It can’t be denied that quality food is expensive. Eating organic, free-range and all-natural products tends to be in the higher price range. It’s no wonder that we turn to “cheap” fare: fast food and junk food.

Fast food appears to be the more budget savvy option in the short term. With an abundance of sugar in the world, manufacturers can afford to sell it cheaply.

But before you reach for the bag of chips or drive through the nearest McDonalds, think about the real expense of the cheap food.

Barry Popkin’s The World is Fat details how the way we spend our money on food has drastically affected our health over the years.

Fifty years ago, less than 100 million people were overweight; today, the number of overweight and obese people is over 1.6 billion across the globe.

Fifty years ago, the food industry changed drastically. Today, we’re paying for it with our health.

Social occasions today revolve around food. We never have to worry about what to eat because it is available to us wherever we go.

Portion sizes have also increased substantially from what they once were. What was once a regular-sized drink at a fast food restaurant is now considered kiddie-sized by today’s standards.

Buying food in bulk is a good way to save money, but it’s wise to think ahead when we have these opportunities for buying larger quantities at a lower price. An extra-large chocolate bar, for example, is likely going to be eaten just as quickly as a regular-sized chocolate bar.

Saving a couple cents on buying bigger candy is going to cost you more than a quick sugar rush. The effects of the extra amount could be harmful not just to your teeth, but it could also contribute to the development of disease. In the long term, a few more cents are worth it to protect your health.

 

While we in the West are eating more, people living in Third World countries are still battling malnourishment. The United Nations World Food Programme has recently issued a news release which warns that even if the economic crisis is subsiding, the worldwide hunger crisis is, if anything, increasing.

Lately, much of our concern has been about the economy as opposed to our health. However, we should be taking advantage of the attention we are now giving to the economy.

We can do this by thinking about how we can recover from the crisis – for example, buying local and living green – rather than just worrying about it. This is also a great opportunity to bring awareness to important issues regarding our health and food distribution.

Quality food costs a bit extra in terms of dollars but the savings on your health are astronomical. It is something that everyone in the world should have the chance to appreciate and enjoy.

University of Winnipeg student Sagan Morrow writes a health and wellness blog. Check it out at http://livinghealthyintherealworld.wordpress.com.

Published in Volume 64, Number 4 of The Uniter (September 24, 2009)