Impact of dietary fiber energy on the calculation of food total energy value in the Brazilian Food Composition Database

• FAO recommends including fiber energy in food total energy calculation.
• Appreciable energy percentage differences were observed in 321 out of 1753 foods.
• Energy from fiber affects the energy of vegetables, legumes and fruits individually.
• In mixed diets, fiber energy may have little impact on total daily energy intake.

Dietary fiber (DF) contributes to the energy value of foods and including it in the calculation of total food energy has been recommended for food composition databases. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of including energy provided by the DF fermentation in the calculation of food energy. Total energy values of 1753 foods from the Brazilian Food Composition Database were calculated with or without the inclusion of DF energy. The energy values were compared, through the use of percentage difference (D%), in individual foods and in daily menus. Appreciable energy D% (⩾10) was observed in 321 foods, mainly in the group of vegetables, legumes and fruits. However, in the Brazilian typical menus containing foods from all groups, only D% <3 was observed. In mixed diets, the DF energy may cause slight variations in total energy; on the other hand, there is appreciable energy D% for certain foods, when individually considered.