10 Uber Healthy And Versatile Foods That Won't Break The Bank

Food is hella expensive and trying to find food that's both healthy and affordable is impossible (or maybe I'm just bad at grocery shopping). But there's a surprising number of versatile basic foods that can be used in so many recipes that don't cost a lot!

There's so many amazing foods out there that are really healthy and can be added to numerous dishes to make something delish! I set out to find 10 of these health foods that anybody, including a poor student like myself, can afford.

Let's talk about superfoods. The only thing super about them, to most of us, is that they're super expensive!

Except, they're actually not! Personally I think about superfoods being things like protein powders and kale and flax and barley and things like that. Well I'm here to tell you that ... kale is a superfood (among a lot of others), but it's actually a lot more inexpensive than I thought?!

1. Frozen Blueberries

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Blueberries are uber healthy, are great to add into smoothies or on top of cereals, and are 2/$5 at Shoppers Drug Mart this week. They contain something called anthocyanins that give these berries their colour, helping to improve your eyesight and memory, according to Men's Journal. In a study from South Dakota State University, it was discovered that when blueberries are frozen, the antioxidants essentially "freeze" in time, meaning that they'll be more healthy if used frozen!

2. Tomatoes

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While tomatoes might not be in their peak during the winter, they're great to add to hearty soups, budgets and to make salsa. They help to protect against cancer, keep blood pressure at a healthy level, protects eyes against damage and so much more. They even contain properties that can help reduce tumour development in prostate cancer and when coupled with a healthy diet, help reduce the risk of dying by 20% — make sure to eat lot of them if you want to live to see the end of the world! Plus, they're cheap in general ($1.91 for a 454g container of cherry tomatoes at No Frills this week), making them a great snack to pop in your lunchbox.

3. Red Wine

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In a CNN report, it's explained that red wine can help reduce blood pressure in mice. While this study was done on mice and not humans, the result might be the same (if a study is ever done). But any excuse to drink some wine is a good one, in my books!

4. Sweet Potato

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The mighty sweet potato is a good source of fiber, calcium, iron and vitamins B and C, and I'm obsessed with them! They're great for keeping up a healthy digestive system and might help regulate blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes, according to BBC Good Food. Plus according to researchers, potato peels and purple sweet potatoes can help reduce the risk of cancer. They're available at No Frills this week for only $0.88/pound, so stock up!

5. Peanut Butter

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Containing only a couple ingredients, peanut butter is high in protein, fiber and minerals, peanut butter is health and is sure to make your mouth stick together! Natural peanut butter, which doesn't contain added sugar, is best, but all types can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, CNN reports. But be sure not to overdo it — peanut butter is high in calories, meaning it could take up a lot of the calgories you plan to use for other meals. You can find regular ol' Kraft PB going for $2.97/500g at Walmart, or $2.97/g for the GV all-natural version.

6. Kale

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While in my humble opinion kale taste gross and anybody who tries to serve it to me should be put in prison, it's filled with health benefits. If you want to overdose on your vitamins and minerals for the day, eat or drink (in a smoothie, of course) a cup of kale. It has 206% of the recommended vitamin A, 684% for vitamin K and 134% of the needed vitamin C, according to Healthline. And researchers at HNRCA found that people who eat 1.5 servings of kale per day had the brain power of someone 11 years younger. At only $2.47 for a bunch it's cheaper than lettuce and has uber more health benefits!

7. Dark Chocolate

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This yummy superfood contains something called flavanols that might help reduce heart disease — and that's coming from Harvard, which is justification enough to eat a bar or three of it (#noshame). The report states that it helps to "relax the blood vessels and improve blood flow, thereby lowering blood pressure." I for one stan a healthy blood pressure A separate study done on German adults found it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. The regular price is $1 for a 100g bar at Walmart, making it a quick and affordable snack or ingredient!

8. Chia and Flax Seeds

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Flax and chia are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids and can help reduce inflammation, reports The Globe and Mail. Flax has properties that help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and, as Everyday Health reports, it can might be able to help manage breast cancer. Chia seeds are regularly $4.97 for a 454g bag at Walmart (which might seem like a lot but they'll last a while) and flax seeds are $2.97 for a 400g bag.

9. Apples

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A 2013 study found that there's a good chance that eating apples (along with blueberries and grapes) is "significantly associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes", while drinking juice can increase the risk. Apples are such a versatile fruit and can be used in so many different things — like this yummy-looking apple spinach salad, where you could sub the spinach out for kale! Food Basics has locally-grown apples going for $0.68/lb this week. As someone obsessed with apples (I literally LOVE them in everything, be it on a sandwich, in salads or even in a stir-fry), I can get behind this science.

10. Oats

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According to Treehugger, oats are good for the heart, are packed with fiber and can help fight obesity. A researcher who spent several years studying the health properties of oats found that they have high anti-inflammatory health benefits. While ones bought from the grocery store aren't as high in health benefits as the one, but that doesn't mean they're not at least somewhat as healthy as those used in the research.