One serving of Fiber One cereal, a product of the General Mills company, contains 57 percent of the daily value of fiber, based on a 2,000-calorie diet, according to its Nutrition Facts label. General Mills claims that Fiber One tastes "remarkably delicious," as printed on the cereal box. While the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 states that "fiber is more important than ever," knowing how much you need can sometimes be confusing. It is also important to know and understand what else is in the box, besides the fiber.
Serving Size and Varieties
One serving of Fiber One Original cereal equals one-half cup, or 30 g, with approximately 15 servings per 16.2 oz. box. Varieties include Original, Honey Clusters, Raisin Bran Clusters, Caramel Delight and Shredded Wheat. General Mills also sells cereal bars, yogurt, baking products, toaster pastries, bread products, muffins and cottage cheese under the Fiber One brand name.
Calories, Fat, Carbohydrates and Protein
Based on the Nutrition Facts label on the Fiber One Original box, this cereal has 60 calories per serving, Each serving has 1 g of fat, 25 g of carbohydrates, 14 g of dietary fiber, no sugars, 11 g of other carbohydrates and 2 g of protein. One serving also has 105 mg of sodium, 100 mg of potassium and no cholesterol. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, a high fiber diet can decrease the risk of coronary disease.
Vitamins and Minerals
All varieties of Fiber One cereals are fortified, which means that several essential vitamins and minerals are added to the cereal. According to the Nutrition Facts label, one serving of Fiber One Original provides 4 percent daily value of magnesium, 6 percent phosphorus, 10 percent vitamin C and calcium, and 25 percent iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid and zinc. A high fiber diet also improves digestion and elimination as well as improving the body's ability to absorb these added nutrients.
Ingredients
The list of ingredients can be found under the Nutrition Facts label. Fiber One Original contains whole grain wheat, corn bran, modified wheat starch, guar gum, color, cellulose gum, salt, baking soda, corn oil and aspartame. The use of aspartame is controversial. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has requested the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review a recent study conducted by the Ramazzini Foundation regarding the occurrence of tumors in laboratory animals given aspartame. You may be better off avoiding cereals with aspartame, also known as NutraSweet and Equal, opting for ones with real sugar, or maybe no sugar at all.
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