High-fiber cereal has come a long way

Taste testers of U.S. Consumer Reports say high-fiber cereals have come a long way since the cereals they used to describe as more like straw than grain.

The trained taste testers compared 18 high-fiber cereals on the basis of nutrition and taste. The seven cereals they picked as nutritious, flavorful choices were:

– Kirkland Signature Spiced Pecan (Costco) cereal topped Consumer Reports’ list with a blend of grains, nuts and seeds and cinnamon/nutmeg flavor.

– Kashi GoLean Crunchy Fiber Twigs, Soy Protein Grahams and Honey Puffs rated very good for nutritional value, have 10 grams of fiber, and stay crunchy even in milk.

– Archer Farms (Target) High Fiber has a sweet, crunchy, toasted grain and big cinnamon flavor with 10 grams of fiber per serving.

– Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Extra! has a lot of flavor and texture from raisins and cranberries, almonds, sweet clusters and nutty wheat flakes with 7 grams of fiber per serving.

– Post Shredded Wheat Spoon Size Wheat’n Bran has simple, unsweetened toasted-wheat pillows with a nutty grain flavor and 8 grams of fiber per serving.

– Great Value Raisin Bran (Walmart) is a good choice for raisin-bran purists.

– Barbara’s Bakery Ultimate Organic tastes lightly sweetened scored as very good for nutrition and taste.

The cereals tested have 25 percent to 50 percent of the dietary guideline for a 2,500-calorie diet, which is 28 grams.