I have always found carbohydrate counting tricky when a food that I eat has a lot of fiber. This is especially true when the fiber is from certain cereals and other grains. The American Diabetes Association states that you should subtract half of the grams of fiber from the total amount of carbs when preparing to take insulin. For example, if I eat a piece of bread that has 30 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of fiber, then I should give myself enough insulin to cover 25 grams of carbohydrate consumption:

30 grams of carbohydrate – ½(10 grams of fiber) = 25 grams of carbohydrate

In the past, many of my doctors told me that I should subtract all of the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbohydrates if there were more than 4 grams of carbohydrates in the food. In the bread example, I would instead take insulin to cover 20 grams of carbohydrates:

30 grams of carbohydrate – 10 grams of fiber (because it’s greater than 4) = 20 grams of carbohydrate

Recently, one of my endocrinologists told me that a person with diabetes should not subtract the fiber; instead, I should change the timing of my insulin. I have found, though, that the impact of fiber on my blood sugar is highly dependent on the type of fiber. For example, some high fiber cereals cause my blood sugar to rise more slowly. In contrast, many vegetables have very little impact on my blood sugar. What is the reason?

There are two basic types of fiber: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates into the blood. It also helps you feel full longer. Insoluble Fiber does not dissolve in water, and it helps move food through the intestines.

Though not medically confirmed, I think that soluble fiber generally does not reduce insulin needs, but it can change the timing and slow the absorption of the carbs. In contrast, I believe that insoluble fiber does not have the full impact of the carbs. For example, I usually find that green vegetables have much less impact on my blood sugar than the number of carbs would indicate.

In general, I find that diabetes is never easy to control with simple rules. Nevertheless, I think that the American Diabetes Association’s advice on provides a solid foundation from which to work. Only through personal experimentation can you fine tune further. Fruther information on diabetic diet can be obtained from Diabetes And Diabetic Diet Plan website