Does Fiber have Calories? Your Guide to Soluble and Insoluble Fiber!

You may have seen the phrase “net carbs” on a lot of labels lately. In fact, you probably know that we list net carbs on all of our flavored nuts and nut butters.

But why do we do this? Why does that little word, “net” make SUCH a difference

The answer, is fiber.

And that’s where things get interesting…

Fiber and Calories: What You Need to Know

Simply put, a fiber is any carbohydrate that your body cannot directly digest (and thus, create energy from). The word “directly” is key here, because as we’ll learn, some fibers do ultimately convert to calories. 

There are two classes of fibers, soluble fiber – which dissolves in water, and insoluble – which does not dissolve in water. 

If you only learn one thing, remember this:

Soluble fiber has calories. Insoluble fiber does not.

Now lets learn why.

It’s All About You(r Bacteria)

Don’t freak out, but you’re not really you. Your body is home to TRILLIONS of bacteria, each one with its own ambition and desires. 

Well, maybe not that last part. But consider this: bacteria outnumber your own human cells by 10 to 1. And they’re hungry.

Many of your bacteria LOVE to chow down on soluble fiber. This process creates short-chain fatty acids (SCFs) which your body can directly use as energy.

This is why soluble fiber has calories.

How much energy? Well, let’s do the numbers...

Most estimates put the number of calories you get from soluble fiber at 2 calories per gram. And we at Legendary make it a point to include these calories on all our nutrition labels. That way, you know exactly what you’re eating. 

Insoluble fibers are not metabolized by you or your bacteria, giving them a value of 0 calories per gram. These fibers pass through to your intestines and can aid in digestion.

And there you have it!

The comprehensive guide to fiber and calories.

If you have any questions about this or any other topic - hit reply or let us know in the comments below!

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