10 Seriously Cheap Superfoods

By Ellie Krieger for iVillage

On a shoestring budget? Try these wallet-friendly health heroes.

1 of 10

Kale

1 of 11

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

Few foods can hold a candle to this leafy green. Kale is full of vitamins, minerals and health-enhancing antioxidants. Indeed, kale's filling fiber, bone-building calcium and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help support the body's natural detox system, getting rid of harmful compounds that are thought to cause cancer, heart disease and other serious ills. And what a bargain it is too, at just about 60 cents a cup. Plus, kale is easy to prepare. Simply remove the center ribs of its leaves, then slice it into thin ribbons. Add this healthful pick to soups and stews in the last 20 minutes of cooking, or sauté it with a splash of olive oil for a delicious side dish. More from iVillage: Sleep Deprived No More! Cleveland Clinic Experts Answer Your Top 10 Qs 7 Foods That Lower Cholesterol Best Ways to Treat Depression Without Drugs

Foods For Strong Bones

What Probiotics Can Do

Fitness Quotes

Meat-Free Protein

10 Things We've Learned About HIV/AIDS In 2012

10 Biggest Prostate Cancer Findings Of 2012

Few foods can hold a candle to this leafy green. Kale is full of vitamins, minerals and health-enhancing antioxidants. Indeed, kale's filling fiber, bone-building calcium and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help support the body's natural detox system, getting rid of harmful compounds that are thought to cause cancer, heart disease and other serious ills. And what a bargain it is too, at just about 60 cents a cup.

Plus, kale is easy to prepare. Simply remove the center ribs of its leaves, then slice it into thin ribbons. Add this healthful pick to soups and stews in the last 20 minutes of cooking, or sauté it with a splash of olive oil for a delicious side dish.

More from iVillage:

Sleep Deprived No More! Cleveland Clinic Experts Answer Your Top 10 Qs

7 Foods That Lower Cholesterol

Best Ways to Treat Depression Without Drugs

comments(71)

Total comments: 71 | Post a Comment

1 of 11

Rate This Tip

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Meh Good to Know!

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Top 5 Tips

loading...

Top 5 Tips

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[shellydacunha]

09:20 AM on 08/18/2011

Coffee and mangos aren't inexpensive at all.. being stuck in London I am happy, though, to find that the black tea most of us live on over here is good for us. Nuts, too, I've always known were healthy, those and dried fruits were a staple in my diet in Los Angeles [lived there 11 years before coming to London] but I found take away fast Mexican food to be very healthy and very inexpensive.. you know? Those "taco stands" on the corners.. better than the expensive, sit-down Mexican restaurants in West L.A. Those jalapenos are full of rutin, vitamin C and keeps one 'regular' just don't eat the seeds! They're like razor blades on exit!

[Zack Doig]

01:10 PM on 08/14/2011

http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt_60/66_eating_well.html

Eggs do not increase blood cholesterol. There is a difference between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol, just as there is a difference between dietary fat and body fat. Stop spreading the myth that you must restrict your egg intake to prevent your cholesterol from rising, there are plenty of studies that show regular intake of 14-20 eggs per week with absolutely no impact on blood cholesterol levels.

[LovingFit]

06:01 AM on 08/14/2011

Dried cranberries are loaded with processed sugar. If you can find then without processed sugar, then they are very expensive.
You included great list of healthy foods, it's good for people who are trying to eat healthy but worry about their budget.
Canned Tuna is very un-expensive and it's a great source of protein. Kale is definitely number one in nutritional density.

http://www.lovingfit.com

[Comicoffee]

11:15 PM on 08/12/2011

Kale chips are delicious, and really easy to make! Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces, lay them on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, spray with olive oil, sprinkle a little salt (I also drizzle a little maple syrup), and bake at 300 for about 9 minutes. They come out crunchy and delicious!

[Angela Mathieu Garrison]

12:40 PM on 08/11/2011

I just read an article about another inexpensive superfruit....Banana! I never thought of banana as "super", more ordinary, plain ole' banana. Now I make sure to eat one a day. Kid's love them too!

Here is the link for easy reference: http://bit.ly/oOLGFX

[Karthlaine Larose]

09:53 AM on 08/11/2011

Did you know you could use your PHONE to track your food?? It makes it ALOT easier for me to make the right choices for breakfast, luch, and Dinner! especially with this phone (good price w/o compromising quality).
CHECK IT OUT: http://tinyurl.com/3vvrsrq

[moosesjackson]

01:26 PM on 08/10/2011

i dig this list. is the problem that people arent looking outside their common supergiant foodstore? i find these foods cheap, nutritious and delicious. i shop at ethnic markets for the majority of items i purchase

[Daws]

08:50 AM on 08/10/2011

It just occurred to me that I've never eaten a cranberry before. Had the sauce and juice but not the actual berry. Going to have to pick some up. Also, I'm curious how the sweet potatoes were cooked in that picture. Looks yummy :)

[rawfoodsphd]

11:02 PM on 08/09/2011

Kale is not only great for you -- it can also be combined with chocolate! Sounds odd, but tastes amazing and the greens keep your blood sugar from spiking. Check out this video http://youtu.be/PzU0HnGDN44 www.rawfusionliving.com

[ForVivi]

07:39 PM on 08/09/2011

I like the book "The Food Pharmacy" - I picked up a used one on Amazon.

It lists foods with a more in depth explanation of science-proved benefits as well as folklore.

[Bill Janis]

07:38 PM on 08/09/2011

How the heck did eggs and milk make a "healthy" list? Huh?

[DamonClark]

03:04 AM on 08/10/2011

Eggs: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1356614/Eggs-Forget-high-cholesterol-warnings-theyre-healthier-ever.html

Cholesterol: http://tamunews.tamu.edu/2011/05/04/%E2%80%98bad%E2%80%99-cholesterol-not-as-bad-as-people-think-shows-texas-am-study/

Milk: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090722083720.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070808104257.htm

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/12/health/la-he-milk-20100712-2

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-full-story/index.html

This can be debated (and I've included links to articles about milk that are inconclusive), but compared to the Average U.S. diet of hamburgers, soft drinks, and processed foods, eggs and milk are healthy, cheap, and easily accessible.

[HappierWithLess]

07:12 PM on 08/09/2011

I moved to Costa Rica and now eat a really good diet of beans, mangos, guanabana, cabbage, etc. Produce is much cheaper here than in the states, a pinapple costs about 80 cents instead of $4 in the states. You definitely don't see the levels of obesity here than you do in the states.
www.happierthanabillionaire.com

[BowlingForRevenge]

05:38 PM on 08/09/2011

Canned salmon, pinto beans and oatmeal are cheap.
The rest...are you kidding me?
I want to know where you shop.

Most any dried bean is cheap and nutritious.

[MJinCanada]

06:05 PM on 08/09/2011

Sweet potatoes aren't that expensive, nor is plain tea.

Mangoes and kale are definitely seasonal, though. Like cherries, enjoy them while they're in season.

Red cabbage is another good one that they didn't include on this list. A friend made a tossed salad in a light oil and vinegar dressing with carrots, celery, onions and red cabbage. When she served it a little while later, the cabbage had turned the dressing a brilliant red, so it was very pretty as well as tasty.

[Bids Well]

08:51 AM on 08/09/2011

I love these foods but I don't think many of them are seriously cheap, especially when you add the cost of a main serving along with them. Pinto beans (are these the same as cranberry beans?) are available for about 2 weeks here on LI, and they are expensive. Dried cranberries, canned salmon?! (forget the canned, a main portion would cost the same in some places--and that pic isn't CANNED), mangoes?! seriously? cheap? Here's a seriously cheap food: liver.

[pjbscomputer]

11:17 AM on 08/09/2011

Liver........extremely HIGH cholestrol

[MJinCanada]

06:07 PM on 08/09/2011

Not that bad if you only eat it once a month.

Chicken livers are seriously cheap and can be made into a tasty spaghetti sauce if they are sauteed with onions and then simmered in tomato sauce or canned tomatoes.

[somagray]

01:38 PM on 08/09/2011

Liver? Never eat something that filters toxins, I say.

[CarlyIM]

07:44 AM on 08/09/2011

Mangoes and sweet potatoes along with avocado were my kids' first foods (I made my own babyfood) because of their health benefits. No doubt I've damaged them for life according to you other HuffPo commentators.

[MJinCanada]

06:10 PM on 08/09/2011

My kids turned their noses up at sweet potatoes/yams after babyhood. Then I started making sweet potato oven fries, tossing the potato slices with olive oil mixed with onion powder, garlic powder, herbs and a little salt and pepper. They love them.

[rawfoodsphd]

11:04 PM on 08/09/2011

You got your first fan! Those are wonderful foods for kids and I applaud you!