20+ Healthy Superfoods That Keep You Fit at a Low Cost
If you’re trying to eat healthily, but your budget won’t allow it, don’t worry! There are plenty of affordable and delicious options available. This list of 30 must-eat foods for optimal health on a budget will give you the nutrients you need without breaking the bank! If you can afford more than 30, add them to your meal plan too!
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Quinoa
Best place to shop: Whole Foods
Price: $6 per pound*
Benefits: High in protein, complex carbohydrates
Quinoa is primarily made up of carbs, but it also contains high levels of protein, healthy fats, minerals, and fiber. Quinoa contains more protein than most other whole grains, making it a very healthy option.
As mentioned above, quinoa is high in fiber, and fiber helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Additionally, quinoa contains a lot of iron, which is crucial for people who are anemic or have lower-than-normal iron levels.
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Spirulina
Best place to shop: Marché Bio
Price: $5*
Benefits: Protects the liver
Spirulina is a small green alga that grows spiral. You can buy it in different forms, from capsules that you swallow like a pill to powders that you can add to smoothies.
Spirulina is rich in iron, a nutrient that is hard to live without in a typical American diet. It also has many properties that protect the liver, helping in the production of bile, and eliminating harmful toxins from the body.
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Pepper
Best place to shop: Any supermarket
Price: $3.99 for 3ct*
Benefits: Good for the heart and the eyes.
We already know that peppers are a great source of vitamin C, so they’re a natural choice for immunity. They also contain plenty of B vitamins and potassium, which help regulate your nervous system and heart rate. There’s an added benefit to eating these: The beta-carotene in the peppers can help you see better in the dark! (via WebMD)
There are two main types of hot peppers: spicy and sweet. Spicy peppers have a higher concentration of capsaicin, which is what makes them spicy. Sweet peppers have a higher sugar content than their spicy counterparts, making them sweeter to eat.
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broccoli
Best place to shop: Farmer’s Market
Price: $1.29/unit*
Benefits: Promotes good digestion
Broccoli vegetables are notoriously difficult to give to children. But the reason broccoli is so important to make your children eat, and also for you to eat at any age, is because it is full of anti-cancer and anti-fiber properties that help digestion and its intake regulates cholesterol levels.
Broccoli helps the body digest easier and also protects against inflammation because it contains antioxidants.
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Asparagus
Best place to shop: Instacart
Price: $6.19*
Benefits: Promotes healthy pregnancies
Asparagus is usually not the first vegetable on our shopping list, but it should not be forgotten because it has many health properties. First of all, asparagus is very low in calories: there are only 20 calories per 100g of asparagus, so it contains a lot of nutritious and satiating fiber with little chance of gaining weight.
Asparagus also contains many vitamins (C, E, V, and K) and a high level of antioxidants. The aspect that few people recognize, however, worries pregnant women: there are high levels of folic acid in asparagus, which contributes to the development of a healthy fetus during any trimester of pregnancy. pregnancy.
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Grapefruit
Best place to shop: Safeway, Giant
Price: $5.99/3 lbs*
Benefits: Protects against cardiovascular disease
Grapefruit is the best fruit you have to put on the breakfast table. The bitter, ruby-red fruit may not be everyone’s favorite flavor, but it has health properties that will have you running to the store for those very specifically shaped grapefruit scoops.
Grapefruit is full of very powerful antioxidants that help prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease. They may also play a role in regulating blood sugar, and even aid in weight loss in people with diabetes, unlike other citrus fruits, such as oranges, which raise blood sugar.
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lemons
Best place to shop: Walmart
Price: $0.33 each*
Benefits: Increases iron absorption capacity
Lemons are rich in vitamin C, and they’re also a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants help reduce inflammation in the body, which can lead to pain and arthritis. Lemons also contain citric acid, which can be used as an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells. Lemon juice can be used as a natural facial cleanser for oily skin, acne, and clogged pores.
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Banana
Best place to shop: Walmart
Price: $0.87 each*
Pros: Great source of energy
Bananas are one of the first fruits served to us as children because they are so delicious due to their high carbohydrate content, sweetness, and delicate flavor. So eating bananas makes your body healthy, but you have to eat them moderately.
The yellow oblong fruit is not only a great pre-workout snack, but it’s also good for recovery because it’s high in potassium, an electrolyte the body needs to stay hydrated and regulate heart rate.
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Eggs
Best place to shop: Farmer’s Market
Price: $6.99/box*
Benefits: Promotes better concentration and memory
After a cholesterol smear campaign, the conventional wisdom for years was to avoid eggs to control bad cholesterol levels. After more scientific research, it has been shown that eating more eggs is not necessarily correlated with higher levels of cholesterol in the body.
Eggs, however, contain many nutritional properties that make them an excellent part of any balanced diet. Be sure to eat the yolk, not just the whites, for the best nutritional value, as the yolk has the highest density of vitamins like B vitamins, which help with brain function.
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peanut butter
Best place to shop: Walmart
Price: $3.62*
Benefits: Prevention of type 2 diabetes
The benefits of peanut butter are numerous and far-reaching. The most obvious is its delicious taste, but peanut butter is actually an excellent source of protein for those following a vegan diet. It also contains healthy fats like Omega 3s, which are essential for a balanced diet and make it easier to feel fuller longer. In addition to all that, it is one of the few plant-based sources of vitamins E and B vitamins.
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Milk
Best place to shop: Whole Foods
Price: $5.49*
Benefits: Promotes bone growth
Although not everyone can consume milk due to lactose intolerance or other dietary restrictions, dairy products such as cow’s milk can be excellent sources of protein, containing eight grams per serving with few calories.
It also contains high levels of calcium and other minerals that are hard to find elsewhere, which makes sense considering it was designed to feed baby cows and help them grow big and strong. In humans, the consumption of milk contributes to the health of bones and teeth.
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eggplant
Best place to shop: Supermarket
Price: 1 BRL each*
Benefits: Prevents diabetes and improves cardiovascular function
Eggplant can be roasted or baked and eaten as a vegetable side dish. It’s also great in stir fry dishes with your choice of meat or tofu to make for a complete protein. It is low in calories, so you can eat lots without feeling guilty! Eggplants are rich in antioxidants, dietary fiber, and vitamin C. You will love how eggplant tastes when dipped into garlic butter or pesto sauce!
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Tuna
Best place to shop: local fish market
Price: $4 per half pound*
Benefits: High in protein
Canned tuna is not to everyone’s taste due to its very unpleasant smell. But for those who don’t like the smell, there are plenty of other ways to prepare fish, from eating it raw to grilling, that doesn’t leave such an unpleasant smell.
Tuna is known to be the most protein-rich food, it contains amino acids that help keep the body healthy, promoting cell development and building muscle mass. In addition, tuna contains unsaturated fatty acids which help in the proper functioning of the heart.
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carnation
Best place to shop: Aldi
Price: $4 per bottle*
Benefits: relieves pain, treats infections
A budget-friendly, carnation is packed with vitamin C and iron. These nutrients help to strengthen your bones, support a healthy immune system, and keep you energized. All the benefits of this plant are available in a Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink box.
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cherries
Best place to shop: Aldi
Price: $5 per platter*
Benefits: improves the quality of sleep
Eating this delicious fruit protects against heart disease. It also contains a high vitamin C content, which helps to get rid of the common cold quickly. This fun fruit also helps to get a quiet sleep, as it contains a large proportion of natural melatonin.
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Humus
Best place to shop: Supermarket
Price: $10-20 for 2 books*
Benefits: Prevents inflammation
Hummus is a paste made from chickpeas, olive oil, lemon, garlic, and sesame puree. Hummus is an excellent source of complete protein and healthy fats while providing a healthy dose of fiber.
Hummus contains a good amount of micronutrients (vitamins A, C, and E, but also iron and magnesium) which help regulate the intestines. Plus, hummus is gluten-, dairy-, and nut-free, so almost anyone can enjoy it.
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coconut
Best place to shop: Walmart
Price: $2 a coconut*
Benefits: Promotes satiety
Coconut is an exotic fruit that can be found in different forms: whole, in pieces, grated, in milk, in water, and even in cream. While people love how it instantly transports them to a tropical location, it also has many health benefits.
Eating coconut makes you feel full, because of the items it contains. It is rich in fiber and minerals that stimulate bowel transport and give effect. Moderate consumption of coconut is recommended due to its high-fat content.
- Brewer’s yeast
Best place to shop: Supermarket or Pharmacy
Price: $6 (50 capsules)*
Benefits: Improves skin quality
*Brewer’s Yeast can be bought in most grocery stores in the form of a supplement or as an ingredient in other food products such as bread, soy sauce, and even nutritional shakes.
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matcha
Best place to buy: Amazon, the Japanese market
Price: $15 per pound of powder*
Benefits: Strengthens the immune system
Matcha is a green tea powder used in Japanese tea ceremonies. It is a high-quality tea and has grown to very strict standards. Tea leaves are called “tencha”, these leaves are dried and ground into a powder, what we all call “matcha”.
Matcha has a long history of use as a medicine, as well as its unique long-lasting caffeine. The antioxidants in matcha help boost the immune system and lower bad cholesterol levels.
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American Ginseng
Best place to buy: Amazon
Price: $60 per half pound*
Benefits: improves cognition
For those looking to prevent illness in the first place, American Ginseng can be taken daily as a preventative measure. It is also helpful for improving circulation and reducing stress levels. It’s a great herb to take before working out because it stimulates your body and gives you more energy. The drawback of taking American ginseng is that it may make some people feel jittery or nervous if they take too much of it, so consult with your doctor before adding it to your routine!
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dark chocolate
Best place to shop: Whole Foods
Average price: $2 per bar*
Benefits: heart health, anti-aging.
The benefits of dark chocolate are vast, but for today’s purposes, we’re going to focus on the three main benefits: antioxidants, mood improvement, and weight loss. There are a couple of different ways that eating dark chocolate can help you achieve these three things: it provides a good source of antioxidants, which may be able to improve your mood and help prevent heart disease. It also has a high fiber content, which helps control blood sugar levels and promote weight loss.
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yogurt
Best place to shop: Supermarket
Average price: $3 for a four-pack*
Benefits: High level of good bacteria
Eating yogurt is good for your health because it is full of good bacteria. These bacteria have the power to prevent and even cure certain diseases resulting from poor digestion. Additionally, yogurt is rich in calcium and other bone-strengthening nutrients.
This powerhouse food is a great addition to any shopping list and has many of the same benefits as expensive probiotic supplements at a fraction of the cost. A recent study showed that eating two yogurts a day can kill one of the bacteria that causes ulcers. So what are you waiting for? Stock up at Walmart.
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Avocados
Best place to shop: Costco
Average price: 1.50 BRL each*
Benefits: Rich in antioxidants, fiber
Avocados are rich in natural antioxidants, which can decrease the oxidative stress present in the body, actively fighting against cardiovascular diseases. They are also rich in vitamin E, which prevents premature aging of skin cells and allows you to keep your skin young, smooth and radiant.
In addition, avocado also contains vitamin B5, which has many benefits, such as reducing fatigue and increasing cognitive abilities. If you’re low on energy, eat half an avocado with some olive oil and lemon and refuel. Plus, avocados are such a trendy food that it’s worth stocking up on your next trip to Costco.
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blackberries
Best place to shop: Farmer’s Market
Average price: $5 per platter*
Benefits: Strengthens your immune system
To protect yourself, eating blackberries and other fruits rich in antioxidants is essential because they can help the body defend itself.
This small but powerful berry is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Its regular consumption can help you fight the various inflammations that your body may be facing and, more specifically, help to heal upper respiratory tract conditions. It might be time to take a trip to Target} to get something.
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Pomegranates
Best place to shop: Aldi
Average price: $4 each*
Benefits: Anticholesterol
Pomegranates are considered a superfood due to their many health benefits.
Since one in five people have high levels of bad cholesterol, it’s important not to become just another statistic. Studies have shown that pomegranates help lower bad cholesterol levels in the blood and are much cheaper than repeated doctor visits and prescription drugs.
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passion fruit
Best place to shop: Supermarket
Average price: $12 for 2 books*
Benefits: Rich in vitamins
the tasty Passion fruit is a fruit full of folic acid, biotin, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins like vitamins C, A, and B as well, and of course, fiber. Its rich composition makes it a great option for your smoothie.
Passion fruit also has a positive effect on cardiovascular diseases by strengthening the walls of blood vessels and regulating heart activity. The antioxidants contained in tropical fruits reduce bad cholesterol in the blood, preventing the development of diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity.
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sweet potato
Best place to shop: Aldi
Average price: $1.14 per unit*
Benefits: Rich in vitamins
The sweet potato is useful for the reproductive system and organs such as the eyes, heart, and kidneys. Carotenoids in sweet potatoes can reduce the risk of cancer. Purple sweet potatoes are rich in another natural compound, anthocyanin, which can specifically reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
Sweet potatoes are full of nutrients that are worth eating all year round. One sweet potato provides 400% of the vitamin A you need every day.
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Prunes
Best place to shop: Aldi
Average price: $7 per package*
Benefits: good for the intestine
Prunes are a delicious fruit and eating it is essential for its high levels of fiber and magnesium, which helps to treat constipation naturally.
So instead of looking for expensive laxatives or stool softeners that can have potent unwanted side effects, opt for the tried-and-true remedy that grandmothers have been recommending for generations.
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Cabbage
Best place to shop: Farmer’s Market
Average price: $2.80 per unit*
Benefits: Rich in fiber and antioxidants
All types of cabbage are rich in vitamin C, a well-known antioxidant. Cabbage belongs to the same family as other superfoods like broccoli and cauliflower. It also contains enough fiber to keep you satisfied for hours.
Cabbage is also known for its sulfur content which can prevent certain types of cancer. While it may not be the star of the fresh produce aisle, the cheap and humble vegetable lasts a long time in the fridge and is still a wise investment.
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Konjac
Best place to buy: Amazon
Price: $4 per half pound*
Benefits: Appetite suppressant effect.
Konjac is a well-known plant, rich in water, which helps to get rid of constipation. It is also a useful plant for weight loss without resorting to arduous methods because it is rich in fiber which also makes it an ideal plant for solving digestive problems.
