Adopting a superfood diet can be very expensive, so do we have to pay the price for our health, or, can we get the same benefits elsewhere for less? The answer is yes.

Goji berries, chia seeds and other fashionable foods have adopted a fashionable price. That’s not necessarily the case. Researchers from Ohio State University have found in a recent survey that people do think that the higher the price the better the health benefits.

So what are the alternatives? Brussel sprouts can be better for you than kale, not as tasty maybe, but, the health benefits outweigh the humble Brussel sprouts image. They are a lot less expensive too, so price in this instance doesn’t reflect healthy qualities.

One weekly shopping basket of cheaper alternatives could save you around £70, which is a significant difference. Over a year that’s £3,600!!

Try substituting red and orange peppers instead of goji berries. They don’t go as well on your breakfast cereal, but they are full of goodness just the same.

Coconut oil is also quite expensive, and currently very fashionable. How did we cope without it? Well we used olive oil or rapeseed oil, which have just as much goodness and similar health benefits.

Chia seeds are tremendously expensive, so are we losing out if they’re not part of our diet? Well you could try sesame seeds instead as they do a very similar job in maintaining health. Sesame don’t have the omega 3’s but if you have some oily fish each week that will balance out.

Cacao or cocoa? Those raw chocolate pieces are also expensive, but are they better? It’s true that cocoa is the more processed form, but what’s more important is if it’s been alkalised by the cleansing process. If it has then it will contain reduced flavanols and be of less benefit. Best to choose unsweetened cocoa which is far cheaper and still has the bitter taste, therefore less sugary.

So think before you buy. There generally is a cheaper substitute for the fashionable choice. Stay healthy in your body and your pocket!