You Can Afford To Eat Healthy

You Can Afford To Eat Healthy
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joe_J_Kelly]Joe J Kelly 

In this day of three-for-a-dollar hot dogs and two-for-three Big Macs, it's no wonder why people say they can't afford to eat healthy.

Walk around the perimeter of any grocery store - the path that health experts say food shoppers should take - and you'll find your fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, milk, cheeses and eggs. Of course, one thing these natural items have in common is that they each boast a great deal of nutritional value. As a general rule, less processing and fewer preservatives usually translate into more of the good stuff our bodies crave.

For the price-sensitive consumer, however, these nutritionally-dense foods are often viewed as cost prohibitive and are routinely passed over for cheaper middle-aisle substitutes that cost less but usually offer considerably less in terms of nutrition. That's why you could roll a bowling ball down the produce aisle but can't push your buggy past the salty snacks without saying "excuse me" six times.

Of course, that's not to say it's totally un-"wise" to shop the chip aisle. Once you work your way past the tortillas, puffin' corn, cracker snacks and cracker jacks, you'll hit the nuts. Ahhh, yes, nuts. Finally an item with fewer than 50 ingredients and sometimes just a few: the nut itself, the roasting oil and perhaps an additive to preserve freshness.

In a "nutshell", eating nuts is not just cool, it may prolong your life. It seems every week a new report is released heralding the benefits of nuts, such as preventing diabetes, reducing the risk of heart attacks and improving the lining of the arteries. Nuts are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and Vitamin E. Yes, they have a higher fat content, but it's the unsaturated variety that lowers bad cholesterol levels.

While nuts are one of the healthiest and tastiest snack foods available, they are not priced the same as their inexpensive bugles brethren, especially by the serving. For example, the often advertised "pounder" bags of chips and pretzels can sell for less than $2.00, while few nuts retail for less than $7.00 per pound.

The key when searching for fresh, heart-healthy nuts at an affordable price is buying direct from a roaster. There are many small roasters whose nut products are priced lower than the ones on grocery store shelves. These lower prices are extended as a result of no expensive packaging, transportation or middle-man costs. Search hard enough and you may even find a small roaster who offers competitive prices and free shipping. Of course, when it comes to freshness, nothing beats buying direct from the roaster. Oftentimes, nuts packed for shipping were roasted the same day and are actually still warm when picked up by the shipping carrier. Now that's fresh.

So before you give up on eating healthy this year because you can't afford it, do some browsing online for fresh natural foods such as nuts, fruits and vegetables priced right. When it comes to your health, you really can't afford not to.

Joe J. Kelly, Marketing Manager, George J. Howe Company. One of America's best kept secrets... a small town nut roaster for over 65 years, offering fresh nutrient-dense nuts at reasonable prices with free shipping on most orders over $25. Find us at [http://www.georgehowe.com]http://www.georgehowe.com.

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