How Do You Calculate Kcal Of Fiber?
Dietary fiber consists of plant cell wall constituents that are indigestible by mammalian intestinal enzymes. Unlike digestible carbohydrates, which yield 4 kilocalories (kcal) per gram from aerobic glycolysis, fiber is processed differently and thus has a different caloric value. Fiber is fermented by the intestinal bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids. If 100 percent of the fiber is converted and absorbed as fatty acids, then it would theoretically provide 3 kcal per gram consumed. However, since this is not the case, final caloric yield is much lower. The currently accepted caloric value of fiber is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 kcal/g, or 2 kcal on average. Obtain the total number of grams of fiber contained within a given food. Only the fermentable forms fiber can be utilized by the intestinal bacteria. These are the soluble pectins, gums, mucilages and some hemicelluloses. Structural fibers are, for the most part, insoluble. These include cellulose, lignin and some hemicellulos
