Froot and Fiber?

I was in the grocery line up yesterday, behind a young couple doing their weekly shopping.  The mom held a box of Froot Loops in her hands and was justifying the purchase to her husband by pointing out the large banner on the front of the box that said “Now Contains Fiber.”  It got me wondering:  What is the recommended daily fiber intake for a child? And does the fiber in Froot Loops provide enough of a health benefit to offset the oils, food colouring, and empty sugar calories? 

The answer to the first question is that, if a child is under the age of nine, their daily recommended fiber intake is equal to their age plus 5.  Thus, a child of two would have a recommended daily intake of 7 grams of fiber and a child of eight would have a recommended daily intake of 14 grams of fiber.  The recommended daily intake for girls aged nine to eighteen is 25 grams of fiber and the recommended daily intake for boys aged nine to eighteen is 31 to 38  grams of fiber.

A one cup serving of Froot Loops provides 3 grams of fiber, which would make up a significant portion of the fiber requirement for a two-year-old but wouldn’t make much of a dent in that of an eighteen-year-old boy. 

Here is the list of ingredients for Froot Loops, as provided by Kellogs:

SUGAR; WHOLE GRAIN CORN FLOUR; WHEAT FLOUR; WHOLE GRAIN OAT FLOUR; OAT FIBER; SOLUBLE CORN FIBER; PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (ONE OR MORE OF: COCONUT, SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OILS)†; SALT; SODIUM ASCORBATE AND ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C); NIACINAMIDE; REDUCED IRON; NATURAL ORANGE, LEMON, CHERRY, RASPBERRY, BLUEBERRY, LIME AND OTHER NATURAL FLAVORS; RED #40; BLUE #2; TURMERIC COLOR; YELLOW #6; ZINC OXIDE; ANNATTO COLOR; BLUE #1; PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6); RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2); THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1); VITAMIN A PALMITATE; BHT (PRESERVATIVE); FOLIC ACID; VITAMIN D; VITAMIN B12.
† LESS THAN 0.5g TRANS FAT PER SERVING.

I find it interesting that Froot Loops contain no fruit and that sugar makes up 44% of the 118 calories found in a one cup serving.

A one cup serving of oatmeal (rolled oats, not instant) contains 110 calories and 4 grams of fiber.  Unless you add it, it does not contain sugar.  It certainly doesn’t contain any of the oils, food colourings, or preservatives found in Froot Loops, and it’s less expensive. 

I understand the appeal of Froot Loops.  I love them myself.  They’re colourful and they’re fun.  They’re certainly more appealing to the eye than a bowl of oatmeal, and that makes it easier to get kids to eat them. 

Froot Loops are probably a healthier snack than potato chips or chocolate bars, but a good source of nutrition they are not.  Don’t be lured by that “Now Contains Fiber” banner.  Buy the sugar cereal once in a while for a treat but stick to the cheaper, healthier alternative for every-day breakfasts.