The High Cost of High Calories

Author: Sean Wells
The cost of eating healthy foods has been the subject of growing debate as experts continue to issue warnings to Americans about the dangers of obesity and many Americans continue—by most measurements—to ignore them. A recent study conducted by the USDA strongly suggests that the popular perception of health foods as far more expensive than convenience or processed foods is simply a popular misconception.

According to government statistics, more than a third of U.S. adults are obese, another third are overweight, and without major changes in diet and lifestyle, researchers are only expecting both categories to increase in number. One major hurdle to overcoming this epidemic of excess weight sweeping across the nation is the belief—stated or unstated—that for most people, making the switch would not be economically feasible.

The USDA study criticizes a 2010 report from researchers at the University of Washington which suggested that, calorie-for-calorie, processed junk foods are more cost-effective for low-income people than eating healthy. It is worth mentioning that the 2010 study performed its measurements based on this comparably simple dollars-to-calories ratio. The more recent USDA study took a more comprehensive view, examining standardized portion sizes of various foods, correlated with nutrient density, in relation to purchase price.

Such an approach represents an important shift, which factors in not only satiety, but also addresses the underlying issue of consuming foods that are calorie-dense and nutrient-deficient. A cup of black beans, for example, contains fewer calories than a doughnut; also less fat, sodium and sugar. On the other hand, it contains more protein and fiber, and as such is far more likely to promote a feeling of fullness.

According to the authors of the current research, “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.”