A plant-based diet chock full of fruits and vegetables will cost much less overall than the standard American diet. Fortunately, the better we eat, the fatter our pocketbooks will be in the long run. What are the short and long term financial gains of eating a healthier diet?

Short Term Financial Gains

Plant-based food choices cost less. Consider the costs of the various foods you choose to eat. At any grocery store you will see that meat is more expensive than vegetables, despite being less healthy for the body. Excessive meat has been indicated in many health problems. Fruits and vegetables are better choices and are important sources of vitamins and minerals. In general, the produce section is less expensive than the meat, dairy, and frozen sections, which are full of garbage.

Avoidance of junk food saves money. Empty calories are expensive. Junk food is still junk food even if it is vegan. A vegan cookie is still a cookie and likely a very expensive one! Baked sweets and other treats are often highly processed, packaged, and pricey. To keep costs down, stop buying empty calorie foods. Explore healthier options for treats that offer better values such as fruits or trail mix. It’s good to seriously consider your food in terms of nutritional value. Before you purchase a food item, ask yourself, “Am I getting the most nutritional value out of this dollar I am spending? Or am I wasting my dollar on something that might actually be harmful to my body?”

Eating at home reduces food spending. When we eat out, we are usually paying for atmosphere, service, and ingredients that we wouldn’t choose ourselves if we were cooking. Eating at home generally saves money - for the cost of one meal in a restaurant you could make many meals at home. At home you can eat healthier since you have total control over what you are putting in your body. Making the choice to eat in can make a difference in your health and your budget.

Passing up processed food means not paying for packaging. I’m convinced that the fresher you can get an item, the healthier it is for you. Remember that just because something says “healthy” or “all-natural” doesn’t mean that it is. How natural can something truly be that comes in a plastic wrapper? The best wrappers occur in nature - banana peels, for example. When you buy things in plastic wrap, cans, and boxes you are paying for the packaging (and marketing) of the product as well. Keep this in mind and see if you can choose food closest to its natural state and avoid the extra cost of packaging. Check out the produce and bulk sections at the market.

Long Term Financial Gains

Your most precious asset – your health – is protected. We want to do all we can to avoid illness or disease. As nearly all financial advisors will explain, your ability to earn a living is one of the most important assets you possess. Work inside the home such as caring for a family is also incredibly valuable. How much would it cost to not be able to work for a week? How about month? What about a year? What about three years? Disabilities can be devastating to our financial lives. Improve your diet and you are less likely to get diet-related diseases or have diet related problems. You can enjoy fewer visits to the doctor and miss less work due to being sick – both of which can benefit you financially.

Your spending on personal care can be reduced. Since eating a more natural diet, I spend less money on personal care because many items are not necessary. For example, I don’t have to pay for a prescription, purchase Advil, or spend money at a chiropractor to heal my menstrual cramps. I received relief from changing to a raw vegan diet. No longer do I miss work (and pay) due to nasty cramps. There are many other examples of savings due to diet. When you eat better your skin is clearer and looks better – no wasting money on a dermatologist. Also, you can lose excess weight without resorting to expensive products. So many costly health problems can be solved by one simple solution – changing your diet.

Your performance/productivity/creativity will increase with a better diet. If you have ever experienced a sugar crash (who hasn’t?), you know that eating affects performance – often at our jobs. All across the nation people get high on caffeine and sugar each day and then crash. Undeterred, they go do it again to make it through the end of the day. Now, I’m not saying if you eat poorly your career will be terrible, but you certainly aren’t helping yourself. From my own experience I have seen that poor eating habits can contribute to problems such as lack of concentration, lack of energy, lethargy, and irritability. This keeps me from being my best at whatever work I choose to do. The better I do my job, the more likely I am to benefit financially or receive further opportunities. We will help ourselves financially as we allow ourselves to perform optimally by eating well.

The Bottom Line

Your financial life is interconnected to your lifestyle choices. Remember that as you adjust your diet and lifestyle towards health, you are also pursuing the path towards financial well-being.

OrganicAthlete member Melissa Moser is a writer and certified financial planner dedicated to providing objective and original financial education. Sign up for her free newsletter at www.melissamoser.com.