Ask Our Experts

This is a very good question and one that has come up in past by store guests. According to FDA regulations for the Nutrition Facts Panel, all carbs in products do not have to be listed separately. For fiber, it can be listed as one number, even though the product may contain soluble and insoluble fiber. I have on occasion seen these listed separately, even though it is not required. The other carbs are coming from starches such as amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is found in veggies, beans, breads, pasta and rice. Amylopectin is in other foods containing starch such as fruit. Amylopectin raises blood sugars more readily than amylase because it is broken down more quickly by enzymes in the digestive tract. Ideally, we should look for foods that have 3-5 grams fiber per serving, which indicates a good source of fiber.