SubscribeFiber One Oats and Chocolate Bar Review
It seems like there's been quite a surge lately in the amount of “healthy” snacks like granola bars, protein bars, even cookies. A lot of these products have added fiber, which has been proven to be heart-healthy and reduce cholesterol.
The Fiber One brand makes some great cereals with plenty of fiber that are easy to eat. I have the plain Fiber One cereal every morning with my protein powder, which only has 60 calories and almost 15 grams of fiber.
So, I expected good things from their chewy oat bars.
The Taste
When I opened the package and took a bite, I noticed how good it tasted right away – sweet, chocolatey, and not too chewy. The oats are held together with something that tastes vaguely like honey, and there is a drizzle of milk chocolate over the top of the bar. It reminded me of other granola bars I'd had as a kid.
I couldn't really taste the fiber – it was more like eating a candy bar.
I ended up eating all 5 of these bars in one sitting, they were so addictive - which is why there's not a picture of them (the box got thrown out). Something about the taste made me crave them.
The Nutrition
The nutritional information was pretty much what I expected – 140 calories, 9 grams of fiber, but it also has 10 grams of sugar. I guess I should have been expecting that, given how sweet it was. But then I read the ingredient list – these bars contain high fructose corn syrup, as well as hydrogenated coconut oil!
What's healthy about that?
I see this bar as nothing but a glorified candy bar, and given the ingredients, I probably wouldn't eat them again. If you're more interested in good taste, these bars may be for you.
NOTE: This is NOT a paid product endorsement. In fact it's not an endorsement at all :-)
Personally I think the HFCS and the transfats outweigh any possible benefit from a bar like this.
Think maybe the HFCS caused the craving?
ReplyCindy,
I agree, when you look at the ingredients you'll find this bar is anything but healthy.
From the ingredients of the Chocolate Chip Fiber One bar:
These two ingredients are the primary reason this toxic waste bar is causing gastrointestinal disturbances.
Ethanol:
Ethanol within the human body is converted into acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase and then into acetic acid by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. The product of the first step of this breakdown, acetaldehyde, is more toxic than ethanol. Acetaldehyde has been shown to increase the risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver, multiple forms of cancer, and alcoholism.
Shellac:
Shellac is a brittle or flaky secretion of the insect Kerria lacca, found in the forests of Assam and Thailand. Shellac is considered edible and it is sometimes used as a glazing agent on pills and candies. This coating may not be considered as vegetarian as it may, and probably does, contain crushed insects. In the tablet manufacture trade, it is sometimes referred to as "beetlejuice" for this reason. Shellac is known to cause allergies on contact, resulting in skin irritations.
This ingrediant is why you people report eating 5 bars in one sitting.
Chicory Root Extract:
Chicory Root Extract is used herbally as a tonic and appetite stimulant. However, long-term use of chicory (Root chicory - Cichorium intybus var. sativum) has been shown to damage human retinal tissue, with dimming of vision over time and other long term effects. Although small amounts of root chicory consumed medicinally or as a seasoning can be harmless, root chicory contains volatile oils that can be metabolized in the liver and digestive tract into toxic by-products that damage retinal nerve cells and cause dimming of vision if regularly consumed in large quantities as a coffee substitute. All parts of the plant contain these volatile oils, with the majority of the toxic components concentrated in the plants root.
So if you don't mind having severe gastrointestinal problems, cirrosis of the liver, and eventually going blind, than keep eating this garbage.
General Mills and their employees should be ashamed of themselves for using poison in their food products. And the FDA should be shut down for years of poor oversight.
ReplyHFCS definitely causes cravings for me at least. It's a vicious cycle. I feel better when I stay away from sweet stuff.
ReplyHa, what did those 45 grams of fiber do for you, Jim? I personally like All Bran, but only as a topping for yogurt or mixed in with other cereal because it tastes sort of like little cardboard sticks.
ReplyDo these have trans fat in them? I see that is a bigger health issue than any amount of sugar. I noticed on the comments that someone mentioned trans fat though I didn't see that mentioned in the post.
ReplySame for me, Spectra. I eat Fiber One but only mixed half and half with granola on my yogurt. It is like cardboard to me. I couldn't eat as "real cereal" with milk.
Bryan, if they have hydrogenated oils, yes, they have trans fat.
ReplyDoes anyone know of a granola bar or snack bar that does not contain a lot of sugar, HFCS or trans fats that tastes decent? I haven't been able to find any, and although I don't miss them, my husband likes to take bars for breakfast (otherwise sometimes he doesn't eat!)
ReplyTry Kashi bars. I love them. No trans fat, no hfcs. and they are delicious!!
ReplyI for one like Luna bars (especially the Chai Tea and Peanut Butter Cookie flavors). Here's the FAQ on their ingrediants.
ReplyI was kinda excited to see those bars on the shelf last week, but after looking at the ingredients, I decided they were not worth it. For years I have been making my own "Fiber One Bars". (I just mix until it looks good, no exact amounts) I mix egg whites, applesauce and/or mashed banana, baking powder, vanilla, Fiber One, and any spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, etc..), raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for about 20 min, cut into bars!! Very healthy and taste great...plus it helps you to get in your daily fiber intake!
ReplyThe 45 g fiber was pretty taxing on my system Spectra...I had to run to the store to find something for gas and bloating!
ReplyThat's the last time I eat fiber in such large quantities.
These bars do not contain any Trans fats or cholestrol. They taste good and are filling, takes care of your chocolate craving without having a hot fudge sunday. Only 2 WW points for one bar.
ReplyThanks for everyone's ideas-I'll look for those brands at my store. Jessica-your recipe sounds yummy. I'll give it a whirl when I have some time. Have you ever frozen them?
ReplyRain, any form of hydrogenated fat is trans fat.
ReplyYes, I have frozen them. Just pop them in the microwave for 30 sec or so, and they are wonderful. I also forgot make sure to put sugar/splenda in them..they need a little added sweetness. After I pop one in the microwave, I love to drizzle a little maple syrup or honey over the top..mmmm
ReplyWe tried your 'Oats & Chocolate" NEW Fiber One Bars and the "Oats & Peanut Butter" bars and loved them.....
Will there be any more coupons in the near future or other flavors to try ? If there are coupons available, please mail them to me:
LORNA YANOW
38 CRAWFORD ST.RANDOLPH, MA. 02368
THANK YOU....
ReplyAnything that is listed as a "partially hydrogenated fat" is a trans fat. Even if it is below 0.5 grams per serving they do not have to list it on the label.
However, with these Fiber One bars there is NO partially hydrogenated fats listed.
Hyrogenated fats are not trans fats, they are simply oil that has been completely saturated with hydrogen bonds... a saturated fat.
These Fiber One bars are a great soure of fiber, are lower in fat, taste great, and are fairly low in kcals. I think one would be hard pressed to find a higher fiber easy to eat food product that tastes as good.
Who cares what kind of sweeter is used? Corn syrup is used because it's a good binder and tastes good. If HFS is suppose to create cravings then the satiety gained from the fiber would counteract that. Use some self control when it comes to sweets!
ReplyI for one like that this fiber supplement and snack tastes like a candy bar!
Andrea, unless you work at the factory, you can't tell if the coconut oil is fully or partially hydrogenated by the label. There is no law that requires manufacturers to state that in the label in the US. Look it up.
ReplyI love these bars. I, too, am a Lifetime Weight Watcher member and they fit perfectly into my daily schedule. The high amount of fiber is just what I need. The first one I had made me gassy and bloated, but it didn't happen again after that. I LOVE THEM!
ReplyJan, Gee I guess I forgot to clarify and say "fully hydrogenated oils" are completely satured and therefore have no trans fats...this one may or may not have partially or fully hydrogenated oil.
I have seen fully, partially, and hydrogenated fats on various food labels. And while not required to list it, most manufactors choose to specify the source. These Fiber One bars did not choose to do so.
Based on the fact that this product has 0 grams trans fats listed, one can simply deduce that it has less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving. Can you live with that?
ReplyYes, you are right that fully hydrogenated fat is just saturated fat, like the new trans-fat free Crisco. The only problem is that manufacturers aren't required to be specific about it, so they can say "hydrogenated oil" and it can be fully or partially, as you said. Some people, like Crisco, will make it clear.
I might eat them if it were the only thing close to healthy in a convenience store, but anything that says hydrogenated without it being very specific, I would not eat regularly. I don't mind the HCFS, personally.
ReplyYou ate 5 in one sitting? That's 45 grams of fiber. I'm sure the results were... unpleasant.
ReplyKashi granola bars. No HFCS, 8 g. sugar, no trans-fat...100% delicious. I am hopelessly addicted to the dark cherry chocolate flavor. But they are extremely chewy, so it will hurt your jaws to eat more than one a day. ;)
ReplyI really liked these bars. I was looking over the ingredients to see what might make them so delicious and I noticed both ethynol and shellac in the bars. That was a concerm to me. Why would these ingredients be included?
ReplyThese bars are delicious and filling! OMG, 5 in one sitting...grin! I just tried the peanut butter today, and I enjoy them as much as the chocolate.
ReplyThese bars are very yummy. They fill you up and take away your sweet craving. They are only 2 weight watcher points. I recommend these to anyone looking for a good source of fiber that taste good.
ReplySeriously! Shellac is for making plaques, not snacking. It comes from an insect, which is even grosser. I was pretty sicked out when I read the wrapper after I'd eaten the bar!
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When I eat this they put me in gastric distress(nice way to put it). I was interested in the ingredients that might cause this (besides the fiber) and researched the first ingredient Chicory Root Extract. It has many uses, one being a diuretic. Now I understand it's effects. They taste great but do not treat me right. :)
ReplyIf you look it up, Shellac is in a LOT of stuff. If you have ever eaten jelly beans or malted milk balls or just about any candy that looks shiny, not to mention apples and other fruits, these are generally covered in some form of confectioners shellac (the type used in the Fiber One bars). This form of shellac generally contains only 5% of the original "lac resin" produced by the insects and is FDA approved when mixed with ethanol (another ingredient on the list, to answer your question, Dawn). If it still bothers you, I'd suggest looking up the ingredients in everything you eat because if it has confectioners shellac (also called confectioners glaze), there is most likely a small amount of shellac in it.
ReplyWell im required to eat things with lots of fiber, even with eating tons of fruits and veggies, wheat bread etc... I still was not eating enough fiber. when I bought these I was expecting some nasty tasting bars like the rest that are made and I love these and I made sure I didnt eat the whole box in one sitting, but they are that addictive lol but now that I read everyone's posts, I think I know why I've had gas all day lol
I will be buying more of these in the near future.
ReplyI was introduced to the bars at a weight Watcher's meeting. I love the taste and the fact that it is only two points; however, the bloating and painful ( to all) gas it produced knocked it of my shopping list. They are so good though that on occasion I eat one yet I just keep regretting afterwards.
ReplyLOL....My boyfriend has banned me from eating the Fiber One bars for the same reason you took them off your shopping list. I also binged on them the first time I tried them....yowsa, bad idea. I read about them on another website (the same site that told me about Edy's American Idol ice cream flavors) and love them; they fit GREAT into my daily WW points. I still sneak one each day for breakfast, too bad for my boyfriend!
ReplyI ate one of these bars for the first time last week. It was yummy and filling. But OMG, the gas was horrible. And I don't mean that it was just crampy or frequent. It was horrible smelling. I have heard this from a couple of friends also. I wish I could find a good snack bar that doesn't cause such offensive after affects..... Any ideas ?
ReplyI was really excited about these bars because I need my fiber and I'm always looking for ways to get it. However, I think these are too sweet! I almost never say that about ANYTHING. These bars are too chocolatey and too sweet. I'm all for making it taste great, but I'd be more likely to eat it if the bar was a little healthier in other aspects as well. I want to see less fat and no HCFS on a slightly less sugary treat. I love the texture and the fiber. I'm even ok with the moderate number of calories (it's not what I would consider low-calorie).
On a related note, fiber does tend to make one gassy, and that is true no matter how you get it. Although it may not be pleasant, I take pleasure knowing that my colon is healthier because of it!
ReplyWhy do you think these bars effect some people in the gassy way, and some not? Sure, the first few times I had them, I was gassy but no more. I drink a lot of water, could this be helping? Still a big fan; delicious with coffee!
ReplyThese bars are good but the side effects aren't worth it in my opinion. I was very surprised that they tastes so good though.
ReplyIf they could just ease up on the fiber part I think I would buy them again but I tried them for a week and at first I thought it was something else I had for breakfast but I narrowed down the culprit to the Fiber One Bars. Not for me.
Remember when you eat fiber you MUST up your water intake....if you are'nt already at at least 8 glasses a day,it's in your best interest to get on it.And 8 is a minimum,for inactive people with low fiber.If you are active and increasing your fiber I would not go with less than 12 glasses a day.
ReplyIt has to be something besides the fiber that is causing
Replythe awful gas and bloating- I already have a high fiber diet and have not experienced anything like this. Heck, Fiber One cereal, with it's 14 g fiber per 1/2 cup (probably as concentrated as you will find in any food product), doesn't upset my bowels in the same way as these bars.
Where can i find Fiber One?
ReplyYou can get them at Wal-mart.
ReplyI just picked up some of these bars at lunchtime. Love the chocolate oat, but now I'm afraid of these horrible side effects everyone is sharing! It sure was good though! Hmmm... but my stomach is already beginning to turn. Uh oh! :(
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