NutritionDoc

The back of the Quaker Weight Control Instant Oatmeal box admits that "maintaining a healthy weight depends on balancing calories consumed and calories used" ( thanks a lot). But the front touts the cereal's "7 grams of protein" and "6 grams of fiber." Do they help control your weight?

First, keep in mind that a packet of Weight Control weighs 45 grams (1 1/2oz), not the  modest 28 grams (1oz) you will find in Quaker Regular Flavor Instant Oatmeal. That is why "each packet contains 2 servings of whole grains". (Many food companies have decided that a "serving" of whole grains is 16 grams, but there are no official regs.) It is also why a packet of Weight Control delivers 160 calories, vs. 100 calories for a packet of Quaker Regular Flavor.

A serving of Weight Control has 6 grams of fiber, 3 more than Quaker Regular Instant. One of the extra 3 grams of fiber comes from Weight Control's extra oatmeal. The rest comes from maltodextrin, a carbohydrate (made from cornstarch) that counts as fiber because it is poorly digested and absorbed.

Quaker claims that "research shows that people who eat a diet highter in fiber tend to weigh less." Whether that includes a "functional" fiber like maltodextrin - rather than, say, the fiber in oatmeal and fruits and veggies- is anyone's guess.

As for protein: maybe it "helps you feel full and promotes lean muscle mass" as the box notes. But the 7 grams of protein in Weight Control beat regular oatmeal by only 3 grams - half of it from Weight Control's extra oats and half from its added whey protein isolate. In contrast, a small (3 oz) chicken breast has 27 grams of protein.

While no one needs the sugar that is in most sweetened instant oatmeals, Weight Control replaces it with the artificial sweeteners sucralose (safe) and acesulfame potassium( poorly tested and possibly unsafe).

And Weight Control's Banana Bread variety hs not been anywhere near a banana. That is what the words "Naturally & Artificially Flavored" on the label really mean.

Bottom line: any unsweetened oatmeal may help dieters stay full. The extra bells and whistles ( a few grams of protein and fiber) in Weight Control are not worth the potentially harmful artificial sweetener. Maybe Quaker needs some claim control.?