Nutritional food is high priced

Healthy foods are actually more expensive than other common foods.

That's the result that Washington University researchers found when they compared the prices of 370 types of food sold in supermarkets in the Seattle area - a city in the US state of Washington. Among the foods that provide calories, junk foods are not only cheaper than fruits and vegetables, but their prices are also likely to increase less when there is inflation. That discovery, published in the published issue of a prestigious newspaper of the American Dietetic Association, may help us explain why obesity rates are highest among groups. low-income person.

Scientists did an unexpected poll, essentially comparing the value of a certain amount of calories in a junk food with a quantity consumed in a more nutritious dish. Although fruits and vegetables are nutritious, they also contain relatively little calories. Foods that are high in calories mean that they carry the most calories per gram, including candy, pastries, baked goods and fast food.

Buying things cheaply and in good health is not always easy (Photo: AP)

The study shows that higher calorie and energy-rich foods are a good option for shoppers who don't have enough cash. The high-calorie chewable foods have an average price of $ 1.76 per 1,000 kilograms of calories, compared to 18.16 per 1,000 kilograms of calories that are low in calories but rich in nutrients.

The study also showed that low-calorie foods are more likely to increase prices, up 19.5% over the two years of the study . High calorie foods generally maintain a 18% discount.

The lead author of the study, Adam Drewnowski, director of the Center for Community Health Nutrition at the University of Washington, said that although people do not intentionally buy high-calorie foods, statistics are shows that it will be easier for low-income people to afford life because of junk food rather than fruits and vegetables. Based on his research, a 2,000-calorie menu costs just $ 3.52 a day if it includes junk food, compared with $ 36.32 a day for a food that provides less energy. However, most people eat mixed dishes. An average American spends about 7 dollars a day buying food, although low-income people only spend about 4 dollars.

Dr. Drewnowski added that it would be easier to eat too many junk food, because its taste is great and also because people who enjoy it often have to consume a larger amount to feel satisfied. Even those who consume twice as much as junk food calories still spend far less money than those who consume nutritious foods.

If you have 3 dollars to support yourself, your choices will be geared towards the foods that can provide the most calories per dollar, which is Dr. Drewnovski's opinion. Not only is it cheaper because of less calories, healthy foods are also more and more expensive. Vegetables and fruits are increasingly becoming luxury items.