Does fiber prevent carb absorption?

The fact that fiber isn't absorbed provides a net benefit for you and your digestive system. Fiber slows down the rate you process a meal at, preventing postmeal spikes in blood sugar by slowing the absorption of simpler carbohydrates.

healthyeating.sfgate.com - Why Do You Subtract the Dietary Fiber From the Carb Count?

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If you’re watching your carbohydrate intake, it's the net carbohydrate, not total carbohydrate, that has the potential to increase your blood sugar and be utilized by your body. Since your body doesn't digest and metabolize fiber like other carbohydrates, you can subtract the grams of fiber lumped into the overall carbohydrate count on food labels. That means a higher-carbohydrate food that's chock-full of fiber might not be a bad choice. In fact, fiber helps slow down the absorption of the simple sugars you're trying to avoid.

Total vs. Net

Fiber is just what it sounds like -- fibrous, rough and strong. For this reason, digestive enzymes can't easily break it into simpler carbohydrates. This makes fiber difficult to absorb and digest. Your body passes what it can’t digest through the gastrointestinal system, adding bulk without calories. Because fiber doesn't absorb like other carbohydrates, don't count it in your overall intake of carbohydrate. Simply put, what doesn’t absorb doesn’t count. For this reason, many people pay closer attention to their food’s net carbohydrate -- the food’s total grams of carbohydrate minus grams of fiber.

Fiber Labeling

It’s easy to determine the net carbohydrates in a packaged food, because the nutrition facts labels on packaged foods always display the food’s grams of dietary fiber as a subcategory of total carbohydrate. Some high-carbohydrate foods may have no fiber at all, while others are rich in fiber. By differentiating types of carbohydrate, food labels allow you to make informed decisions about the quality of carbohydrates in a food. In other words, a food serving that contains 10 grams of carbohydrate and 5 grams of fiber provides half its carbohydrates through fiber. Sugar -- a simple and less desirable form of carbohydrate -- also appears as a subcategory of total carbohydrate.

Recommended Fiber Intake Levels

Recommendations for fiber will vary according to your age, sex and possible medical concerns. Men between 19 and 50 strive for 38 grams per day, with recommendations falling to 30 grams a day after age 50. Most healthy women age 19 through 50 need 25 grams per day, or 21 grams after age 50. But no upper limit exists for fiber, according to Dietary Reference Intakes.

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Is there a difference between fiber and dietary fiber?

Fiber is a substance in plants. Dietary fiber is the kind you eat. It's a type of carbohydrate. You may also see it listed on a food label as soluble fiber or insoluble fiber.

medlineplus.gov - Dietary Fiber - MedlinePlus

Summary

Fiber is a substance in plants. Dietary fiber is the kind you eat. It's a type of carbohydrate. You may also see it listed on a food label as soluble fiber or insoluble fiber. Both types have important health benefits.

Good sources of dietary fiber include:

Whole grains

Nuts and seeds

Fruit and vegetables

Dietary fiber adds bulk to your diet and makes you feel full faster, helping you control your weight. It helps digestion and helps prevent constipation. Most Americans don't eat enough dietary fiber. But add it to your diet slowly. Increasing dietary fiber too quickly can lead to gas, bloating, and cramps.