You walk in to the newest health joint, featuring all the super foods and drinks from around the globe, claiming to boost your antioxidant levels, reduce your blood sugar, offer that much needed protein boost for the day or even lower the risk of cancer ! Holding your golden milk in one hand, you pat yourself on the back for making the right choices in 2019 after you walk past that pizza joint next to it.

How much did that Golden drink cost you ?

A whopping $9 excluding taxes !!

‘But what’s more precious than my health ?’, you ask defensively.

Well, here’s a reality check for you — turmeric or golden milk, is something I have enjoyed since my childhood days, and while it was never marketed the way it is today, it is still a regular household drink. Most Indian dishes have a tinge of turmeric in their foods for all its health benefits and to add that awesome natural color to some delicious food.

To put things in perspective, a 14 oz. pack of turmeric costs only $5.59 at your local grocery store, a gallon of whole milk around $3.5, making a single serving of your favorite golden milk less than a dollar !

Did I just save you nearly $9 per serving without losing any of the health benefits ?

If you saved $9 each day on this golden drink for the next 4 months, you could be owning an ounce of gold from these savings !

The point is, that while the health and fitness industry continues to grow, offering a myriad of healthy alternatives, the price of your health has risen exponentially as well. The average consumer often associates a high priced item to being more nutritional because of the marketing tactics adopted by this industry.

Don’t get me wrong, because all these super foods are great for your health, but there are some you have been overspending on all along. Other than Golden/Turmeric Milk, here’s 4 Healthy Superfoods costing you a run for your Gold :

1. Protein/Energy Bars

Most of the bars (granola, meal replacement, energy) are packed with tons of sugar, almost totaling the daily recommended intake for sugar. The low cost variety is not even close to offering the much needed protein or energy intake needed for your fitness goals, while the ones which offer these benefits cost nearly $3/serving.

Alternative Money Saving Trick : Make your own protein bars at home using whey protein, peanut butter and oats, costing an average $1/serving minus added sugars.

2. Almond Butter

Since when did peanut butter become an enemy of your health ?

Until recently peanut butter was healthy, filled with monounsaturated fats, keeping your heart healthy and super delicious. Peanut butter, so sad 😦

Almond butter has relatively the same nutritional value as peanut butter, costing more than thrice your regular peanut butter ($0.6/oz vs $0.2/oz).

Alternative Money Saving Trick : Stay old school, and enjoy that PB&J just as much as you did before !

3. Liquid Egg Whites & Brown Eggs

So you gave up on those delicious yolks and simply started buying a carton of egg whites, saving you the time and energy to separate the whites. Really, tell me how much time does that truly save you?

Liquid egg whites cost you nearly 70% more than regular whole eggs ($0.16/each vs $0.09/each), offering no significant benefit while you sit there craving for some whole egg flavor.

Similarly, brown eggs have the same nutritional content as a regular whole white egg, but are priced higher. The reason — The color of an egg’s shell is determined by the kind of chicken that laid it.

Alternative Money Saving Trick : Next time, decide whether you are paying for nutrition or for the color of the chicken that laid the egg 🙂

4. Flavored Yogurt

Oops, I know you hate me right now for ditching that favorite tiramisu flavored yogurt you thought would replace your lunch today. But all flavored yogurts have an insane amount of added sugar, that can drive you far away from reaching your fitness goals.

Alternative Money Saving Trick : Stick to plain, full-fat yogurts and opt for honey or fresh fruits for some added flavors !

You may have taken a step closer to being fit and healthy, but make sure to always keep your finances in check and steer clear from unwanted marketing gimmicks that hurt your hard earned wallet !

Stay Healthy !