Inflation hit grocery stores hard, causing the price of staples like eggs to skyrocket in 2022 and level off at higher prices shortly after. As grocery bills increase, shoppers become wary about their next shopping trip. In a November survey that asked consumers whether they were worried about buying food, just over 43 percent answered yes.
Despite the increased costs, there hasn’t been a perceived correlation between the cost of food and poor diets. In fact, according to Pollock Communications’ “What’s Trending in Nutrition” survey of registered dietitian nutritionists, respondents believe that affordability and gut health benefits are the leading factors in consumer decision-making at the grocery store. Healthy dieting may encompass higher-cost foods, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to boost gut health on a budget.
On the contrary, some superfoods — those with additional health benefits beyond being low-calorie or low-carb — are affordable. The key is understanding what qualifies as a superfood and comparison shopping for low-cost alternatives. The role of gut health A healthy diet, and in particular a healthy microbiome, can affect physiological and emotional well-being.
Eating a diet that doesn’t promote a healthy gut can lead to unhealthy weight gain or cause erratic mood swings. The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing variants demonstrate the need for consumers to care for their immune health, which directly ties into gut health. Clean-eating blogger.