I was in the grocery store the other day, in the health food aisle, and I over heard an older woman say to her friend “Why is diet food so expensive?”. She seemed to be referring to the weight loss shakes and numerous protein bars available.
It got me thinking about how our perception of food has changed so much over the years that what we put into our mouths no longer resembles real food. It is such a shame how we are led to believe a processed, chemical filled bar or container of powder is supposed to help you reach your ideal weight and stay there for the rest of your life.
So, why is diet food so expensive?
Because it is not real food, because it has been manufactured by a team of scientists (real or imagined) and because so much research goes into putting all that crap into the product they have to pay for it somehow.
When bananas reach $3.00 per kilo I think that is expensive but yet on average you will get 4-6 bananas for that kilo which will give you at least 4 meals or snacks. If you buy a protein bar for $3.00 you will get one somewhat satisfying snack out of it but how will you feel after you eat the protein bar? Well, you may get your sugar hit, you may comfort yourself with a little chocolate rush or even feel like you have done something great for yourself because you think the bar is healthy.
What about after eating a banana? Firstly, they are a wonderful energy source which will provide you with sustained energy over a long period of time, the vitamins and minerals inside the banana replenish those which have already been utilised by your body for valuable system restorations and the best part of all a banana is NATURAL!
Most food as we know it today is so far removed from what is natural it shouldn’t even be called food. Mother Nature created the food we need for survival and she perfected it. Every fruit and every vegetable was carefully made to provide humans with the nutrients required to keep the body functioning without illness or disease. Unfortunately, the so-called foods on our supermarket shelves do not provide us the same guarantee.
The shift has also changed to steer people in the direction of buying these “health” food products and weight loss products by making promises which can only be kept for a very short time and, in the long run, damage your health. Why are we getting fatter and sicker? It’s because we aren’t eating food Mother Nature provided for us; instead we feast on take away, processed foods, salty foods, fatty foods, sugary foods. And we eat too much of them.
That is the answer to the question “Why is diet food so expensive?”.
What now?
Shop wiser. Look at the ingredients in your products and buy FRESH food. Get back into the kitchen and create delicious and nutritious meals for yourself and your family. The meals don’t have to be fancy or take hours to make. They need 2 things… fresh ingredients and a respect for the health of your body and your mind.
Here are some yummy meals to get you going:
Happy cooking!
Keep an eye out for my new book “The Healthy Supermarket Shop”. Due for release SOON.
If you would like to check out my other books “Energetically Tired” and “How to get your kids to eat healthy food. And love it!”, you can do so HERE
Have an energising day