Dieting can cost you dear

A new study has found that people who try to go on a healthy diet often end up having to spend more money on groceries.

The study of more than 1,000 people, found that those who bumped up their potassium intake - a nutrient needed to keep blood pressure in check - tacked on 380 dollars to their annual food bill.

It also showed that those who ate foods high in added sugar and saturated fat had lower grocery tabs than the ones who relied more heavily on whole grains and other good-for-you items, according to Times of India.

A recent update of U.S. nutritional guidelines -- what used to be known as the food pyramid and is now called "My Plate" -- calls on Americans to eat more fresh foods containing potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin D and calcium.

But for a typical consumer, the simple act of adding more potassium to your diet could tack on hundreds more dollars to your annual grocery bill, scientists reported Thursday in the journal Health Affairs.

That could make it tough for many Americans to meet healthy diet recommendations during lean times -- and the government should do more to help, according to lead author Pablo Monsivais, an assistant professor of public health at the University of Washington, says msnbc.com.