Anyone who has ever tried to improve her diet by eating more whole foods, more organic produce, and the like can testify to the truth of the New York Times article A High Price for Healthy Food (12/05/2007): calorie for calorie, junk foods cost less than fruits and vegetables.

Of course, we all know that fresh produce is more nutrient rich than junk food; however, junk food tends to be more “calorie dense,” to have more calories per gram, than fruits and vegetables. Thus, by comparing diets strictly by calories,

“a 2,000-calorie diet would cost just $3.52 a day if it consisted of junk food, compared with $36.32 a day for a diet of low-energy dense foods.”

So, the more you try to improve the quality of your diet, the more it is going to cost you. What does this mean for those on limited incomes? As the researcher in the article explains:

“If you have $3 to feed yourself, your choices gravitate toward foods which give you the most calories per dollar,’’ said Dr. Drewnowski. “Not only are the empty calories cheaper, but the healthy foods are becoming more and more expensive. Vegetables and fruits are rapidly becoming luxury goods.”

Health as a luxury item–disturbing indeed.