Eating healthy could be more challenging than keeping your portion control in check. A new study published in the journal Health Affairs finds eating a healthy diet can put a strain on your wallet as well.

According to this new research, high prices for healthy foods could make it difficult for some Americans to meet new U.S. nutritional guidelines. Researchers say the government needs to do more to help people eat healthier.

The food pyramid was revamped this year with new nutritional guidelines to live by.

Among the recommendations: Avoid oversized portions, make half your plate fruits and vegetables, make at least half of your grains whole grains and switch to fat-free or low-fat milk.

The new USDA guidelines called on consumers to eat more foods containing potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin D and calcium. Just adding more potassium would likely add $380 per year to the average consumers' food costs.

"We know more than ever about the science of nutrition, and yet we have not yet been able to move the needle on healthful eating," said lead researcher Pablo Monsivais, an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and the School of Public Health at the University of Washington. "The government should provide help for meeting the nutritional guidelines in an affordable way."

Monsivais says food-assistance programs are helping people make healthier choices by providing coupons to buy fruits and vegetables. In fact, you can use food stamps at many farmers markets across the state. Click here for more information.

Still, millions of Americans appear to have a tough time adhering to the guidelines.

"Almost 15 percent of households in America say they don't have enough money to eat the way they want to eat," said Hilary Seligman, assistant professor of medicine at the University of California. "Recent estimates show 49 million Americans make food decisions based on cost."

Some say it all depends on your choices, on what you choose to put on your plate.

Park Wilde, an associate professor at Tufts University, says it's not hard to meet the federal guidelines as long as you eat what's in season and avoid pricier organic foods.

Here's what some people are saying about this online:

"You can eat *very* healthy for very cheap. I was extremely poor for a while, a small amount of olive oil, dried rice and beans, and you have the base of an extraordinarily balanced and complete diet for very very cheap. You just need to be willing to prepare your own food and not be lazy to go for the convenience factor of prepackaged junk, with a little bit of self taught nutritional education. It's not hard."

"For those of you who don't have to worry about money, five dollars a day means the difference between eating and not eating. Some people only have five dollars a day to spend on food. Eating 'healthy' is indeed more expensive. Too expensive for many to afford."

Do you find it expensive to eat healthy? Should the government do more to help consumers stick to its guidelines? What suggestions can you share to eat healthy while making it affordable? Leave your thoughts below.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.

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