The Mediterranean diet is well-known for its numerous health benefits, and it can also be inexpensive. It is based on the traditional eating habits of Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Italy, and Spain. This diet focuses on whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, and olive oil while limiting processed foods, red meat, and added sugars.
We’ve all heard that the Mediterranean diet is beneficial to our health. Despite the significant health benefits of this eating plan, the expected costs are often a deterrent, especially when budgets are tight. According to new research from the University of South Australia, the Mediterranean diet not only benefits your health but also your weekly budget, saving a family of four $28 per week (or $1456 per year) when compared to the typical Western diet.
The nutrition profile and weekly costs of three food baskets based on the typical Australian western diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) were compared in the study.
Eating a balanced healthy diet doesn’t have to break the bank, but eating unhealthy food can damage your body. Whether you prefer to follow the Australian Guidelines for Healthy Eating or the Mediterranean diet, both provide necessary nutrients and energy, but as this study shows, the Mediterranean diet is generally less expensive.
Assoc Prof Murphy
The Mediterranean diet and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating met recommendations for food groups, macronutrient distribution, and key micronutrients associated with good health, but the typical Australian diet lacked fibre, zinc, potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, and vitamin B6, and consumed twice as much salt as recommended.
The Mediterranean diet costs $78 per week for a single person household, $135 for a two-person household, $211 for a three-person family, and $285 for a four-person family. According to Ella Bracci, a UniSA researcher and PhD candidate, the research shows that a Mediterranean diet can be a viable and healthy option for budget-conscious families.
“Diet is one of the leading modifiable risks factors for chronic disease. Yet a significant number of Australians are still not consuming a balanced healthy diet,” Bracci says.
“Australians eat a lot of food that is high in fat, salt, and sugar, which is typical of the Western diet.” Regrettably, this is also contributing to higher rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and osteoporosis. To combat unhealthy food choices, global organizations are increasingly endorsing plant-based diets like the Mediterranean diet as their preferred healthy eating guide. The challenge has been getting people to adopt these in Australia, and one of the biggest barriers has been perceived cost.”
“The Mediterranean diet encourages eating fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, seeds and seafood, and there is a view that these foods are more expensive. And with cost of living being so high in Australia, it’s no surprise that people are being careful about where their hard-earned dollars go. This research shows how a Mediterranean diet can be a cost-effective option, letting people prioritise both their health and their hip pocket.”
According to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, a balanced, healthy diet should include five food groups: fruits, vegetables and legumes, breads and cereals, dairy foods, and meat (and alternatives). Only 8% of Australians consume the recommended 375g of vegetables per day, despite the fact that the average Australian consumes up to 35% of their daily energy from foods high in salt, added sugars, and unhealthy fat. According to Associate Professor Karen Murphy of the University of South Australia, healthy food shopping is more affordable than many people believe.
“Eating a balanced healthy diet doesn’t have to break the bank, but eating unhealthy food can damage your body,” says Assoc Prof Murphy. “Whether you prefer to follow the Australian Guidelines for Healthy Eating or the Mediterranean diet, both provide necessary nutrients and energy, but as this study shows, the Mediterranean diet is generally less expensive.”
