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  #1   ^
Old Thu, Feb-20-03, 08:02
LittleAnne's Avatar
LittleAnne LittleAnne is offline
Posts: 11,264
 
Plan: Atkins & Schwarzbein
Stats: 234/157/90 Female 4' 6"
BF:56.4%/38.8%/23.9%
Progress: 53%
Location: Orpington, UK
Lightbulb Carb and Fibre Counting in the UK

When starting out on the low carb way of life there is a lot of confusion about carbohyrdrate levels and how to measure them. I hope that the following information will help clarify the issues for those living in the UK.

Carbohydrates in Labelled Food

Food regulations in the UK mean that all manufactured foods are labelled with their contents, calories and the breakdown of these into protein, carbohydrate, and fat, usually per 100g.

Some labels give the amount of carbohydrate that comes from sugar whilst others break the fat down into saturated, mono-saturated and polysaturated. Labels may also contain a value for fibre and sodium.

A typical label looks like this:
Nutrition Information
Typical Values per 100g
Energy - kcal
Protein -
Carbohydrate -
.......of which sugars
Fat -
.......... of which saturates
.................monosaturates
.................polyunsaturates
Fibre -
Sodium -

The amount of carbohydrate given on the label is the effective carbohydrate content (ECC) of the food per 100g. The fibre value on the label is not connected to the carbohydrate value and therefore, unlike in the US, should not be deducted from the carbohydrate value. What you see on the label for carbohydrate is what you get.

Carbohydrates in Fresh Produce

Many fresh vegetables and fruit are not labelled and so information on their carbohydrate content is not readily available. I have found that the best source of this information is the supermarket online shopping websites. You do need to register, but you can find the information without having to order food. Links are given for:
Sainsbury's
Tesco

Again, the carbohydrate value given is the ECC, so do not deduct the fibre value.

Fitday and Using it to Keep Track of Your Carbs and Calories

Fitday is a very useful tool for keeping track of all the food you eat each day. It gives you a breakdown of the calories, carbs, fat, and protein you eat. You can also track your weight changes and how much additional exercise you do. It is a US site and therefore the food imbedded in the software is in ounces or cups.

When the software calculates your daily carbohydrate intake it gives you a total figure and then a figure for fibre. To get the ECC you do need to subtract the fibre grams from the carbohydrate grams. In the calculation of % carbs this is done automatically by the software.

Customising Fitday with UK Food Items

Fitday allows you to add your own items of food into its data banks. When you click on New Custom Food! you will be given a table to fill in. Make sure you get the food name and quantity size right as these can not be edited later.

Fill in the values for 100 g as given on the food labels, with the exception of the fibre value. Do not put the fibre value in the fibre slot as this has already been removed from the carbohydrate value you are entering.

If you are cooking a recipe then you can use Fitday to add up all your ingedients and then add the total values into a new custom food.

There is some general advice on using Fitday in this thread in the newbies' questions forum.

I hope this covers everything. If you have any questions, or think I have missed something then let me know so that I can update this post.
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  #2   ^
Old Tue, Aug-05-03, 14:26
Capester Capester is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 269/260/189 Male 5'11"
BF:
Progress:
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Hi Little Anne

This is dead useful - thanks.

Just one thing - can I count the carbs which sugar, or (as I have been doing) count the main carb level quoted?
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  #3   ^
Old Thu, Aug-07-03, 01:12
LittleAnne's Avatar
LittleAnne LittleAnne is offline
Posts: 11,264
 
Plan: Atkins & Schwarzbein
Stats: 234/157/90 Female 4' 6"
BF:56.4%/38.8%/23.9%
Progress: 53%
Location: Orpington, UK
Default

Hi Capester

Keep on doing what you have been doing, count the main carb figure. It does not matter whether it comes from sugar of starch they are all carbs.
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  #4   ^
Old Thu, Aug-14-03, 12:00
jaqui's Avatar
jaqui jaqui is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 190
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 198/182/147 Female 5ft 5in
BF:
Progress: 31%
Location: Lichfield, England
Default

thanks littleanne, im new to all this low carb dieting so any advice like this is precious.

thanks again
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  #5   ^
Old Fri, Nov-28-03, 15:16
Lyn_Perth's Avatar
Lyn_Perth Lyn_Perth is offline
New Member
Posts: 5
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 202/202/140 Female 5ft 2
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Perth, Scotland
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Hullo, I've just recently come back online and joined here as I notice theres a UK board for LC. I intend to go back to LC as soon as I have had my baby (I'm now 2 days overdue arf) anyways....

well I was wondering where you got that info about the effective carb count already being worked out for you on the tin in the UK because I never knew this when I was low carbing last year and worked it all out as the americans do.

Of course last year I didnt find this place and for some reason found it difficult finding good UK support, please explain why it is that the carb and fibre labeling is different over here cos thats a bit of a pain!!
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  #6   ^
Old Sat, Nov-29-03, 02:25
LittleAnne's Avatar
LittleAnne LittleAnne is offline
Posts: 11,264
 
Plan: Atkins & Schwarzbein
Stats: 234/157/90 Female 4' 6"
BF:56.4%/38.8%/23.9%
Progress: 53%
Location: Orpington, UK
Default

Hi Lyn

All the best for the arrival of your child.

With regard to labelling of foods in the UK the requirements set by the Government food regulators are different in each country. In the UK there is a much stricter food labelling requirement and fibre is measured, but is kept totally seperate as it is not part of the nutrition element that can be absorbed into the blood stream. In the US labelling is less well controlled and some do subtract the fibre and put it on the label, but most don't. As each country devises their own sytems there is always a difference - why do we have 3 pin plugs whilst Europe have 2 pin? It all history.
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  #7   ^
Old Sat, Nov-29-03, 09:34
Lyn_Perth's Avatar
Lyn_Perth Lyn_Perth is offline
New Member
Posts: 5
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 202/202/140 Female 5ft 2
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Perth, Scotland
Default

I never knew about this its not mentioned on the Atkins page is it?

Just wondered where you found out is all cos I was taking the fibre away when it had already been taken away Arf!
Oh well I know now
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  #8   ^
Old Mon, Jan-05-04, 20:46
redbull's Avatar
redbull redbull is offline
New Member
Posts: 22
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 150/133/112 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 45%
Location: London SW
Default Impact carbs

I also noted a lot of health food shops seem to be stocking stuff from the USA which says "blah-di-blah amount of Impact Carbs".

Impact Carbs are the carbs that effect the blood sugar level. So I'm assuming it's the Impact Carbs we should be counting and the other carbs can be safely discounted.....?
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  #9   ^
Old Wed, Feb-04-04, 16:06
atkins_not atkins_not is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 139
 
Plan: atkins and low carb in ge
Stats: 175/153/145 Male 162
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: nottingham
Default

LittleAnne im new and i need some help, for some reason i cant PM you...oh well please reply because im going to ask here


im 16, 5'4"...i weighed 12 and a half stones but now im 10 and a half, i lost ALOT but i have some problems because i still look the same....can the reason be that i havnt matured yet?
and finally i was interested about dont diduct the fibre, i was shocked but i will....what about advantage bars or even them carbolite i been hearing about that contains 2net carbs or 1.6? thanks
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  #10   ^
Old Thu, Feb-05-04, 02:10
LittleAnne's Avatar
LittleAnne LittleAnne is offline
Posts: 11,264
 
Plan: Atkins & Schwarzbein
Stats: 234/157/90 Female 4' 6"
BF:56.4%/38.8%/23.9%
Progress: 53%
Location: Orpington, UK
Default

Hi Atkins_not

Congratulations on losing 2.5 stone. I know that for me the first 2 stone that I lost did not really show either as I had a lot more to lose. However, I could do a lot more already.

I would say to you to get yourself an exercise plan to tone up those muscles. They will make you look a lot better. If you still have to develop then that will come in time.

Make sure you are eating lots of vegetables as well as the protein and fat as at your age you are still growing and needs lots of vitamins and minerals.

Although you should never starve yourself you could probably set your goal weight at around 130 - 135 pounds. It will be those last few pounds that will make all the difference.

Have a look at my photos under my signature fairy. I was surprised at how much my body changed inbetween the last two photos as I had only lost 7 pound.

By the way, you will not be able to PM until you have made 25 posts here.

Every success and sometimes we see our bodies very differently to other people. You are doing great.

Any product made and sold in the UK you do not deduct the fibre. With Atkins and Carbolite bars you take the net carbs value they give on the pack. This is the figure after fibre has been deducted.
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  #11   ^
Old Thu, Feb-05-04, 08:07
atkins_not atkins_not is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 139
 
Plan: atkins and low carb in ge
Stats: 175/153/145 Male 162
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: nottingham
Default

oh my gosh......you look great expecially your last 2 photo's wow 7 pounds do make a difference...from now on i wont deduct fibre anymore but what about "polyons"? because i had carbolite and it said 0.2g [inc deducted fibre, but it would be 1.8g if i leave the fibre] i was happy i had some chocolate in me because i miss them soooooooooooooooooo much but i got another thing to be happy about. im now 145 pounds, and according to my BMI http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/hea...weight/bmi_calc i am 24.9 and says OK - ideal weight range, try to maintain but im going to go as far as i can within the next month then i will start adding more carbs into my diet, i had one more question Anne if its ok? on your piccies it says August 2001 - December 2003...did you stay on atkins? if so what was your carb limit around december 2003? because although i lost 2 and a half stones i try and stay under 25g
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  #12   ^
Old Thu, Feb-05-04, 13:27
LittleAnne's Avatar
LittleAnne LittleAnne is offline
Posts: 11,264
 
Plan: Atkins & Schwarzbein
Stats: 234/157/90 Female 4' 6"
BF:56.4%/38.8%/23.9%
Progress: 53%
Location: Orpington, UK
Default

Since I started in Aug 2001 I have always been 'on Atkins'.. I must admit for around 9 months I did stay around 20 g, but then realised I lost quicker at around 30 g. I am still losing and now eat up to 50 g carbs a day. The level of carbs you eat very much depends on your own body. As you are only 16 I suspect that your body would like more carbs as you should be using up more energy in growing and everything else. So I would go to between 30 to 40 a day which you may find more satisfying. I do this by adding limited fruit into my menus. Check out my journal for my menus.

So your BMI is around 24.9. I think that that is still high for a male and would normally be under 20. This is a reasonable level for a women who needs extra body fat for child production!

With regard to polyols you can deduct these from the total carb level. You might want to know that Thorntons do a range of diabetic chocolate, as do Boots and some other shops which have reasonable carb levels. Becareful with these not to eat to much in one go and some people find they also act like a laxative.

You should not set a time limit to how long it will take you to lose weight. One of the things that this way of life teaches you are good food choices for life. I know that as soon as I go back to eating bread, sweets, cakes, etc without monitoring the no of carbs I will be eating and keeping them at a reasonable level I will put on weight. That does not mean you need to deny yourself, but need to think about controlling your eating habits when it comes to carb rich food.
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  #13   ^
Old Thu, Feb-05-04, 14:06
atkins_not atkins_not is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 139
 
Plan: atkins and low carb in ge
Stats: 175/153/145 Male 162
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: nottingham
Default

for some reason i weighed myself and i went up by 3 pounds in less than 12 hours, i know i shouldnt but i know that i will burn them off overnight but now i think i should increase the carb ammount by 5g every week untill 40g.......

P.S im not on ketosis anymore, for almost a week i been struggling to get back on it but yet i been losing around 1 or less pound a week, should i get back into ketosis or shall i stop bothering testing them?
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  #14   ^
Old Fri, Feb-06-04, 02:15
LittleAnne's Avatar
LittleAnne LittleAnne is offline
Posts: 11,264
 
Plan: Atkins & Schwarzbein
Stats: 234/157/90 Female 4' 6"
BF:56.4%/38.8%/23.9%
Progress: 53%
Location: Orpington, UK
Default

Stop worrying about ketosis. You can not always see it on the strips. You are doing brilliantly and that is what counts. A weight loss of around a pound a week is very acceptable and good for your health.

Your body changes weight over the period of the day as you eat and drink. Never compare measurements taken at different times of day. Stick to early morning after going to the lou, if possible. It is the same as expecting yourself to weight the same in the nude as fully clothed!

Good luck.
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  #15   ^
Old Fri, Feb-06-04, 10:33
atkins_not atkins_not is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 139
 
Plan: atkins and low carb in ge
Stats: 175/153/145 Male 162
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: nottingham
Default

thanks Anne

Last edited by atkins_not : Fri, Feb-06-04 at 12:53.
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