Getting serious about cereals: it's all about fiber. (Nutrition Comparison) Environmental Nutrition, May 2003 The cereal aisle offers an overwhelming array of choices. But when it comes down to it, what are you really looking for in a cereal besides good taste? Fiber. After all, if you're going to meet your daily 20- to 35-gram quota, you'd better get started at breakfast, when you have the best opportunity for loading up. Fortunately, high-fiber nutrition doesn't have to taste like sawdust anymore. There are plenty of high- fiber products these days that contain tasty--and healthful--ingredients like oat clusters, flaxseed or currants, for example. Kashi's fast-expanding line of cereals is one of our top picks for both nutrition and flavor. But be aware that high-fiber cereals sometimes contain unexpected ingredients, such as hydrogenated oils, highfructose corn syrup, sugar substitutes (e.g., aspartame) or surprisingly high amounts of sodium. That means you need to read the nutrition label for more than just fiber content. Cereal Pointers * Choose a cereal primarily for its fiber content, not because it is vitamin-fortified (that's what a multi is for). Aim for at least five grams of fiber per serving, eight is even better. * Check the label for serving size; it varies depending on a cereal's density. If you eat more than what's stated, be aware of the extra calories. * If you're watching your weight, remember that added sugars (as cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, grape juice concentrate) simply add empty calories. * Watch out for sodium, which can top 400 milligrams per serving. * Don't be swayed by healthful-sounding names (e.g. Kellogg's Smart Start, Cascadian Farms Multi Grain Squares). Even natural food brands are not always high in fiber. * Add high-fiber cereals to your diet slowly, especially if your usual fiber intake is low. Drink plenty of fluids, which fiber needs to make bulk. * Train your taste buds by mixing a favorite cereal with a high-fiber one. Nutrition Comparison of High-Fiber Cold Cereals As with all EN comparisons, this is only a sampling of many products available. If your favorite is not listed, use our criteria below as a guideline. Products are ranked within each brand by their fiber content, from highest to lowest. [check] EN's cereal picks contain at least 5 grams of fiber (double checks provide at least 8) and no more than 200 calories per serving, 8 grams of sugar (16, if cereal contains fruit) and 250 milligrams sodium with no aspartame or hydrogenated oils. Note: These numbers do not include milk. EN recommends adding skim or low-fat (1%) milk. Cereal Fiber (serving size) (grams) General Mills Fiber One (1/2 cup) 14 Multi-Bran Chex (1 cup) 8 Total Raisin Bran (1 cup) 5 Wheat Chex (1 cup) 5 Kashi [check][check] GoLean (3A cup) 10 [check][check] Good Friends (3A cup) 8 GoLean Crunch (1 cup) 8 [check] Heart to Heart (3/4 cup) 5 Kellogg's All-Bran, Extra Fiber (1/2 cup) 13 [check][check] All- Bran, original (1/2 cup) 10 Raisin Bran (1 cup) 7 Frosted Mini-Wheats, 6 bite size (24 biscuits) [check] Complete Wheat Bran 5 Flakes (3/4 cup) Post [check][check] 100% Bran (1/3 cup) 8 Raisin Bran (1 cup) 8 [check][check] Shredded Wheat 'N Bran, 8 spoon size (1 1/4 cup) [check] Original Shredded Wheat, 6 spoon size (1 cup) Fruit & Fibre, with dates, 6 raisins, walnuts (1 cup)([dagger]) [check] Bran Flakes (3/4 cup) 5 Grape- Nuts (1/2 cup) 5 Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran (3/4 cup)([dagger]) 5 Squares, brown sugar (1 cup) 5 Other Brands [check][check] Uncle Sam Cereal (1 cup) 10 [check][check] Back to Nature Hi-Fiber 9 (2/3 cup) [check] Grainfield's Raisin Bran 7 (1 1/4 cup) [check] Health Valley Golden Flax 6 Cereal (3A cup) [check] Barbara's Original Puffins 5 (3/4 cup) [check] Familia (No Sugar Added) 5 Swiss Muesli (1/2 cup) Cereal Calories (serving size) General Mills Fiber One (1/2 cup) 60 Multi-Bran Chex (1 cup) 200 Total Raisin Bran (1 cup) 170 Wheat Chex (1 cup) 180 Kashi [check][check] GoLean (3A cup) 120 [check][check] Good Friends (3A cup) 90 GoLean Crunch (1 cup) 190 [check] Heart to Heart (3/4 cup) 110 Kellogg's All-Bran, Extra Fiber (1/2 cup) 50 [check][check] All-Bran, original (1/2 cup) 80 Raisin Bran (1 cup) 190 Frosted Mini-Wheats, 200 bite size (24 biscuits) [check] Complete Wheat Bran 90 Flakes (3/4 cup) Post [check][check] 100% Bran (1/3 cup) 80 Raisin Bran (1 cup) 190 [check][check] Shredded Wheat 'N Bran, 200 spoon size (1 1/4 cup) [check] Original Shredded Wheat, 170 spoon size (1 cup) Fruit & Fibre, with dates, 190 raisins, walnuts (1 cup)([dagger]) [check] Bran Flakes (3/4 cup) 100 Grape-Nuts (1/2 cup) 210 Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran (3/4 cup)([dagger]) 90 Squares, brown sugar (1 cup) 210 Other Brands [check][check] Uncle Sam Cereal (1 cup) 190 [check][check] Back to Nature Hi-Fiber 90 (2/3 cup) [check] Grainfield's Raisin Bran 170 (1 1/4 cup) [check] Health Valley Golden Flax 190 Cereal (3A cup) [check] Barbara's Original Puffins 90 (3/4 cup) [check] Familia (No Sugar Added) 200 Swiss Muesli (1/2 cup) Cereal Sugar (serving size) (grams) General Mills Fiber One (1/2 cup) 0 * Multi-Bran Chex (1 cup) 12 Total Raisin Bran (1 cup) 20 Wheat Chex (1 cup) 5 Kashi [check][check] GoLean (3A cup) 7 [check][check] Good Friends (3A cup) 6 GoLean Crunch (1 cup) 13 [check] Heart to Heart (3/4 cup) 5 Kellogg's All-Bran, Extra Fiber (1/2 cup) 0* [check][check] All-Bran, original (1/2 cup) 6 Raisin Bran (1 cup) 19 Frosted Mini-Wheats, 12 bite size (24 biscuits) [check] Complete Wheat Bran 5 Flakes (3/4 cup) Post [check][check] 100% Bran (1/3 cup) 7 Raisin Bran (1 cup) 20 [check][check] Shredded Wheat 'N Bran, <1 spoon size (1 1/4 cup) [check] Original Shredded Wheat, 0 spoon size (1 cup) Fruit & Fibre, with dates, 16 raisins, walnuts (1 cup)([dagger]) [check] Bran Flakes (3/4 cup) 5 Grape-Nuts (1/2 cup) 5 Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran (3/4 cup)([dagger]) 6 Squares, brown sugar (1 cup) 10 Other Brands [check][check] Uncle Sam Cereal (1 cup) <1 [check][check] Back to Nature Hi-Fiber 6 (2/3 cup) [check] Grainfield's Raisin Bran 11 (1 1/4 cup) [check] Health Valley Golden Flax 9 Cereal (3A cup) [check] Barbara's Original Puffins 5 (3/4 cup) [check] Familia (No Sugar Added) 8 Swiss Muesli (1/2 cup) Cereal Sodium (serving size) (milligrams) General Mills Fiber One (1/2 cup) 130 Multi-Bran Chex (1 cup) 380 Total Raisin Bran (1 cup) 250 Wheat Chex (1 cup) 420 Kashi [check][check] GoLean (3A cup) 35 [check][check] Good Friends (3A cup) 70 GoLean Crunch (1 cup) 95 [check] Heart to Heart (3/4 cup) 90 Kellogg's All-Bran, Extra Fiber (1/2 cup) 120 [check][check] All- Bran, original (1/2 cup) 80 Raisin Bran (1 cup) 350 Frosted Mini-Wheats, 5 bite size (24 biscuits) [check] Complete Wheat Bran 210 Flakes (3/4 cup) Post [check][check] 100% Bran (1/3 cup) 120 Raisin Bran (1 cup) 360 [check][check] Shredded Wheat 'N Bran, 0 spoon size (1 1/4 cup) [check] Original Shredded Wheat, 0 spoon size (1 cup) Fruit & Fibre, with dates, 250 raisins, walnuts (1 cup)([dagger]) [check] Bran Flakes (3/4 cup) 210 Grape-Nuts (1/2 cup) 340 Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran (3/4 cup)([dagger]) 230 Squares, brown sugar (1 cup) 250 Other Brands [check][check] Uncle Sam Cereal (1 cup) 135 [check][check] Back to Nature Hi-Fiber 70 (2/3 cup) [check] Grainfield's Raisin Bran 20 (1 1/4 cup) [check] Health Valley Golden Flax 80 Cereal (3A cup) [check] Barbara's Original Puffins 190 (3/4 cup) [check] Familia (No Sugar Added) 0 Swiss Muesli (1/2 cup) Cereal Top Ingredients (serving size) General Mills Fiber One (1/2 cup) wheat bran, corn bran Multi-Bran Chex (1 cup) cornmeal, sugar, wheat bran Total Raisin Bran (1 cup) wheat bran, raisins, sugar Wheat Chex (1 cup) whole wheat, sugar Kashi [check][check] GoLean (3A cup) soy protein, soy grits, corn bran [check][check] Good Friends (3A cup) seven whole grains, sesame flour GoLean Crunch (1 cup) seven whole grains, sesame cereal [check] Heart to Heart (3/4 cup) whole-oat flour, oat bran, evaporated cane juice Kellogg's All-Bran, Extra Fiber (1/2 cup) wheat bran, oat fiber [check][check] All- Bran, original (1/2 cup) wheat bran, HFCS Raisin Bran (1 cup) whole wheat, raisins, wheat bran, sugar, HFCS Frosted Mini-Wheats, whole-grain bite size (24 biscuits) wheat, sugar, sorbitol, gelatin [check] Complete Wheat Bran whole wheat, Flakes (3/4 cup) wheat bran, sugar, HFCS Post [check][check] 100% Bran (1/3 cup) wheat bran, sugar, malted barley flour Raisin Bran (1 cup) whole-grain wheat, raisins, wheat bran [check][check] Shredded Wheat 'N Bran, whole-grain spoon size (1 1/4 cup) wheat, wheat bran [check] Original Shredded Wheat, whole-grain spoon size (1 cup) wheat Fruit & Fibre, with dates, whole-grain raisins, walnuts (1 cup)([dagger]) wheat, wheat bran, sugar, raisins, rolled oats [check] Bran Flakes (3/4 cup) whole-grain wheat, wheat bran, sugar Grape-Nuts (1/2 cup) wheat flour, malted barley flour Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran (3/4 cup)([dagger]) corn flour, corn bran, sugar Squares, brown sugar (1 cup) whole-oat flour, whole-wheat flour, brown sugar Other Brands [check][check] Uncle Sam Cereal (1 cup) whole-wheat kernels, whole flaxseed, barley malt [check][check] Back to Nature Hi-Fiber wheat bran, (2/3 cup) corn, corn bran, evaporated cane juice [check] Grainfield's Raisin Bran whole-wheat, (1 1/4 cup) raisins, wheat bran, barley malt [check] Health Valley Golden Flax organic grains Cereal (3A cup) (varied), flaxseeds [check] Barbara's Original Puffins corn flour, (3/4 cup) corn-bran flour, molasses, oat flour [check] Familia (No Sugar Added) oat flakes, Swiss Muesli (1/2 cup) wheat flakes, millet flakes * Contains aspartame; 1- Contains hydrogenated fats; HFCS = high-fructose corn syrup [C] Copyright, 2003 by Environmental Nutrition, Inc., New York, NY; www.environmentalnutrition.com Klausner, Andrea Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2003 Belvoir Media Group, LLC.