Bonnie: Over the decades, I’ve had to taste test enough snack, granola, cereal, energy, diet, supplement and other “bars” for my syndicated new-supermarket-products column (Supermarket Sampler) to fill a dump truck.
Most are dry, tasteless and basically a candy bar in a healthy guise. These new Kellogg’s FiberPlus Antioxidants Bar Dark Chocolate Almond are different (albeit still a quasi-candy bar), but have hit several current hot buttons.
They’re rich in fiber with a hefty 9 grams, or a third of what’s recommended in a day, in one bar; they’re only 1 gram shy of providing half a serving of whole grains and they’re excellent sources of two antioxidants: vitamin E and zinc.
And what’s most important: They have an attribute that never goes out of style: taste. Seriously, I was surprised how good these taste — especially compared to so many other bars I’ve had to sample.
Bryan: Nobody here eats enough fiber. (I’m looking at all of you. Yes, me too). There are a number of different food components that we all must try to eat in balance. But fiber is one of those all-important buzzwords you will hear repeatedly if you are trying to maintain a healthy diet or any kind of weight-loss program. Fiber is what keeps everything moving, keeps your system going. The simple fact is, the majority of Americans aren’t getting the fiber, whole grains, vitamins or minerals vital to a healthy diet — and something needs to be done about that.
I love to hail the merits of home cooking, fresh vegetables and a balanced food pyramid. This is the goal, but let’s be honest. We just don’t always have the time —or at least the motivation, when we do find the time — to eat this way. We’ve got nothing against shortcuts at Bite of the Best. There are many products out there vying for your “quick-fix health food” attention, but we only bring you the stars, the tried and tested. Kellogg’s FiberPlus chewy bars are the latest to make their way into the spotlight.
What is it? Well, basically it looks like a granola bar though its base is chicory-root fiber, rolled oats and crisp rice. What is truly amazing about this little treat (only 36 grams per portion) is that it contains 35 percent of your daily dietary fiber; that is simply unheard of! In addition to all the fiber, you also get the antioxidants vitamin E and zinc (20 percent of daily recommended value each). There is 10 percent of daily recommended calcium also represented in these Dark Chocolate Almond bars, though do make note that each bar also has 5 grams of fat (2.5 grams is saturated and represents 13 percent of the daily intake). C’mon, there had to be something to make them taste so good. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that these are absolutely delicious! Their dessert-like quality makes you wonder how they could ever provide so much nutrition.
If you’re a chocolate lover in any capacity, you’ve just found a new way to get a fiber fix. Do remember that these aren’t your everyday snack bars though. The FiberPlus bars contain some serious fiber levels and your body needs time to adjust to an influx of fiber if you have been missing it in your normal diet. There is a small warning on the side of the box: “Increase your fiber intake gradually. Gastrointestinal discomfort may occur until your body adjusts.” Remember that dietary adjustments should always be measured and slow — it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Eric: I was always under the impression that fiber was a subject for the elderly. There has always been this image in my mind of a grandmother (which in my understanding is a woman of 60+ years) pouring a tall glass of prune juice and sitting down to breakfast with her Metamucil. I never really wondered why fiber was a necessary component at that age, or at any age, and it really wasn’t something I took into consideration for my own diet. As my mother mentioned, including fiber in a diet wasn’t the easiest, or tastiest, nutrient to add, and only recently — since it’s become a buzzword of the food industry — has fiber been somewhat commonplace in myriad food items, especially the Kellogg’s FiberPlus bars.
Wow…you are way off base on this one. I can only imagine that you received money for this review, and I question previous reviews now. This bar is nothing but a knock off of Fiber One bars, which taste equally as good and provide just as much fiber. Or the Quaker Fiber & Omega-3 bars which are at parity on taste and nutritionals, but have Omega-3 and a better ingredient line (more whole grains). If you want a truly great tasting bar, you should try the best bar ever: Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut bar. It’s called True Delights and I believe it’s by Quaker. It makes these fiber bars taste like puffed rice with chocolate and fiber fortifications.
We do not receive money for our reviews. We just voice our opinions.
This FiberPlus bar was the first tasty one I’ve tried that was chock full of fiber — and I’ve tasted LOTS of bars. I have tried the others you mentioned and were not impressed, including the True Delights one!
Thanks for your opinion — we so appreciate that. BTW – have you tried these?
W. Looper – Your double mention of Quaker products piqued my curiosity. So I looked you up…. and found that when you originally registered to be part of our community you were working for Quaker Oats. Are you still?
yyyyyeeeesssssssss!
That is SO unethical W. Looper!
W. Looper should have his membership removed!
First, Looper is not just a fool, but a shady fool, at that. Quaker should fire him for operating in a deceptive manner.
Second, I just tried the FiberPlus bars, and while I have to agree with the Leblang lads that they are the chewiest, moistest fiber bars, I like the chocolate chip variety even better than their recommended Dark Chocolate Almond flavor. Plus, I could care less about the added antioxidants. At 130 calories, I like the fact that my new-found, yummy snack bar supplies slightly more than a third of the fiber I should be getting daily.
These bars are FANTASTIC!! Moist, flavorful. You have NO idea they are healthy. I’ve eaten lots of yucky bars over the years and someone finally got it right. My kids LOVE them too! Thank you Kellogg’s!
I LOVE these bars. (And I haven’t been paid to say that, although if Kellog would like to send me, oh I don’t know, a few cases of these bars, I wouldn’t turn them down 😉 ) They are the best ones I’ve tasted- they don’t taste like cardboard and aren’t dry. I LOVE them!
question, so if I were to eat 4 bars, does this mean that I’ve eaten all the necessary fiber for the day? LOL
Pat, actually you’d only need to eat three bars — but I wouldn’t recommend that.
Instead enjoy the rest of your fiber by eating whole grain cereals and breads, beans, fresh fruit and veggies… those sources also help lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, diverticulitis, and constipation!
Pat:
I’ve become addicted to these things. They are as tasty as people say. However, eating more than one within a few hrs can make one, shall we say, a bit gassy. Eating four would make you qualify for being and alternative energy source!
I’m considering buying your bars, however, I would truly appreciate unadulterated fats (hydrogenated oils). Transfats in any amounts do damage to the cells in our body and we as a nation need to be as healthy as possible. I know it is possible to manufacture transfat free food bars. KASHI does it all the time and THE KASHI BARS TASTE FANTASTIC AND ARE 100% HEALTHY. Thank you for considering my suggestion.
I was curious how these bars rate for a Type II Diabetic? I could not find information about sugar or proteins.
Every person diagnosed with type II diabetes should consult a health professional about which foods are appropriate for them. In general, persons with diabetes should control calories and eat foods high in fiber. FiberPlus bars can help meet these needs.
Mike, I know you also asked about protein and sugars. According to Kellogg’s one bar contains 7 grams of sugar and 2 grams protein.
I usually have one a day & *always* have it with a really big glass of water (cause I figure that much fiber is gonna need some water). I’ve never had any problems with gas or bloating.
Whew! I asked Mr. Google about these bars and gas and am glad to find it’s not just us. LOL! We get very gassy after eating them but they are truly delicious. I’m going to definitely stick to one a day however. LOL!
I’m a dietitian, and I can tell you that the gas is your body’s way of telling you that you need more fiber. Really, if you up your fiber, say, over a couple of weeks’ time, you will notice that the gas becomes less and less a problem. These bars are but one good way to get fiber. Eat more dried, cooked beans, high-fiber cereals, fruits/veggies, etc. You’ll notice the difference in a short time.
I love thses bars. I started out eating one per day, but have been eating 2 per day for the last couple days. Wow…let me tell you, the gas doesn’t stop. I figure my body will adjust though…at least I am hoping:)
Your Fiber Plus bars are the best I have ever eaten. I am so addicted to them I eat 2 and sometimes 3 a day. Moist, delicious, super good chocolate taste. Can’t beat it.
Fiber Plus – you got my vote.
I discovered Fiber Plus quite by accident. Having a sugar crash while shopping, these were on sale. I ate one on the spot and was blown away by the taste. A few more boxes went into the cart. One a day keeps the doctor away AND it tastes like a candy bar without the guilt! BONUS, it’s a healthy way to add fiber and tastes better than beans. True healthy decadence in every bite.
I love these bars. Kellogg stopped making All bran lemonaid drink mix and I was thrilled to find these bars. They are less sweet than most and are very effective for manage my bowel health. I sure hope they don’t pull this good product too. You get the plus of antioxidents too
I first tried the chocolate chip Fiber Plus bar a few weeks ago. It was on sale at Pathmark and I decided to give it a try. Good idea! Not only do these bars have a chocolately taste, they are also very nutritional in value. I mean, sure they have 7g of sugar and 4g of fat, but it’s worth it. I recommend you eat no more then 1 bar a day at first, because your stomach needs time to get used to it. I just ate one 30 minutes ago and my stomach is feeling some discomfort. But I think it’s worth it. Its surprising how good this bar tastes!
How do these Fiber Plus Antioxidants bars fit into the Kellogg’s Challenge? Please advise!
Great question! I’ll reach out to Kellogg’s and try to get you a response. Stay tuned!
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your interest in FiberPlus Bars! When you mention “Kellogg’s Challenge,” I assume you’re referring to the Special K Challenge, right? The Special K Challenge was designed to make it easier for women to achieve their weight-management goals by staying on track with Special K products. While the Special K Challenge only takes into account Special K products, FiberPlus Bars are still a good way to treat yourself to better nutrition with 35% of the daily recommended value of fiber and 20% of the daily recommended value of antioxidants vitamin E and zinc. I hope this helps! –Kellogg Company
These are delicious and a good source of fiber, but some people may need to be careful about only eating half, drinking plenty of water and eating the other half an hour or two later.
These bars sometimes cause me to have extremely painful cramping, bloating and gas if I eat the whole bar. I eat a very balanced diet and get plenty of fiber everyday from various food groups, but these bars still seem to upset my body at times. Despite the occasional cramps, I continue to buy these because they definitely satisfy my sweet tooth without wrecking my diet.
Hey- and they just came out with a new flavor – Chocolatey Peanut Butter – they are great!
Can diabetic eat these bars?
they do taste like cardboard bits are put into it
Chocolate-holic here!! These are the greatest tasting oat treat. I took the packaging off and gave it to my 6/7 yeara old students as a snack. They thought the taste was great! They didn’t realize it was healthy! Score!
YUM! But don’t eat more than two a day or you will have some serious stomach pain, almost to the point of crying. But they are so so good!!!
I think these bars are super tasty, but they gave me severe stomach pains. My sister had the same reaction to them. We both already eat high fiber diets and don’t have gas issues with beans or other high fiber foods. I think the chicory root doesn’t agree with some people. I think they should include a warning on them. I tried them daily for almost a month before giving up on “adjusting” to this product. For me, they never provided the extra benefit (think toilet) that people expect from eating high fiber diets, in fact it was the opposite. Hopefully science can come up with a less painful and more effective way to increase fiber in our snack foods.
These bars are fantastic! I am a huge chocolate fan, but have decided to start eating healthier. These fit right in with my healthier eating habits. These bars are so good that my 6 year old daughter refers to them as candy bars! She doesn’t eat them near as often as I do (one a day for me) but sometimes when she wants a dessert after dinner, a FiberPlus bar is what she asks for!
Good but GASSY! Not a little gas but something that kick starts you into the other room, gassy. Probably will not eat them again because of that side effect.
I love these bars. I get the fiber I need, plus great taste. Keep up the good work.
HAHA Rename them FART BARS