WALK the health food aisle at your grocery store, and you may think you have to remortgage your home to afford to eat well. “But there are plenty of ‘normal foods’ that are extremely nutrient-rich, like sweet potatoes and eggs,” says Rania Batayneh, author of “The One One One Diet.” And those everyday items usually cost way less than their trendy counterparts. Here are some affordable, surprisingly great-for-you eats.

    Red onions vs. cherries

    Both brightly hued picks are chock-full of quercetin, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory powers thought to offer protection against heart disease, stomach ulcers and cancer, Batayneh says. Bonus: Quercetin also appears to help soothe exercise-related aches and pains. So while cherries — even frozen ones — are a splurge, onions are cheap enough to load up on every week.

    Peanut butter vs. blueberries

    Like pricey blueberries (and splurge-worthy red wine), peanut butter is packed with resveratrol, a plant compound that boasts anti-aging properties, says registered dietitian Keri Gans, author of “The Small Change Diet.” What’s more, a recent analysis found that the stuff also appears to lower insulin sensitivity, potentially reducing your risk for diabetes.

    Anchovies vs. farmed salmon

    Salmon might get all the attention for its omega-3s. “But other cold-water fatty fish have high amounts of the healthy fat, too,” Batayneh says. Though the popular pink fish offers slightly more omega-3s per serving, anchovies add a salty, savory bite to homemade salad dressings for about half the price. Just be sure to look for anchovies packaged in jars or pouches; the linings of many cans contain the potentially dangerous chemical bisphenol-A (BPA), which can leach into food.

    Eggs vs. chia seeds

    The popular black seeds are high in protein and healthy fats, but a bag will run you close to US$14. So skip them in favor of eggs, which pack even more of the muscle builder at a fraction of the cost. Plus, more than half of the fat in egg yolks comes from heart healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. The rest comes from saturated fat, but recent research suggests that eating eggs won’t increase your risk for heart disease.

    Cinnamon vs. dark chocolate

    Dark chocolate is touted for its sky-high levels of antioxidants like phenols, natural plant compounds that have been shown to protect your heart and improve memory. But a bar of the good stuff isn’t cheap. A cost-effective — and considerably more potent — alternative? Ground cinnamon. Its polyphenols are believed also to keep diabetes at bay. Add a pinch to tomato sauce for Moroccan-inspired flavor, or swirl a spoonful into your coffee.

    (SD-Agencies)