If you’re on a budget, and wanting to eat healthy, you’re in luck. Here are some of the cheapest, healthiest foods you can eat, according to healthline.com.
First, sweet potatoes are super healthy and one of the cheapest vegetables you can buy. For only about 90 cents a pound, they give you an impressive amount of vitamins and minerals that have many health benefits.
That includes beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin a in the body, which plays an important role in eye health.
Next, brown rice is a great, cheap food that gives you a good amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Usually stores carry it for about $2 a pound. It’s mostly made up of carbs, with 4 grams of fiber per cup, and has a decent amount of b vitamins, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Air-popped popcorn can also be a cheap nutritious snack. It’s usually cheap, typically costing less than $2 a pound, and is high in fiber and very low in calories compared to other whole grains. With only 31 calories per cup, you can eat a lot of it without gaining weight. Just avoid too much butter, and go for olive oil, sea salt or parmesan cheese.
Finally, there’s good ol’ milk. Milk is very healthy and affordable, usually costing less than $3 a gallon. One cup of whole milk provides a significant amount of protein, calcium, b vitamins and phosphorus.
It’s also typically fortified with Vitamin D. There’s also 1-percent and skim milk if you want to be even healthier. Nutritionists say drinking milk regularly may help prevent several chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
Other cheap health foods to look out for include chicken breast, eggs, bananas, and canned beans.