You are here: Home / Archives for fiber

Kellogg’s Apple Jacks and Froot Loops with Fiber

November 20, 2009 By

KidsCereals_185x185When I was a kid, my Mom rarely bought sweetened cereal. Because she was a diabetic, she couldn’t eat it, so she bought plain cereal like Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies. We were allowed to sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar on top, that was it.  Imagine how I felt when I went off to college, and on my first morning there, walked into the cafeteria and saw a table filled with boxes of sweetened cereal!  I spent the next couple of weeks trying different kinds, until I narrowed it down to a few favorites. One of those favorites, that I still love and buy regularly, is Kellogg’s Apple Jacks. LOVE THEM.

As a Mom, I want my kids to have a breakfast that will fill them up and give them energy to get through their morning before they have lunch.  Since they prefer to eat cereal for breakfast, I do try to find cereals with at least 2 or 3 grams of fiber per serving so they will digest it slower and feel full longer. It can be hard though, to find high fiber cereals that also appeal to kids’ tastes.

So, when I got the email from MomCentral about an opportunity to review new Apple Jacks and Kellogg’s Froot Loops with Fiber, I replied back right away! I was so happy when the package arrived, with TWO boxes of the new Apple Jacks with Fiber, a box of original Froot Loops, and  box of the new Froot Loops with Fiber. My kids were also very excited about helping me with this review :)

Both cereals now have 3 grams of fiber per serving, which moves them up from “treat” cereal to “okay to buy” in my book!  The best part is, the taste has not changed one bit!  Being very familiar with the taste of original Apple Jacks, I found no difference at all in either the taste or texture of Apple Jacks with Fiber.  I’m less familiar with the taste of Froot Loops, but I poured bowls of both and tasted each, and again, couldn’t taste any difference.  Way to go, Kellogg’s!

For more information on what fiber is, how it benefits the body, and how many grams a day to eat, check out Kellogg’s Nutrition. Look for Froot Loops and Apple Jacks with Fiber in stores now!

disclosure: This post is part of a blog tour for MomCentral and Kellogg’s. I received four boxes of cereal from Kellogg’s, and I will receive a gift certificate from MomCentral to thank me for taking the time to review the products.  All opinions are my own, no other compensation was received.

Filed Under: Food Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Kashi and Bear Naked are just plain good

July 3, 2009 By

If you look at the typical American diet, one nutrient that had been missing but fortunately for all of us is now being added back in is fiber. Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods like fruits, vegetables and grains, and it is necessary for good digestion. Your Grandma called it “roughage” (or at least mine did). How much fiber do you need?

Current recommendations from the United States National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, suggest that adults should consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber per day, but the average American’s daily intake of dietary fiber is only 12-18 grams.

The ADA recommends a minimum of 20-35 g/day for a healthy adult depending on calorie intake (e.g., a 2000 cal diet should include 25 g of fiber per day). The ADA’s recommendation for children is that intake should equal age in years plus 5 g/day (e.g., a 4 year old should consume 9 g/day). (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber)

One great opportunity to get more fiber is at breakfast.  The Journal of Nutrition reports a new study in its May issue that found women who ate a low-glycemic index, fiber-rich breakfast burned more fat when they worked out later in the day than women who ate a high-glycemic index breakfast low in fiber, and were less likely to overeat at lunch.  Start your day smart with a bowl of Bear Naked Fit Granola (www.bearnaked.com), which offers a low-glycemic index and good source of fiber, or Kashi GoLEAN Cereal (www.kashi.com), packed with 10g of dietary fiber per serving.

For lunch or dinner, Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf  gives you complex whole grain carboyhydrates that are high in fiber and protein but very low in sodium and fat with zero cholesterol. It can be eaten plain or used in recipes.

GranolaI received a bag of Bear Naked  Granola in Apple Cinnamon and a box of Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf for review.  The Granola was SO GOOD. Do you like Apple Crisp? Apple Cinnamon Bear Naked Granola tastes EXACTLY like Apple Crisp! A 1/4 cup serving is 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.  And no, 1/4 cup is NOT enough!  Yes, that is a lot of fat, but studies are now showing that fat from healthy oils like the canola oil in this granola are good for your heart. Balance a serving or two of this granola with the rest of your fat intake for the day and you can enjoy it guilt free!

Kashi PilafI wasn’t as much of a fan of the Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf, but I think that’s because all I did was cook it according to package directions and serve it plain. It really needs to be mixed with spices, maybe some veggies or even a little meat or cheese.  I’ll tell you what though, it sure is filling.  Some people might even like eating it for breakfast with milk and sugar!

Learn more about Bear Naked products at http://www.bearnaked.com and more about Kashi products at http://www.kashi.com.

Filed Under: Food Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Snacktrition keeps busy bloggers going

July 23, 2008 By

Not only do busy bloggers need nutritious, filling snacks, but so do their kids, and Snacktrition has come up with a line of delicious roasted nuts that provide the nutrients you need in a delicious snack!
Snacktrition Nuts aren’t oil-roasted but rather are “Health Baked” in a proprietary process by which they sprinkle the nuts with calcium, fiber, or both, oven roast them, then sprinkle them with kosher sea salt.The results? DELICIOUS!!

Snacktrition nuts come in 9 ounce containers or handy 3 ounce packs; I received the five 9 ounce containers you see in the above photo for this review. I put them on the table and my husband and sons started circling like vultures. My husband claimed the Fiber Sea Salt Cashews, Ryan grabbed the Calcium Smoked Almonds, and I stashed the Calcium and Fiber Fruit and Nut mix for my trip to BlogHer (airplane snacks!).

I did, however, insist that everyone give me a taste of their chosen variety, so that I could give my opinion, which is, YUMMY. I took the Fruit and Nut mix in my carry-on bag, and when everyone else was paying $5.00 for a “snack box”, I was munching on almonds, cashews, dried cherries, and yogurt chips! Delicious, and filling.

The recommended daily amount of fiber is 20-30 grams, and a shocking 95% of Americans don’t get that much. A one ounce serving (23 nuts) of the Calcium Sea Salt almonds has 3 grams of fiber, along with 15% Daily Value of calcium per serving (Based on a 2,000 calorie diet), 135 mg of calcium, 6 mg of vitamin E, 80 mg of magnesium, and 5 grams of protein. Visit the Snacktrition website to get all the nutritional info and to order some Snacktrition nuts for yourself. You can buy the 3 ounce Bags ($2.99 each) or 9 ounce Tubs ($6.99 each and the Fruit and Nut tub is 8.5 ounces)-I recommend the tub if you want to ensure that you’ll get some for yourself!

While you’re on the website, scroll down the home page and enter to win a Total Gym or one of 50 $25 gift cards to Foot Locker. I’m naming Snacktrition Nuts a MomReviews Fabulous Find!

Filed Under: Fabulous Finds, Food Tagged With: , , , , , , ,