'Healthy' eating comes with some hidden costs

In 2026, eating healthy is no longer just about what we eat. It concerns what we believe we should eat and what we are willing to pay for that belief.

Walking through an Indian supermarket today, the contrast is striking. A simple packet of roasted chana sits beside a 'high-protein' snack priced three times higher. A basic bowl of curd costs much less than a probiotic yoghurt marketed as promoting gut health. Protein bars typically cost more than a freshly-cooked meal, even though they often contain added sugars, stabilisers, and flavouring agents. The question is no longer whether healthy food is expensive.

The question is whether we are paying for nutrition or for marketing.

Recent studies published in The BMJ and The Lancet have repeatedly shown that ultra-processed foods, even when marketed as 'healthy,' are linked with poorer metabolic and long-term health outcomes.

Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has shown that diets centred on fresh vegetables, whole grains, and high-quality protein cost more than calorie-rich, ultra-processed diets. However, in 2026, the gap has widened for another reason: health has become a product category rather than just a practice.

Consider protein. A protein bar in India can cost between ₹150 and ₹300. Many contain added sugars, sugar alcohols, refined oils, and long ingredient lists that prioritise shelf life over nutrition. At the same time, everyday foods such as eggs, dal, curd, paneer, peanuts, and legumes provide good-quality protein at much lower cost. The hidden expense here is not just financial but also nutritional.

Also read:The ultimate guide to building a balanced and sustainable diet

A similar pattern is evident in foods marketed for gut health. Probiotic yoghurts are often priced two to three times higher than regular curd, even though curd is a naturally fermented food that has long been consumed daily in Indian households.

The same applies to so-called 'healthy' snacks. Baked chips, low-fat chips, and air-popped options are marketed as healthier choices, yet they often contain additives and flavour enhancers and undergo extensive processing. In contrast, something much simpler, such as fresh potatoes cut and cooked at home, or locally-made snacks made with basic ingredients, may contain oil but have fewer additives and be closer to real food.

This shift has significant implications. Consumers are increasingly drawn to shakes, bars, and packaged solutions because they appear controlled, precise, and modern. At the same time, cooking is viewed as time-consuming or imprecise. Consequently, people are relying more on expensive, processed health products for convenience.

India’s traditional food systems tell a different story. Dal, sabzi, curd, grains, fermented foods, and seasonal produce were never meant to be “functional foods,” yet they supported balanced diets for generations. What has changed is not their value but how we view it.

Also read: Swiggy launches ‘EatRight’ category in 50+ cities to make it easier to order healthy food

The real hidden cost of eating healthy in 2026 isn't that good food is hard to find. It's that we have been conditioned to distrust simple foods and overvalue packaged solutions. Healthy eating doesn't need constant upgrades; it needs clarity. Recognising when a higher price indicates better sourcing rather than better branding is now an important life skill.

In 2026, the most expensive way to eat might not be careless, but blind.