According to this ad, people who eat fruits and
vegetables are half-starved friendless losers with poor hygiene and questionable mental health. It sends a clear but subtle message that vegetables and fruit are too boring and that Fiber One bars are the clear choice for the healthy but "with it" consumer.
Not so fast.
Fiber One Ingredients are Anything but Healthy
The list of ingredients in a Fiber One bar are about a paragraph long. For this article, I'll just list those that have been linked to health problems:
85% of the soy produced in the United States is genetically modified to contain Bt toxin. This means it contains pesticides that can do damage to your intestines, kidneys, and liver. Furthermore, unfermented soy, whether organic or not, has been linked to malnutrition, digestive complaints, thyroid dysfunction, and reproductive disorders.
Canola oil is made from rapeseed but the name was changed to canola to make it sound more appealing and marketable. When it was
first produced in the 1970s, this ultra-cheap oil, if not the best choice, was at least sustainable. Now, however, most canola oil is genetically modified and has been linked to an increased risk of coronary artery disease.
Palm kernel oil is the low-cost oil now being used to replace trans fats in processed foods. Unlike red palm oil, palm kernel oil is highly processed and extracted from the pit with a gasoline-like hydrocarbon solvent. The result is cheap, unhealthy oil that is not safe to consume.
High maltose corn syrup is chemically similar to high fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to obesity. Since 85% of the corn produced in the United
States is genetically modified to contain Bt toxin, it can put your health at significant risk.
More than 75 percent of the sodium in the average American diet comes from salt added to processed foods. Just one 1.4 ounce Fiber One Chewy Bar contains 90 milligrams of sodium. Although other processed foods may contain more, this is a fairly significant amount for a small bar.
Cellulose gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener and makes up much of the fiber content of Fiber One bars. It is made from wood pulp or cotton linter and while it mostly passes from your system without incident, it may cause gastrointestinal difficulties if you're sensitive to
it.
Caramel color is made from heating or burning a carbohydrate (wheat, corn, or lactose)
and mixing it with ammonium and sulfites.
One of the
most important things to remember about Fiber One bars and similar products is there is little nutritional value in these foods. The cellulose gum and vegetable glycerin (that's one of the ingredients) may make you feel as though your digestion has been regulated but the effect will only be artificial.
"Natural flavors" is listed on the wrapper a few times. These flavorings could be just about anything, including beaver anal secretions.
Read Food Labels Carefully to Avoid Buzzword Confusion
As I mentioned in my article about natural food hype, buzzwords like "natural" and "whole grain" are meant to lull healthy eaters like you into a false
sense of security. Be sure to read the back or side of the box or bag of food you're buying. You'll often be surprised by how many questionable ingredients it contains.