One of the frequent (and legitimate) complaints about healthy eating is that it can be quite costly. However, there are some super-cheap foods available that pack a strong nutritional punch. In fact, you would be surprised at how many cheap but healthy foods you can find at grocery stores. Here are five good examples of cheap healthy foods that cost less than $1 per serving.
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Adzuki Beans
Adzuki beans are rich in protein, fiber, iron, and magnesium. With a whopping 17 grams of fiber per cup, these beans have more fiber than other popular choices like black and pinto beans. Adzuki beans cost around $2 per can.
Daikon
Daikon is a white root vegetable that looks like a big white carrot. It is a nutritious vegetable often found in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Daikon’s relatives are kale, broccoli and cabbage. It is a cancer-fighting radish that’s rich in vitamin C, folate, and digestive enzymes that aid in the digestion of food. Daikon is usually priced at around $1 per pound.
Canned Salmon
If you don’t live near an area where salmon is caught, canned salmon might be a better option than the “fresh†salmon at the grocery store. Canned salmon provides about four times more omega-3 fatty acids compared to chunk light tuna. You can buy it for less than $4 per can with an average serving less than $1.
Dark Meat Chicken
If there were a head-to-head fight between dark and white meat chicken, dark meat would win easily. Dark meat has more zinc, B vitamins, iron, and amino acids, making it the superior choice from a nutritional perspective. Dark meat costs around 75 cents per serving.
Black Rice
Black rice may not be very popular, but it’s actually one of the healthiest types of food you can eat. Black rice packs a wide array of nutrients; it’s an antioxidant powerhouse with a lot of minerals. In fact, black rice is heavier in nutritional value than other types of rice. The preparation method for black rice is basically the same as other types of rice, but a few extra minutes may be required for the water to finish absorbing. A serving of black rice will cost you about 50 cents. This is just a small sampling of the cheap and healthy foods that are out there. If you do a Google search with the string ‘list of cheap healthy foods’, you’ll be able to find dozens of foods within minutes.