Why is eating healthy so expensive?

[Methodical Management]

Very true, I'm not saying Grass Fed Beef is perfect either, With Grain Feeding we use thousands and thousands of acres just to grow food to feed to our food, That's why I try to limit my meat consumption, I eliminated beef and usually eat Buffalo or Elk, locally raised. I would like to some day try to be a vegetarian but I can't see to give up a healthy complete protein.
Exactly: in the US we consume around 800 kg of grains per person annually and a whopping 700 kg of that is consumed indirectly, through animals. In India, for example, their grain consumption is 1/4th that of ours. Simply for sustainability purposes, a reduction in in meat consumption is absolutelyessential if we're to maintain - let alone expand - the human population.

I think it's great that you're aspiring to become vegetarian. For years I was concerned about getting sufficient lean protein since I've long beeninto basketball and training. Last year, though, I finally went vegan and I haven't looked back.

You can get plenty of protein from nuts, lentils, chick peas, seitan, soy, and so on. I mix hemp seed protein and flax seed oil in with a fruit smoothie afterI work out as an additional training supplement. I haven't lost a step in the weight room and, in fact, my already low bodyfat percentage has become evenlower since the diet is so low in saturated fat.

In addition to the countless health benefits suggested by innumerable studies - reduced risk of hypertension, heart attack, various cancers, and so on -I've found there are immediately appreciable benefits as well. I've been enjoying more energy and more consistent energy over the course of the dayrelative to my old omnivorous days and, while I admit I do miss the taste of Popeye's chicken I certainly don't miss the health risks and associatedcruelty.


So, if it's a choice you're considering I'd absolutely encourage you to research it and I'll be glad to discuss it with you - or anyoneinterested - via PM if you like.

I think it's one of the best choices we can make as individuals to contribute to our own health and the health of the ecosystems of which we're all apart. While organic fruits and vegetables are indeed expensive - especially if you shop someplace like Whole Foods - I can still prepare healthy meals or evenpurchase prepared vegan meals for less than the cost of an unhealthy animal-based takeout meal. Plus, it's important to factor in the likely medicalexpenses and incalculable personal costs of poor dietary choices when determining what to feed ourselves and our loved ones. Ultimately, and I imagine some onthis forum would disagree, if offered the choice I'd prefer to live well than live wealthy.

 

[infamous199]

This is really a myth nowadays. If you go to trader joes(cheapest place in my opinion) and compare it to regualr supermarket its almost the same prices if notjust a few cents above. You just have to be smart and get your health knowledge up and it will be really easy. For example: They have prepackaged greens thatare $2.00 that same bag with preservatives in the supermarket is 3.50. Just buy the fruits that are lowest on the pesticide food chain(google it) and the restin regular supermarket. Also they have alot of healthy cereals that are really cheap. I buy 3 boxes and total is about $6.50 but they are whole grain, flaxseed, hemp, granola clusters and taste super good and it only has 8g sugar per serving as compared to a box of frosted flakes that would cost about 3 andchange and has about 15g of sugar per serving.

 

[Nujavez]

It's crazy how I'm learning all this stuff right now in my nutrition class. Especially that part that Method Man and that guy schud was talking aboutwith corn being fed to the cows. I think the reason why everything thats unhealthy is so cheap is because with the help of the "genetically modified"corn like what Method Man said. The farmers are making huge amounts of corn like this except more:

and this corn is not a regular corn that you can just eat right in the farm because it tastes horrible and needs to processed before you eat it. The corngoes into all the cheap junk food people eat like chips, beer, all those fast food joints like McDonalds(the burgers from cows that are fed with corn,themcnuggets, the shake), all those sodas with the fructose syrup, and all those other junk food if you check out their ingredients they usually have something inthere that's from corn. I guess that's one of the reasons why its so cheap to buy these unhealthy stuff because they use this corn which is so cheap.Like how I think they use high fructose syrup more instead of sugar for soda because its couple cents for cheaper. You guys should also check out this moviecalled "King Corn". It's also surprising how the government is paying the farmers so much money (although I think farmers don't profit muchfrom it) to grow corn and this corn goes into all the junk food that our country eats, so its like the government is like supporting for America to become moreof an obese country.

 

[flatbush147]

its so funny how its cheaper to be fat

 

[dunks87]

it takes more effort to grow/cook the organic/healthy food and cost more money to produce it than junk food.

 

[schudj25]

Originally Posted by Method Man

Very true, I'm not saying Grass Fed Beef is perfect either, With Grain Feeding we use thousands and thousands of acres just to grow food to feed to our food, That's why I try to limit my meat consumption, I eliminated beef and usually eat Buffalo or Elk, locally raised. I would like to some day try to be a vegetarian but I can't see to give up a healthy complete protein.

Exactly: in the US we consume around 800 kg of grains per person annually and a whopping 700 kg of that is consumed indirectly, through animals. In India, for example, their grain consumption is 1/4th that of ours. Simply for sustainability purposes, a reduction in in meat consumption is absolutely essential if we're to maintain - let alone expand - the human population.

I think it's great that you're aspiring to become vegetarian. For years I was concerned about getting sufficient lean protein since I've long been into basketball and training. Last year, though, I finally went vegan and I haven't looked back.

You can get plenty of protein from nuts, lentils, chick peas, seitan, soy, and so on. I mix hemp seed protein and flax seed oil in with a fruit smoothie after I work out as an additional training supplement. I haven't lost a step in the weight room and, in fact, my already low bodyfat percentage has become even lower since the diet is so low in saturated fat.

In addition to the countless health benefits suggested by innumerable studies - reduced risk of hypertension, heart attack, various cancers, and so on - I've found there are immediately appreciable benefits as well. I've been enjoying more energy and more consistent energy over the course of the day relative to my old omnivorous days and, while I admit I do miss the taste of Popeye's chicken I certainly don't miss the health risks and associated cruelty.


So, if it's a choice you're considering I'd absolutely encourage you to research it and I'll be glad to discuss it with you - or anyone interested - via PM if you like.

I think it's one of the best choices we can make as individuals to contribute to our own health and the health of the ecosystems of which we're all a part. While organic fruits and vegetables are indeed expensive - especially if you shop someplace like Whole Foods - I can still prepare healthy meals or even purchase prepared vegan meals for less than the cost of an unhealthy animal-based takeout meal. Plus, it's important to factor in the likely medical expenses and incalculable personal costs of poor dietary choices when determining what to feed ourselves and our loved ones. Ultimately, and I imagine some on this forum would disagree, if offered the choice I'd prefer to live well than live wealthy.


I'm studying to become a dietitian right now and I know the great benefits of becoming a vegetarian, If your smart about it with being able to findincomplete proteins that complement themselves together to make complete which sounds like you got down right, I think my main reason when I do it willprobbaly just be for an environmental stand point, That's what I believe is the biggest problem with our meat consumption, I believe animals are meant tobe eaten but also should not be locked into feed locks and put in inhumane living conditions, I don't think I can ever go completely but I'm going tolimit my consumption like I said, It's mostly my ignorant self not wanting to give up my elk and buffalo burgers, like what Michael Pollan said

Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants.

Also not to thread jack but Vegan again is not anything from an animal either?

 

[rexanglorum]

If you want to eat well, eat healthy and not have it break the bank it is best to have a diet that generally has very little meat. If you don't really caremuch for meat products then go vegetarian or vegan. Either way, you can have an immensely varied diet that is very good for you and will give you what ever youneed for what ever your nutritional needs are.

The key is to look at the cuisine of cultures that tend to be poorer and do not use large pieces of meat in most of their cuisine. East Asian, South Asian,Middle Eastern, Ethiopian and other Sub Saharan African and Mediterranean food are almost always vegan, vegetarian or they use a very small amount of meat orfish. The same is true for most authentic Latin American dishes.

The common thread is that they find all sorts of combinations with grains, legumes, roots starches, trees nuts, oils, eggs, butter and perhaps mostimportantly, spices. I eat meat, I even will occasionally have a steak or a plate of BBQ but I usually eat dishes with little meat or no meat and it reallyhelps my energy levels. Most people will feel run down if they are consistently eating lots and lots of animal proteins.

If I were vegan or vegetarian, I would probably eat even more Indian food then I do already, it is ideal for someone who does not want to eat any animalproducts and it is because they know how to cook every type of plant food very well and with the myriad spice combinations it never really gets monotonous.

I would definitely get a cookbook of foods that comes from styles of cuisine, that do not eat vrey much meat, learn some of the rceipes and you should be ableto have delicious food, healthy food and very affordable food. Meat and even more the nmeat, preprepared and prepackaged food cost a ton. Get rid of most fthose and you will save a lot. Also by getting much less meat, it is easier to get better tasting meat that did not come from a factory farm.

 

[nycknicks105]

Originally Posted by Dirtylicious

Shoppers who are selective about which items to splurge on for the organic label might choose those with the highest residual pesticide levels: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries, according to February's issue of Consumer Reports.

Other produce -- asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papayas, pineapples and sweet peas -- are rarely tainted with pesticides even when not dubbed organic, advises Consumer Reports.

didnt know this

 

[seniosoul]

have you ever heard of seeds dude.

 

[skip2mylou23]

Organic food costs more to produce.

 

[cwk]

I was a marketing director for Whole Foods Market, Inc.
- Whole Foods is a natural foods store, not a health foods store
- Natural/organic does not automatically equal healthy because you can overeat all-natural salty, sugary, fatty foods, too.
- Organics are better socially for the way they are grown and distributed but there is no direct scientific evidence that they are any healthier thanconventional natural foods.
- Anyone can sample practically ANYTHING in the store - just ask.
- There are several pricepoint levels and their 365 line is inexpensive and tasty.
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...+365&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4SUNA_enUS310US245&sa=N

I know from personal experience that eating healthier can seem inconvenient and more expensive, but if you plan ahead, shop for the week, and prepare meals inadvance it can lower your food bill.
And when you factor in the cost of healthcare for outcomes such as obesity and diabetes, it's cheaper in the long run to eat healthier.
Shopping in bulk is another way to save money - we use Costco.