Rawinia Gregory
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Which to choose?As well as being more expensive, unhealthy eating comes at a high price for your body.
Many processed foods, such as frozen meals and take-out foods, contain high levels of fat, sodium, preservatives and additives - all designed to make the food last longer on the shelf, look better, or be cheaper to produce. Unfortunately these '"extras'' are often added at the expense of the vitamins, minerals and fiber that your body really needs to be healthy.
When you're trying to control your weight, eating foods that are nutritionally dense is important for keeping your calorie intake down and helping you feel fuller for longer. If you're skipping fresh fruits and vegetables for frozen pizzas and cookies, your waistline is not going to be happy and you'll also increase your risk of serious diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
Wondering what you can do about this? Take a look at our suggestions and see the dollars you can save and the health benefits you can gain by making a few different choices next time you're at the grocery store. Note that savings are estimates only:
| Unhealthy purchase | Healthy alternative | Cost saving | Health benefit |
| Frozen french fries, 26 oz: $4.00 | Baked potatoes with skin, 6: $1.50 | $2.50 | More: fiber, viamin c, potassium Less: fat |
| Potato chips, 8 oz variety pack: $3.00 | Pretzels (baked), 8 oz: $1.00 | $2.00 | More: satiation Less: fat, sodium |
| Fruit roll-ups, 5 oz, $3.80 | Raisins, 7 oz bag of snack-packs: $2.30 | $1.50 | More: fiber, iron Less: sugar |
| Pop-tarts, 8: $2.40 | Whole-wheat bread, half loaf: $0.60 | $1.80 | More: fiber, Less: sugar, fat |
| Oreos, 18 oz pack: $4.00 | Mandarin oranges, 10: $2.00 | $2.00 | More: fiber, vitamin C Less: fat |
| Soda, 12 cans: $3.50 |
Bottled water, 12 bottles: $3.00 Tap water: free! |
$0.50 or $3.50 | More: energy, appetite suppression, better digestion Less: fluid retention, sugar, artificial sweeteners |
| Chicken nuggets, 11 oz: $4.00 | Sliced turkey breast, 9 oz: $3.00 | $1.00 | More: protein Less: fat, additives, sodium |
| Tater tots, 28 oz: $4.00 | Frozen green beans, 16 oz: $2.20 | $1.80 | More: fiber, vitamins, antioxidants Less: fat, additives, sodium |
| Froot Loops Cereal, 11 oz: $4.00 | Oatmeal, 9 oz: $1.50 | $2.50 | More: fiber Less: sugar |
| Take-out fried chicken and potatoes, one serving: $5.00 | Home-cooked chicken and vegetable stir-fry, one serving: $3.00 | $2.00 | More: Vitamins, antioxidants, fiber Less: fat, preservatives, sodium |
| Ice cream bar: $1.50 | Lowfat yogurt: $0.80 | $0.70 | More: calcium Less: fat, sugar |
| Seasoning mix (Hamburger Helper): $3.20 | Dried mixed herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary etc.): 0.50 | $2.70 | More: natural flavor Less: sodium, preservatives |
| Donuts, 8 pack: $3.50 | English muffins, whole-wheat, 8 pack: $3.00 | $0.50 | More: appetite satisfaction Less: fat, sugar, preservatives |
| Frozen pizza: $7.00 | Storebought vegetarian chili, 30 oz (2 cans): $4.00 | $3.00 | More: fiber, protein Less: fat, preservatives |
| Chocolate cake, one slice: $3.00 | Piece of fresh fruit: $0.70 | $2.30 | More: fiber, vitamin c Less: fat |
| Spaghetti and meat sauce made with 1.5 lbs ground beef: $10.00 | Spaghetti and meat sauce made with 0.75 lbs 90% lean ground beef and mushrooms or other vegetables: $8.00 | $2.00 | More: fiber Less: saturated fat |
Just by swapping a few unhealthy foods for more nutritious options you can save over $30 a week on a grocery list like the one above. Then comes the best part - if you don't need to save it, you can spend it on something else! A massage, new bath products, a CD, a book, new clothes, a magazine, a trip to the movies?
Of course, the real rewards will be the improvements you see in your health, energy levels and your weight!
Lose weight online with CalorieKing.comDid you know that you can lose weight online using our powerful online diet diary, food database and by completing the CalorieKing Program? We've already helped thousands take control of their weight with the privacy and convenience of online weight loss, isn't it time you tried us too? |
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