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Ever wonder how to eat healthy, while on a college student budget? Jacqueline Swainston explains.

Investing in Health

By Jacqueline Swainston

Many people argue that healthy eating costs too much money and thereby choose cheaper, less quality foods; hence the joke: What does poverty taste like? Top Ramen and hot sauce. In life we are faced with choices, usually, the “hard” way versus the “easy” way. Let me convince you that although eating healthy might seem like the “hard” way, in reality, eating healthy consistently is the most important financial and physical decision you will ever make.

The Why

1. The Cost of Health: The saying goes “Money can’t buy you happiness.” Do you know what else it can’t buy you? Good health. However, good health is an investment that brings both financially and health benefits. It is truth that healthy food can be more pricey than processed-crap-with-no-nutrients (aka Top Ramen, Fritos, Soda, etc). However, do you know what is more expensive than organic spinach and grass-fed meat? All the medical bills and costs of diseases that directly relate to a bad diet (Type II Diabetes, Obesity, Heart Disease, etc). Let’s look at the research: the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention states that in 2008 alone, obesity cost the country about $147 billion in medical costs. Keep in mind, obesity is only part of the negative health consequences of unhealthy eating; a bad diet can contribute to numerous health problems and doesn’t always cause obesity. However, current research from the Harvard School of Public Health proves that healthy eating does cost more: $1.50 per day. $1.50 is the price of a candy bar or cup of coffee. Would you rather pay thousands of dollars in doctors’ bills (hoping that medicine and save your health)? Or, alternatively, invest in your health from the beginning? A $1.50 a day doesn’t seem like a big financial sacrifice to me, especially when you consider the reward.
2. Buying junk food is a waste of money. What do you get from eating junk food? A temporary sugar rush that abruptly crashes your body into a stomach ache and a loss of energy. The 200 calories you consumed in drinking that soda not only gave you zero of the nutrients your body needs every day but also over-taxed your body (dealing with all the sugar is hard work, man!),  crashed your energy, contributed to a sugar addiction, and dehydrated your body! Does that sound like money spent well? Your body and I think not! However, if that two bucks went to some fresh veggies? The results would dramatically differ. High-quality vegetables replenish your body with vitamins and minerals, water, fiber (which keeps your body’s systems working healthy), and keeps your body hydrated. All of these support good health! Fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, proteins= great way to spend your food budget.

The How

1. Drink water! Not only is water the cheapest drinking options (usually), it is the best beverage for your body. Most people greatly underestimate the amount of water that their body needs to function at its best. Staying well hydrated help you maintain a healthy body weight, keeps your body working the way it’s supposed, and keeps your energy levels high. Let me reiterate: DRINK MORE WATER. Save money, and save your health.
2. Spend money on the right foods. As previously discussed, some healthy foods can cost more money. However, if you took the money that you normally waste on candy/soda/coffee and redirect that money and invest it in fresh produce, the “extra cost” of healthy products will disappear. You could spend $10 at McDonalds and get zero nutrients for your buck or buy some beets and chicken and get your dollars worth of nutrition.
3. Eat at home. Choosing to make your own food rather than eating out not only saves you calories and from bad fats, it saves you dollars. It is common knowledge that buying food from a grocery (or even better, local farm) can save you some cash. When you choose to eat out, not only are you paying the cost of food, but you are also paying some cost for all the workers, taxes, and bills of the company. Furthermore, we you are the chef, you decide the amount of sugar and fat that goes into your products. Homemade food is typically more fresh and healthier.   
4. Prevention is more effective than doctors. Although medicine has become incredibly advanced and inspiring, doctors still struggle to restore health that has been damaged from a bad diet. When it comes to the major killers in America (heart disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc), prevention is the most effective weapon. It is much better to never have Type II diabetes than try to reverse the disease. It is cheaper to prevent than to try to repair. If you spend money now on a healthy diet and exercise, you will save yourself tons of money spent trying (often unsuccessfully) to buy your health back.

In closing here are some links that go more in-depth than my article. They give some good tips as well.

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/eating-well-on-the-cheap.htm

http://www.lovingmynest.com/learning-activities/freezer-crock-pot-cooking-day/

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/eat4cheap/Pages/cheap-food-shopping.aspx