Dr Oz: Cheaper Health Foods
Dr Oz said one of the biggest barriers to eating clean is the cost, but the good news is that consumers have more options for discounts on healthier foods and chemical-free products. Dr Oz sent investigative reporter Elisabeth Leamy to find out. Health foods make up a $27 billion industry and Thrive Market is the newest online grocer to offer natural and organic products delivered to your doorstep. The site allows you to select foods based on your needs.

Dr Oz had investigative reporter Elisabeth Leamy look at whether it was really cheaper to shop online for health food versus shopping at a health food store. (Vector Goddess / Shutterstock.com)
There’s also Vitacost, which now has an app to make shopping easier. Vitacost used to sell only vitamins, but now they offer healthy foods and recipes.
Both Thrive Market and Vitacost offer a lot of healthy options, and if you’re on a paleo or vegan diet, both sites are great for that as well, especially Thrive Market. Both are easy to shop too, which means health food is easier to get.
Dr Oz: Shopping At Thrive Market Vs Health Food Store
Elisabeth said it’s all about time, and sometimes online stores have things you won’t see in your local market, providing consumers with the opportunity to try something new.
Dr Oz first looked at snacks from Thrive Market. Elisabeth said if you buy enough for a family of four for one week at a health food store it would cost you around $60. On Thrive Market, you can get it for $45, which means an annual savings of $783. And that’s just in the snack category!
The catch is that you have to pay a membership fee, but the benefit is that they say their prices are 25-50% below retail. They have a $60 annual fee, so you have to figure out if it would benefit your family to use.
Dr Oz: Vitacost Versus Health Food Store
Dr Oz then looked at how much cheaper it would be to use Vitacost versus a health food, store specifically for breakfast staples. At a health food store it would cost a family of four roughly $29 a week. On Vitacost, it would cost $26, which means an annual savings of $136.
Elisabeth gave Thrive Market a B+ and gave Vitacost a B, saying she would reward As to both companies the day they deliver fresh fruits and vegetables to your doorstep.
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