It has often been said that people eat unhealthy diets because it’s less expensive than a healthy diet. Many people survive off small budgets and need to save money wherever possible, including food. Researchers at Harvard University decided to take a scientific approach and analyzed 27 studies published between 2000-2011 that included prices of individual food consumed in unhealthy and healthy diets.
Researchers found that healthy diets were more expensive, but only by $1.50 per person each day. That amounts to $550 per year. In comparison to how much is spent on chronic disease and illness, $1.50 per day to prevent disease is not too much. One reason unhealthy diets are less expensive is food manufactures who sell highly processed food market it cheaper in order to sell as much as possible and make a profit.
It may cost a little more to eat a healthier diet, but the benefits are worth it. Adding foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish to you diet may help prevent chronic illness and increase overall quality of life. In the long run spending that $1.50 a day may save you money down the road from unnecessary medical attention and medications.
