Most people know the saying, "You get what you pay for." Experts say this is especially true at the grocery store.
Yuka, the popular food and product-scanning app, teamed up with Harvard Law School's Food Law and Policy Clinic to analyze more than 800 food products sold across the U.S. across 12 of the most common processed food categories. What they found is eye-opening.
Cheaper processed foods like cereals, bread, crackers, and other common staples contained far more additives, sugar, and sodium than more expensive options.
The report found that the cheapest products have 2.6 times as many additives as the most expensive ones. Products without high-risk additives cost 64% more than those with them. The cheapest foods also had 21% more sugar than the priciest options.
In other words, when we reach for the lowest-priced item on the shelf, we may be paying less at the register while paying more with our health.
What This Means for Us
For those of us focused on staying healthy and active as we age, this study is a helpful nudge. It's easy to gravitate toward the cheapest option, especially when grocery prices have felt so high lately. But when it comes to food, bargain-hunting can backfire. Investing a little more in higher-quality, less-processed options may be one of the most practical things we can do for our long-term health.
You don’t have to change your whole grocery budget right away. Try starting small by swapping out one or two heavily processed foods for better choices and see how the change makes you feel.
About FiftyForward FRESH
To address food insecurity among older adults in our community, FiftyForward Fresh delivers high-quality, fresh, and nutrient-dense foods directly to their homes, along with essential FiftyForward Supportive Care Services for individuals aged 50 and older. Since 1969, our dedicated volunteers have provided thousands of nutritious meals and wellness checks, offering critical support to older adults at risk of hunger and social isolation in the Nashville area.
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