Kashi Whole Grain Nuggets vs. Fiber One

Some things are obviously healthy: apples, lettuce, tofu, brown rice. But most everything else we consume on a daily basis can be harder to label 'healthy' or 'unhealthy'. Organic mac 'n' cheese, healthy or unhealthy? Wheat bread, healthy or unhealthy? (Depends on if it's 100% whole wheat or not). 


Every so often, I'll take two grocery store products and compare them nutritionally here. 


First up: Kashi Whole Grain Nuggets vs. Fiber One


I originally purchased the Kashi at Whole Foods, then I came home and realized how many calories were in half a cup, and decided to find something better. 


A lot of people don't know what to look out for on a nutrition label. I look at calories per serving, fat, fiber, sodium and sugar. Of course it depends what you are eating. If you are eating cereal, you can expect to want some fiber, but that wouldn't be the case with meat, which doesn't have any fiber. 

Fiber One is on the left. 

Calories: As you'll notice, Fiber One has 60 calories per 1/2 cup, while Kashi has 210 calories per 1/2 cup. Kashi has almost FOUR TIMES the amount of calories as Fiber One. I have no idea why/how this is possible but it might be because Kashi are little nuggets, so more can fit into 1/2 cup. Either way, this is just WAY too much. I had half a cup the first day I bought it and I was starving an hour later. Here, Fiber One is the better choice. 


Fat: Kashi has 1.5g and Fiber One has 1g, so the difference is negligible here. 


Fiber: Kashi has 7g while Fiber One has 14g- twice as much. Fiber is super important because it helps keep you feeling full and helps flush everything out of your system. The fact that Fiber One has twice as much as Kashi is a big deal, and the definite winner here again. 


Sodium: Excess sodium is one of the most ignored dietary problems. Too much salt causes you to bloat, hold onto water and eventually, can cause high blood pressure and other serious ailments. Kashi has 260mg while Fiber One has only 105mg. Keep in mind too that the last place you want to be getting too much sodium is in something that isn't even intrinsically salty! Winner: Fiber One. 


Sugar: Sugar is another big dietary problem our society is facing today. Sugar consumption keeps going up every year and apparently Americans consume over 20 teaspoons of added sugar every day! Kashi has 3g per serving while Fiber One has 0g. 


Fiber One is the clear winner, and keep in mind that these numbers are for 1/2 cup serving. I ended up having 1 full cup of the Fiber One, which would double all the numbers. It is important to note your serving sizes. 


Hope this helps you make a better choice next time you're shopping for breakfast.