Snack Bar Face-off: Which is Healthier, Kashi Pumpkin Spice Flax or Fiber One Oats & Caramel Bars?

Ten years ago after suffering from a mysterious illness that caused me to become allergic to nearly everything that I ate, drank or came into contact with, I started to become more and more aware of the healing power of nutrition. Our family has since removed a great deal of unhealthy foods from our diets, replacing these potentially harmful foods with much healthier alternatives. Since my family greatly enjoys snacks and desserts, I knew how important it was to find enjoyable yet healthier alternatives. This was how I discovered Fiber One Bars. What initially caught my attention about Fiber One bars was the fact that these bars not only taste great but one bar contains 35 % of the daily recommended amount of fiber. This was a major reason why I purchased these bars week after week, because I believed that they were healthy for my family. After discovering Kashi bars, however, especially the Pumpkin Spice Flax flavored ones, I'm not so sure if Fiber One is as healthy as I originally thought.

One reason why I started looking for a different bar was because I had automatically assumed that Fiber One Bars had all healthy ingredients since they were promoting good health with 9 grams of fiber per bar, but I was extremely shocked to learn that one of the ingredients in these bars was partially hydrogenated oil of some sort. I know that even though 0 grams of trans fats was listed on the nutrition panel that "partially hydrogenated oil" meant there was a small amount of trans fat in this particular product. Upon learning this information, I immediately stopped buying Fiber One products and began purchasing Kashi bars. Kashi makes various very tasty all-natural products that my family enjoys eating. Their Pumpkin Spice Flax Crunchy Granola Bars are absolutely delicious and certainly live up to their expectations. With these bars I didn't have to worry about any trans fats, preservatives, or additives of any sort. The fiber content is somewhat lower than Fiber One, at only 4 grams per bar, but to me this is no big deal because the benefits far outweigh the one or two negatives when it comes to this particular bar.

I have since discovered that Fiber One no longer makes their bars with trans fats, but we are hooked on Kashi's products and will continue to buy them as long as they're available. I doubt I'll ever buy Fiber One again, even if Kashi isn't available, and I'd probably just choose another all-natural brand. Kashi makes high-quality and delicious alternative products that are tremendously healthier than other products. The only positive factors regarding Fiber One bars is their fiber content and low calories, but in my opinion Kashi's bars win every time because they don't contain the artificial colorings, flavorings, preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup like Fiber One products do. Many people may swear by Fiber One bars, but I must give Kashi bars an A+! Besides, Kashi bars taste a lot better, too, and the Pumpkin Spice Flax actually taste like cookies and are often eaten as a dessert rather than a snack in my household.

http://www.fiberone.com/product/bars.aspx?key=Caramel
http://www.amazon.com/Kashi-Crunchy-Granola-Pumpkin-1-4-Ounces/dp/tags-on-product/B000P4Y8KO