Question about fiber

[Ironpants]

Have been wondering since fiber is not digested and passes through the body do the calories from fiber count? If you are eating a lot of fiber rich foods that are at least 30-50% fiber like dark vegetables and beans does that mean half the calories from those foods don't even count? I know fiber is a carb which means its 4 calories per gram. Does the 4 calories from that gram get added to total calories ingested? I've been eating allot of fiber rich legumes (black beans, lentils, broccoli, ect) for my meals for the past week and I've easily been eating at maintenance calories yet I feel "starved" even though I feel full from all of that fiber. So have I been unknowingly "under eating"? because the fiber doesn't count? I know this sounds dumb but I wasn't sure about this one.

 

[JSN]

do you mean do they count it on the nutrition facts? they definitely do. i just looked at a jar in the fridge and they had added those calories to the calorie total. i would guess that most recommended calorie totals for a diet take into account a balanced diet though.

 

[shmoctagon]

yes fiber definitely counts, but yes you should also eat many non-fiber-rich foods as well! don't wanna be pooping too often

 

[CeleresVerraden]

i think it depends on the kind of fiber, soluble or insoluble.

looking at a bag of flax seed with 100 calories, 8 fat and 6 protein = 96 cals, 7 carbs, 6 of which fiber so one net carb, another 4 cals, so 100. i imagine flax has insoluble since it doesn't dissolve into water even after i grind them up.

but looking at a bag of xanthan gum from the same company, 7 carbs, all fiber, 30 calories, most assuredly soluble fiber.

i could be wrong, but this is my speculation on the matter