The Cost of Eatting

How many times have you heard others or even yourself say that eating healthy costs to much? I was once one of those people. As you can see from above that eating healthy really doesn't have to cost more than not. In fact when we look at not only the cost of healthy fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts that we all should be consuming more of in our diets vs. the cost of fast food and processed foods in our grocery stores, the cost of the healthier items is actually less expensive. The cost of fast foods and processed foods doesn't even begin to compare to the cost of medical expenses we face due to our poor diet choices.

I will be honest with you that when I first starting changing my eating habits I found it difficult. I had headaches, felt shaky, and went through numerous withdraws from the chemicals I had filled my cells and body with for so many years. Lets not forge the fact that I had to retrain my taste buds to like the more healthy foods. Now has time has moved forward not only have I found that the money I spend at the grocery store has gone down, but I enjoy eating those foods. My body wants them and I crave the fruits and vegetables vs. the soda and sweets.

Lets take a second and look at the costs of eating healthy vs. not. It’s long been the stigma that eating junk food costs less and is more available to those middle-to-lower income families. Well, that may be a thing of the past. Comparing the cost of foods by weight or portion size shows that grains, vegetables, fruit and dairy foods are less expensive than most meats or foods high in saturated fat, added sugars or salt. According to the associated press in an article they published.
That means bananas, carrots, lettuce and pinto beans are all less expensive per portion than French fries, soft drinks, ice cream or ground beef.“Using price per calorie doesn’t tell you how much food you’re going to get or how full you are going to feel,” said Andrea Carlson, scientist at the USDA’s Economic Research Service and an author of the study.
For example, eating a chocolate glazed donut with 240 calories might not satiate you but a banana with 105 calories just might.
In the comparisons, the USDA researchers used national average prices from Nielsen Homescan data, which surveyed a panel of households that recorded all food purchases over a year from retail outlets.
The cost of eating healthy foods has been the subject of growing debate as experts warn Americans about the dangers of obesity. More than a third of U.S. adults are obese, according to the government, and researchers expect that number to grow to 42 percent by 2030.
“Cheap food that provides few nutrients may actually be ‘expensive’ for the consumer from a nutritional economy perspective, whereas food with a higher retail price that provides large amounts of nutrients may actually be quite cheap,” the study said.
The USDA study criticizes a 2010 report from researchers at the University of Washington, which found that calorie-for-calorie junk food is more cost-effective for low-income people than eating healthy.
“If they buy a bag of chips for $2, they think it’s a good deal, but if they buy a bag of apples for $2, they think it’s a lot,” Wootan said. “We need to do more to help people understand that fruits and vegetables are not as expensive as they think they are.”
Wootan said shopping smart can make healthy eating more affordable. Consumers should be more flexible about choosing less expensive fruits and vegetables that are in season and supplementing those with frozen or canned fruits and vegetables so they don’t have to throw away as much.

I guess when it is all said and done the individual must decide. Is it a easy change to just make healthy choices. Well no not in the beginning but as you make more healthy choices and create those habits it does become easier because that is what want to eat. Oh and by the way the moe healthy choces you make the better you will begin to feel and the side affect just may be a few less pounds carried around and that always feels good,