I just ran butternut squash through FitDay to see how it fits into my plan. It said zero grams of fiber. Can this be right? Other sources I've checked say 7 grams of fiber per half cup. Could someone who's using something besides FitDay run it through and see what kind of numbers you get? I *love* winter squash!

Aderyn

Per the USDA site, 1/2 cup of cubed raw butternut squash (will cook down to less, of course) has 8.2 gms of carbohydrate and 1.4 gms of fiber. That comes out to 6.8 (rounded, 7) gms of net carbs for the portion that results after being cooked.

HTH!

Maggie
5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160)/Maintaining nicely (110) ~~ Redhead until further notice!

Thanks, Maggie! I just *knew* that 0 grams of fiber couldn't be right for a vegetable that even LOOKS fibrous, ha ha! Much to my amazement, I found if I cook it without brown sugar or maple syrup, it still tastes great!

Aderyn

I checked the DietPower database for buttnernut squash and it also said 0 g. fiber. DP says it uses the USDA database as it's source.

Puzzled, I checked the USDA database ( http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl )

Curiously, it shows a different report for raw vs baked squash. The fiber count is missing altogether from the baked version.

So, is this an omission in the USDA records, or does it imply that baking breaks down the fiber making it digestible? I tend to suspect it is an omission, because other 0 fiber foods, such as milk, are reported with the value 0 for fiber.

~~~Teelbee

174 (Mar. 2002, highest weight), 164 (Jan. 2003, begin LC)
174/134/137-134
remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic

It's hard to believe it really doesn't have ANY fiber when cooked, although it is really creamy after cooking. My concern is just to count it accurately, as I'm going to eat it anyway. It's loaded with beta carotene and other good stuff. I just don't want to accidentally use up my whole carb count for the day on squash!

Aderyn

I know... it's really hard to imagine our government making a mistake, isn't it?

Seriously, I believe it is an omission in the USDA database, as the entire line for fiber is missing from the report for baked squash. Other 0 carb foods include the line for fiber, but show 0 as the amount.

~~~Teelbee

174 (Mar. 2002, highest weight), 164 (Jan. 2003, begin LC)
174/134/137-134
remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic

Aderyn,

What a disappoinment to learn squash is so low in fiber and not really all that low in carbs! Like you, I love the stuff and will eat some this fall anyway, but I really thought all that stringy stuff in there must be very fibrous.

And Teelbee, do I detect a note of cynicism when it comes to our beloved government's nutrition recommendations?!? LOL

Sky
Atkins since 8/02
186/144/under 150

Ok, I looked up butternut squash on my Atkins carb counter list and it says:

Per 1/2 cup of squash, 10.8 carb grams and 2.9 grams of fiber, for an ECC of 7.9.

A little high, but certainly doable.

I guess it is a glitch of some sort.

Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy.
And cooking done with care is an act of love.
- Craig Claiborne