Is eating healthy really more expensive? (2024)

FAQs

Is it more expensive to eat healthy? ›

It's a common belief that eating healthy is too expensive. In 2013, the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed 27 studies and found that it cost an average of $1.50 more per day to eat healthy. However, the study analyzed foods by cost per calorie.

Eating Healthy on a Budget: Plan Your Meals

“Meal planning is a great way to save money at the store,” says Davis. She suggests picking two to four meals with diverse types of proteins, grains and vegetables to cook at home each week. Davis recommends deciding which day you'll make each meal, too.

In India, it is commonly believed that eating well-balanced meals and purchasing organic foods and fresh veggies are costly. In fact, eating healthy is perceived as an achievement, especially an expensive one. However, healthy eating does not mean you have to break your FDs.

Healthy eating has many benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Here's why. Eating a healthier — or at least a more balanced diet — is not always as easy as it sounds, with food prices leading to large disparities between rich and poor communities in many countries.

The fact is that eating healthy is affordable. Now, this study by the USDA reaffirms it. Whole, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products are less expensive than processed, convenient food and animal protein. The message is clear: you don't have to pay anything more to eat better.

Low-income households that receive maximum benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program usually have the purchasing power necessary to afford healthy diets; others may not.

WELLNESS & HEALTH: BASIC TREND OR GENERATIONAL SHIFT

“Feeling good” is the new ultimate luxury and while we can't all get rich, we can all get healthy, or at least try.

How expensive is a healthy lifestyle? ›

Even when it comes to eating healthier, the extra price is minimal compared to the thousands of dollars you would otherwise spend on managing chronic disease. A study from the Harvard School of Public health found that the healthiest diets cost about $1.50 more per day compared to the unhealthiest diets.

It's no secret that healthy habits are costly, but unhealthy living costs more in the long run. Being unhealthy is associated with high medical expenses, decreased quality of life, and lost productivity. Still, anyone can avoid these burdens by making healthy choices and following nutritious eating habits.

Think about the supply chain. Fresh produce, fish and meat need to be refrigerated and restocked, unlike shelf stable items. Those transportation and replenishment costs get passed on to the consumer. Other factors include labor shortages, inflation, and most importantly: supply and demand.

A clean diet may include whole fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats while limiting highly processed snacks and other packaged foods with added sugar and salt. It may also be associated with terms like plant-based, grass-fed, sugar-free, or gluten-free.

Less processed foods are also often sold in larger quantities and yield more servings per package, saving you money overall. Whole foods are often less expensive than their processed counterparts. You can also buy them in larger quantities.

It's no secret that healthy habits are costly, but unhealthy living costs more in the long run. Being unhealthy is associated with high medical expenses, decreased quality of life, and lost productivity. Still, anyone can avoid these burdens by making healthy choices and following nutritious eating habits.

Expert-verified answer

No, it is not necessary that only expensive food is more nutrients. For example, sugarcane, eggs, potatoes, soyabeans, green leafy vegetables are not too expensive. It has good source of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Anyone can make the choice to eat unhealthy food, but not everyone can make the choice to eat healthy food. This is why people with a higher socioeconomic status are more likely to choose healthier food options, because they at least have a choice.