Nancy Dell: Cheap Healthy Foods; Soda Increases Stroke Risk

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) -  

1. Eating healthy is expensive. What are some cheap healthy foods?
Kylie, Internet

People think eating healthy is expensive. But, according to a USDA study done last May, many healthy foods are cheaper than sweets, chips, and fatty meats. The processing and packaging of these foods can cost a lot of money.

Based on the USDA survey of retail averages, here are nine of your cheapest yet healthiest foods:

Protein Food                                        Cost (cents)

1/2c Kidney beans                                  13
1 Lg Egg                                                   16
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter                             20

Vegetables & Fruits                            Cost (cents)

1 Carrot                                                     9       
1 Onion                                                     12
1 Banana                                                  14

Starches and Snacks                        Cost (cents)

1/2 Cup Old fashioned Oatmeal          11
1 Potato                                                     17
1 Cup Popcorn                                         16

When you're on a tight budget, use these foods as the base of your diet and add foods that are on sale and cheaper when they are "in season."

2. I have just 1 soda a day. Is that bad for me?
Nicole, Internet

Even 1 soda a day can cause problems. In a study published last month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition researchers followed the soda habits of 40 thousand men and women for 18 years.

Women who drank 1 or more sodas per day increase their risk of a stroke 83 percent. Men also increased their risk but it was less dramatic.

Researchers speculate that the sugar found in most sodas called fructose may increase blood pressure which increases your risk of stroke.