Is Fiber One Cereal Healthy? 13 Things You Should Know

Is Fiber One Cereal healthy?

I still remember my first thoughts about Fiber One cereal: (1) It looks like rabbit food, and (2) It seems to give me gas. That said, I try to be more thorough and logical than that when researching foods. So today, we’re exploring in detail: Is Fiber One cereal really healthy?

Fiber One cereal is made with healthy whole-grain wheat, and it has a remarkable 18g of fiber per serving, about 3 times as much as shredded wheat. It is also sugar free. However, Fiber One also has processed ingredients like caramel color and sucralose, so it may be less healthy overall.

Below, we’ll explore the details of Fiber One’s ingredients and nutrition facts. We’ll look at its glycemic load, whether it’s good for weight loss and heart health, and more. I’ll also compare Fiber One to All Bran and oatmeal to see which is truly best.

Is Fiber One Cereal Good for You?

Here are the 13 specific questions I’ll be answering about Fiber One nutrition. Click any of them to skip ahead to that section—or just keep scrolling to read them all:

1. What Is Fiber One Cereal Made Of?
2. Is Fiber One Cereal High in Fiber?
3. What Kind of Fiber Is in Fiber One Cereal?
4. Is Fiber One Cereal Low in Sugar?
5. Is Fiber One Cereal Low Glycemic?
6. Does Fiber One Cereal Have Artificial Sweeteners?
7. Is Fiber One Cereal a Processed Food?
8. Is Fiber One Cereal Good For Weight Loss?
9. Is Fiber One Cereal Good for Your Heart?
10. Is Fiber One Cereal Healthier Than All Bran?
11. Is Fiber One Cereal Healthier Than Oatmeal?
12. Is It Ok to Eat Fiber One Cereal Every Day?
13. Is Fiber One Cereal Vegan?

1. What Is Fiber One Cereal Made Of?

Let’s start by looking at some Fiber One ingredients. We’ll mostly be looking at the Original flavor of Fiber One cereal. But I’ll also cover the Honey Clusters flavor below.

Fiber One Cereal (Original) Ingredients: Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Bran, Modified Wheat Starch, Color (caramel color and annatto extract), Guar Gum, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Baking Soda, Sucralose, Natural Flavor. [Added Vitamins and Minerals]

Here’s what I notice about these ingredients:

• Fiber One cereal is made with whole grain wheat. The cereal is not 100% whole grain, but still, this is a good thing. Whole grains are higher in fiber and other nutrients compared to processed grains. More on fiber below.

• Fiber One cereal is free of added sugar. This is very uncommon for cereal nowadays. Even relatively healthy cereals like Cheerios and Weetabix have some sugar—but not Fiber One. Does this make Fiber One cereal low-glycemic? We’ll cover that below.

• Fiber One Cereal has caramel color. This coloring ingredient can potentially contain a carcinogen called 4-MeI. For example, in a Consumer Reports study, many sodas with caramel color tested at surprisingly high levels for 4-MeI. So that’s not the most encouraging thing.

• Fiber One Cereal has sucralose. Sucralose is a somewhat controversial zero-calorie sweetener. It likely reduces the amount of calories and sugar in Fiber One cereal, but it may come with downsides, too, particularly for gut health. More details below.

• Fiber One cereal has added vitamins and minerals. Fortified foods are not the best way to get all your vitamins and minerals—but this is still probably a positive point overall.

Overall, the Fiber One ingredients have some healthy aspects, along with some not-so-good aspects. In the next sections, we’ll look more at the details of the fiber content, glycemic index, and other pros and cons.

2. Is Fiber One Cereal High in Fiber?

Fiber One cereal is very high in fiber, with 18 grams of fiber per 2/3 cup serving (40g). That is almost 5 times as much fiber as Cheerios, or 19 times as much fiber as Corn Flakes. Fiber One cereal even has about 3.5 times the fiber of shredded wheat.

Really, you could view Fiber One cereal as more of a fiber supplement than a normal cereal. Here is a table showing how Fiber One compares to other cereals for fiber content:

Cereal	Fiber per 100g
Rice Krispies	1.0g
Special K	2.3g
Corn Flakes	2.4g
Cheerios	9.4g
Weetabix	10g
Grape Nuts	12.1g
Shredded Wheat	13.3g
Uncle Sam	18.2g
All-Bran Original	29.3g
Fiber One	46.7g
Poop Like a Champion	57.5g

As you can see, Fiber One cereal is not quite the highest-fiber cereal in the world, but it’s actually one of the highest. In fact, from the cereals commonly found in big grocery stores, it may indeed be #1.

In fact, many people use Fiber One cereal more as a fiber supplement—they mix it into other cereals for extra fiber. For example, you could eat a bowl of Cheerios but add 1/3 cup of Fiber One for an extra 9g of fiber.

If you eat a large bowl of just Fiber One alone, it may be too much fiber for many people. (But we’ll discuss “How much Fiber One is too much?” below.)

Related Question:

• Is Fiber One cereal good for constipation? Fiber One cereal is a good source of fiber, which can soften stool and help prevent or relieve constipation.

3. What Kind of Fiber Is in Fiber One Cereal?

Each serving of Fiber One cereal has 17g of insoluble fiber and 1g of soluble fiber. This fiber comes from a blend of whole-grain wheat, corn bran, modified wheat starch, guar gum, and cellulose gum.

Let’s discuss soluble vs isoluble fiber a bit. Soluble fiber is known for its ability to lower blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It’s why Cheerios are often touted as a cholesterol-lowering food.

Well, Fiber One cereal has the same amount of soluble fiber per serving as Cheerios (1g). But it has a lot more insoluble fiber, too. And insoluble fiber has its own benefits, including helping with regularity and with insulin sensitivity. (source)

It’s also worth noting: The fiber in Fiber One cereal is not all from whole-grain wheat or other whole foods. Fiber One has added fiber-rich ingredients like corn bran and cellulose gum.

Some critics may complain that Fiber One kind of imbalanced in this regard. Yes, there is a lot of fiber in Fiber One cereal, but it’s not necessarily balanced with all the same micronutrients as in fruits, vegetables, beans, or other whole foods.

So you can’t necessarily say that Fiber One is “as healthy” as more natural high-fiber foods like beans or 100% whole wheat. It’s more complicated than just the amount of fiber.

3. Is Fiber One Cereal Low in Sugar?

Fiber One’s Original cereal is free of added sugar, and it has 0g of total sugar per serving. Instead of having sugar, it is sweetened with the artificial sweetener sucralose. However, Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal has 10g of sugar per serving.

Most cereals today are packed with sugar, but not Fiber One (at least not the Original flavor). It’s sugar free. That’s great, in my opinion, even if it does come with sucralose, which could have some downsides, too. (See below for more on sucralose.)

But there’s something else to consider when thinking about sugar content, too: Glycemic index (GI).

If you’re concerned about your blood-sugar levels, it’s important to remember that carbs get broken down into sugars in your body, too. And quick-digesting carbs can spike your blood sugar, too, even if they’re not “sugar.”

So let’s look at the glycemic index of Fiber One cereal next.

4. Is Fiber One Cereal Low Glycemic?

I was unable to find a credible source that directly reports a glycemic index score or glycemic load for Fiber One cereal. However, there is still some data surrounding this question we can refer to.

One study found that participants eating Fiber One cereal experienced reduced appetite, more fullness, and a reduced glycemic response to a meal consumed 75 minutes later. That study was comparing Fiber One to corn flakes cereal or white bread, specifically. This is encouraging.

And we can use our logic a bit here, too. If we look at other cereals made with whole wheat and not much sugar—like shredded wheat and Weetabix—they’ve both scored as “medium” on the glycemic index, but “low GI” when eaten with low-fat milk. (source)

Now, also consider that fiber usually reduces the glycemic index of foods, and Fiber One has a ton of fiber—more than almost any other cereal, as we saw above.

Based on all this information, we should be able to assume that Fiber One cereal is low glycemic or, at worst, medium glycemic for most people. That said, we don’t have super solid data to go off of.

Related question:

• Is Fiber One cereal high in carbs? Yes, most of the calories in Fiber One cereal come from carbs. Fiber One cereal has 34g of total carbohydrates per serving. Fiber One cereal is not low-carb or keto-friendly. That said, Fiber One cereal is free of added sugar.

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5. Does Fiber One Cereal Have Artificial Sweeteners?

Fiber One cereal contains the artificial sweetener sucralose. This allows the cereal to be sugar free and lower in calories. However, sucralose and other artificial sweeteners may worsen gut bacteria or cause other health issues over time.

Here are a few of the possible health issues with sucralose:

• Sucralose seems to be a migraine trigger for some people. (source, source)
• Sucralose may contribute to insulin resistance through multiple mechanisms (more on that below).
• Sucralose has been shown to have a surprisingly minimal effect on weight loss.

There’s still some uncertainty about how the human body reacts long-term to any artificial sweeteners. That said, most of these health concerns are not well proven at this point. And these sweeteners are likely still better than added sugar.

Here is a more in-depth discussion of the up-to-date research on artificial sweeteners, including sucralose:

6. Is Fiber One Cereal a Processed Food?

“Processed food” is a bit hard to define. Technically speaking, you could say that slicing up an apple in your kitchen counts as “processing.” But when we talk about “processed food,” we usually mean something else.

In practical terms, the major signs of processed food are when the ingredients include some of the following:

• refined grains or flour
• sugar
• vegetable oil
• salt
• monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• artificial sweeteners
• artificial colors (like red 40)

Fiber One cereal has a couple of these “processed food” ingredients—mainly salt and an artificial sweetener (sucralose). It also has caramel color, which has been found to often contain a carcinogen.

So, Fiber One cereal is somewhat processed. Like many foods today, it has a whole-grain combined with some processed ingredients, too. Overall, it’s not the worst, but not the best, either.

Related question:

• Is Fiber One cereal considered whole-grain? The first ingredient in Fiber One cereal is whole-grain wheat. Most people would count each serving of Fiber One to be a serving of whole grains. However, it also contains more processed ingredients, too.

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7. Is Fiber One Cereal Good For Weight Loss?

Fiber One cereal can be a great food to include in a weight loss diet. It is high in fiber, which can help you feel satisfied and stay full. It does not have the added sugar or oil that most other popular cereals have.

Weight loss depends on your overall diet and lifestyle. However, choosing whole-grain, high-fiber foods like Fiber One cereal can help you feel satisfied on fewer calories, making it easier to lose weight.

You can also aid your weight loss journey with your choice of milk. Did you know that unsweetened almond milk is only about 30 calories per cup? That’s only ~25% of the calories of 2% cow’s milk!

In the end, as long as you’re burning more calories than you’re eating, you should lose weight—whether those calories include some Fiber One cereal or not. But surely, Fiber One cereal can fit into a smart weight-loss plan and potentially help you lose weight.

For more help with weight loss, check out this post with 18 tips for weight loss without counting calories.

Related Question:

• How many calories are in a bowl of Fiber One cereal? A small bowl of Fiber One cereal might have about 130 calories. That would be 2/3 cup of Fiber One cereal and 1/2 cup of skim milk. (source)

• Is Fiber One cereal good for losing belly fat? Specific foods cannot help you lose fat from a specific area of your body—that is a myth. Fat loss is a total body process, and it depends on your overall diet and lifestyle—not one food you eat. For more information, read my post on how to get six-pack abs.

8. Is Fiber One Cereal Good for Your Heart?

Fiber One cereal is generally considered good for heart health. Fiber One cereal has 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, and 0mg cholesterol. It also has 1g of soluble fiber, which can help lower LDL cholesterol levels, along with only moderate sodium content (140mg per serving).

First off, Fiber One cereal has no dietary cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol only comes from animal products like meat and eggs. So, plant-based foods (including Fiber One cereal) do not have cholesterol.

But dietary cholesterol is not the only thing that’s relevant here. Eating saturated fat has also been shown to raise LDL cholesterol, potentially increasing heart disease risk. So, does Fiber One cereal have any saturated fat?

Fiber One cereal has 0g of saturated fat per serving. So that’s another good factor. What else about Fiber One cereal might affect heart health?

As noted above, Fiber One cereal is quite high in fiber. Specifically, it has 1g of soluble fiber and an incredible 17g of insoluble fiber per serving. The American Heart Association recommends whole grains and fiber in general, but soluble fiber is extra good.

Soluble fiber can help reduce LDL cholesterol. It’s the reason why Cheerios are often promoted as “heart healthy.” But Fiber One cereal actually has the same amount of soluble fiber per serving as Cheerios (1 gram).

So, Fiber One cereal can be considered good for cholesterol, as it is free of saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol, and it also contains soluble fiber.

One more factor for heart health is sodium content. Eating a high-sodium diet can lead to high blood pressure, which is a heart disease risk factor.

Fiber One cereal does have 140mg of sodium per serving. This is only a moderate amount of sodium—nothing crazy. That said, if you need to really keep your sodium intake low, you could choose shredded wheat cereal instead—it has 0mg of sodium.

9. Is Fiber One Cereal Healthier Than All Bran?

Fiber One cereal is likely healthier for most people than All Bran cereal. Fiber One cereal has 150% of the fiber found in All Bran cereal, while also being sugar free. Meanwhile, All Bran cereal has 8 grams of sugar per serving.

However, depending on your specific nutritional needs and goals, you may find either cereal to be better for you. So, let’s take a look at some specific nutritional factors:

• Sugar: Fiber One wins. Fiber One cereal has no added sugar. Meanwhile, All Bran has 8g of added sugar. That’s pretty high, about 2/3 as much sugar as Frosted Flakes, per serving! Fiber One has sucralose, which may have downsides, too, as discussed above. But All Bran’s sugar content seems worse.

• Fiber: Fiber One wins. Fiber One has about 1.5x the fiber content of All Bran. They are both remarkably high in fiber, however. So All Bran will still get the job done. But if you want maximum fiber power, Fiber One is the winner.

• Sodium: All Bran wins. All Bran has about 30% less sodium than Fiber One. Specifically, Fiber One cereal has 140mg of sodium per serving, while All Bran has 95mg. So if you need to minimize your sodium intake, All Bran is a bit better.

• Protein: All Bran wins. Fiber One cereal only has 3g of protein per serving, but All Bran has 5g per serving. So if you’re trying to hit a specific protein intake, All Bran may help you get there a little faster.

Overall, Fiber One is probably healthier for most people. The amount of sugar in All Bran would be the most significant nutritional difference for most people. So, unless you really hate or distrust artificial sweeteners, Fiber One is probably the better choice.

10. Is Fiber One Cereal Healthier Than Oatmeal?

Oatmeal may be healthier than Fiber One cereal because is it is less processed. Fiber One cereal has some processed ingredients like sucralose and caramel color that may not be very healthy. However, if you add a bunch of sugar to your oatmeal, then it would no longer be healthier than Fiber One.

Fiber One has a remarkable amount of fiber, but not all of it comes in the context of whole grains. Instead, some ingredients (like cellulose gum or corn bran) are processed a bit. With oatmeal, you’re truly getting a whole food, in a more pure form—and whole foods are generally healthier.

That said, what matters most is probably how you choose to prepare either of these options. If you add a lot of brown sugar to your oatmeal, that could make it less healthy. If you just add some fruit, then either option could be great.

Ideally, choose whichever one you like most, and make it into a meal that you love, so you can choose it over less-healthy options without needing a ton of will-power.

Or if you love both, try alternating. See if they affect your energy or digestion differently. One may actually be better for you personally. And even if not, then alternating regularly could also be nutritionally beneficial for keeping more variety in your diet.

[Related post: How to Sweeten Oatmeal Without Sugar (18 Healthy Ways).]

11. Is It Ok to Eat Fiber One Cereal Every Day?

There should be no problem for most people eating Fiber One cereal every day, if the serving sizes are appropriate. However, if you eat too much Fiber One at once, you could experience gas, bloating, loose stool, or other side effects from eating more fiber than you’re used to.

When increasing your fiber intake, it is best to increase it gradually. If you normally have the average American fiber intake, and then suddenly you eat multiple big bowls of Fiber One, that’s going to be a bit of a shock to your system.

Personally, I know I got gas the first time I ate Fiber One, likely because I ate too much at once. It’s better to start with a small serving, maybe just mixing a bit of Fiber One into another cereal that you already eat. Then gradually increase it over time.

Also, you should always keep room in your diet for a variety of healthy foods. If you eat too much of any one cereal, you may not have enough room left for vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and other wholesome whole foods.

Another way to ensure dietary variety is to eat your Fiber One in different ways. If you eat Fiber One cereal every day, consider eating it with different fruits, maybe with nuts or seeds, mixed in with different cereals, or with other foods on the side.

12. Is Fiber One Honey Clusters Cereal Healthy?

Compared to Fiber One’s Original flavor, the Honey Clusters flavor has a lot of added sugar—10g per serving, to be specific. That is a lot of sugar. For comparison, even Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops only have 12g of sugar per serving.

Fiber One Honey Clusters also has quite a bit less fiber than the Original flavor. However, it still has 10g of fiber per serving, so that is still plenty. Nothing to really complain about there.

The Honey Clusters flavor is also a bit higher in sodium than the Original flavor—200mg per serving, compared to just 140mg. But this is not a crazy difference.

The main nutritional difference is just the sugar. But that’s a pretty big difference. In fact, personally I would not eat Fiber One Honey Clusters due to the sugar content.

If you’re going to eat a high-sugar cereal, then Fiber One Honey Clusters is a relatively good option because at least it has high fiber, too. But why choose a high-sugar cereal at all?

These other fiber-rich cereals would be better choices due to their low sugar content:

• Shredded wheat
• Weetabix
• Uncle Sam
• Grape Nuts

13. Is Fiber One Cereal Vegan?

Fiber One cereal is generally considered vegan. It does not have any milk, egg, meat, honey, or other animal-derived ingredients. The exception would be Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal, which contains honey.

Many fortified cereals have added vitamin D3, which is technically not vegan since it comes from lanolin (from sheep’s wool). However, Fiber One does not have added vitamin D, so this is not an issue with Fiber One.

Another ingredient that can be controversial for vegans in many cereals is sugar. Non-organic sugar is often filtered with animal bone char. However, Fiber One cereal doesn’t have this issue, as it is sugar-free.

So, Fiber One (the Original flavor) is more vegan than most cereals—that’s for sure. Just don’t eat it with cow’s milk!

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