Carbs, Fiber and Nutritional Labels
"Despite the difference in sweeteners and the varying calorie counts on the boxes, the cereals are basically the same nutritionally. They each have pretty much the same amounts of fat, carbs, protein, etc. The real difference lies in each country's labeling guidelines regarding FIBER. Because calories from insoluble fiber are not considered digestible (in other words, they don't matter), there's no requirement in the U.S. for food companies to include those calories in the total listed on nutritional labels. In Canada, the rules are different -- companies ARE required to factor in those calories from fiber. The calorie count on any nutrition label is more or less the sum of three things -- calories from fat (9 per gram), calories from carbs (4 per gram), and calories from protei n (4 per gram). Here's where the fiber issue comes in. Fiber is actually a carb, so the calories from carbs INCLUDE calories from fiber. Since U.S. labels don't count those, the fiber grams get subtracted from the total carbs when calculating the calories. That's why the F1 (original) labels in the U.S. say 60 calories per serving while the ones in Canada say 100. Bottom Line! Your 100-calorie cereal is digested the same exact way as the 60-calorie version. It's just the numbers on the box that are different. If you have trouble grasping the whole concept behind this (it IS pretty confusing!), share this email with a few friends... then see if you guys can make sense of it together. And if you have any more Qs, ask away!"
"Oh sweet and sour Jesus, that is GOOD!" - Stephen Colbert Lap RNY 7/07-- Lap Gallbladder 5/08--
Emergency Bowel Repair 6/08 -Dr. Meilahn, Temple U. Upper and Lower Bleph/Lower Face Lift 12/08
Fraxel Repair 2/09-- Lower Bleph Re-Do 5/09 -Dr. Pontell, Media PA Mastopexy/Massive
Brachioplasty/ Extended Abdominoplasty (plus Mons Lift and Upper Leg lift) / Hernia Repair
6/24/09 ---Butt Lift and Lateral Thighplasty Scheduled 7/6/10 - Dr. Ivor Kaplan VA Beach
Total Cost: $33,500 Start wt: 368 RNY wt: 300 Goal wt: 150 Current wt: 148.2 BMI: 24.7
"Oh sweet and sour Jesus, that is GOOD!" - Stephen Colbert Lap RNY 7/07-- Lap Gallbladder 5/08--
Emergency Bowel Repair 6/08 -Dr. Meilahn, Temple U. Upper and Lower Bleph/Lower Face Lift 12/08
Fraxel Repair 2/09-- Lower Bleph Re-Do 5/09 -Dr. Pontell, Media PA Mastopexy/Massive
Brachioplasty/ Extended Abdominoplasty (plus Mons Lift and Upper Leg lift) / Hernia Repair
6/24/09 ---Butt Lift and Lateral Thighplasty Scheduled 7/6/10 - Dr. Ivor Kaplan VA Beach
Total Cost: $33,500 Start wt: 368 RNY wt: 300 Goal wt: 150 Current wt: 148.2 BMI: 24.7
