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Product: Odwallas Cranberry C Monster, $1.29 for a 2.2 ounce bar, a single serving.
Key ingredients: Oats, cranberries, and other fruits and grains.
The company's pitch: Delivers 250 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, which proponents say prevents colds, cancer, and heart disease.
How it works: An antioxidant, vitamin C, plays a critical role in the synthesis of collagen. Studies suggest it boosts immunity by strengthening the white blood cells that battle infections.
Pros: While little scientific evidence exists of vitamin C's cold-fighting power, a recent study contends it can prevent heart disease.
Cons: Most studies have looked at daily doses of more than 500 mg, about twice the amount found in one bar. Overdoing vitamin C can lead to gastrointestinal distress.
Bottom line: The bar, which tastes like dried fruit, is better for you than candy. But, if you're munching it for the nutrients, you might be better off eating fruit and taking vitamin C supplements.
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(c) 2003, The Miami Herald. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service.
