Americans Eat the Cheapest Food in the World, But What is It Really Costing?

Posted By Dr. Mercola | March 27 2012

In 2010, Americans spent 9.4 percent of their disposable income on food -- 5.5 percent at home and 3.9 percent eating out.  This is a smaller percentage than during any other period in history, and less than half the amount of income spent by Germans (11.4%), the French (13.6%), or the Italians (14.4%).  It is less than one-third the amount of income spent in South Africa (20.1%), Mexico (24.1%), and Turkey (24.5%), and far below Kenya (45.9%) and Pakistan (45.6%).

But overall, it's not actually such a great deal.  Because of the types of food that are so cheap, Americans are spending more than ever on healthcare.  Obesity in the U.S. could cost $344 billion in medical-related expenses by 2018.

And according to Treehugger, that's far from the only problem with the food:

"Conventional foods are largely genetically modified and covered in pesticide residue ... Cheapening our food supply in such a real way has also caused undue harm to the animals that fall victim to our twisted pricing ... In the end, the new corporate structure of our food system has cheapened our diets in a way the world has never seen. While food may cost less in the U.S., it's costing us more than we know in terms of our health, the health of the planet, and harm to the animals we choose to consume."