HealthJourney Glossary

ECC (Effective Carbohydrate Count)

Definition: The amount of carbohydrate in a food that the body is able to utilize for energy. Since fiber is a carbohydrate that the body which "passes through" the gastrointestinal tract, it is subtracted from the total carbohydrate count. he total carb count.

Also Known As: Utilizable Carbohydrates

Examples: One cup of raw broccoli flowerets has a total of about 4 grams of carbohydrates. However, it contains about 2 grams of fiber. Since the body gets no calories from the fiber portion, we say that there is 2 grams ECC in the broccoli.

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