Good nutrition costs money. That’s the obvious reason why a certain restaurant’s “dollar menu” is so popular. If you could get a complete meal for just a few dollars, why spend more?
Healthier foods are expensive. Unfortunately, the unhealthier the diet gets, the cheaper it is, which is one reason why people of limited means choose foods with poor nutrition. They are forced to do so because of cost.
Nutrients that are fresh and whole are not only costly, but there isn’t enough to go around. When the government made its dietary recommendations, they told us to eat fish, fruits and vegetables, but didn’t include anything about cost. So currently, our system falls short of supplying us with the minimum recommended numbers of daily servings needed by Americans at an affordable price.
Interestingly enough, there are four main nutrients that are most lacking in the average American diet: dietary fiber, calcium, vitamin D and potassium, with potassium being the most expensive. Huh? Isn’t that the stuff in bananas? Those same fruits that we often advise members to have before or after exercise?
For some misguided reason having mostly to do with misconceptions about the glycemic index, bananas have gotten a bad reputation. I have heard many people say that they avoid bananas because of the sugar. The truth is that bananas give you more bang for your buck because they also contain fiber, one of the other nutrients that people don’t get enough.
Potatoes also get a bad “rep” for having too many calories. Also not true, except when used as a vehicle for fattening toppings. Potatoes are a cheap source of potassium, but you couldn’t eat enough exclusively to get sufficient potassium. So the solution is to add a serving of bananas, milk, seeds and nuts for every serving of potatoes in your diet.
Even in the most affluent areas where members can afford to have the most nutrient-rich diet, lowest in saturated fat and added sugar, they still may not be getting all they need from their foods. So where does this leave the average club in servicing its average members?
It’s always in a club’s best interest to partner with members in educating them to make proper food choices within their means. The next time you hear a member say that they’re avoiding bananas or potatoes for whatever reasons, please point out the benefits of both, especially where fiber and potassium is concerned.
If you have an event at your club, put out a bowl of bananas, and alongside it, print an information sheet stating its benefits and that each one can contain 450 to 500 mg of potassium. You just might restore someone’s faith in good nutrition at low cost.
