aspect of being human that much better. Sadly it always seems to be the last thing on anyones mind when it comes to health supplementation. A good balance of pro- and pre- biotics should be in everyones supplement staple list. Eating fermented foods is another excellent way to improve gut health. Kimchi, sauerkraut, etc.... Yogurt of course .... a little research is all it takes to get on the right path.