Prioritizing Your Purse: Foods to Buy Organic

We could debate who’s the hotter Ryan — Reynolds or Gosling — all day long, but when it comes to the pros and cons of eating organic, we’re a bit less informed. To help us shed some light on this health food hot topic, we spoke with Practically Fit fitness and lifestyle expert Christine Lusita.

Organic foods are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which “can have a negative impact on our hormones. They carry free radicals that can damage our cells and often can result in inflammation,” Lusita said.

But as we and our wallets know, eating strictly organic can be expensive. Is it really necessary to exclusively eat organic? Lusita said no. Foods including bananas, avocados, lemons, limes, oranges, and domestic melons with thick skin that can be peeled are the exception.

Here are the foods that Lusita said you should eat organic:

Dairy

“Cows are fed hormones to produce higher quantities of milk, so whenever possible, purchase organic milk, yogurt, and cheese.”

Fruits with thin skins

“Those with soft skin that chemicals can easily penetrate: stone fruits, apples, pears, grapes, and all berries.” “Dirty Dozen”-designated vegetables that carry a higher risk of pesticide residue: “lettuce, spinach, kale, bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, celery and potatoes.”

Meat

“Grass-fed beef contains higher content of omega-3s, which are anti-inflammatory.”

Eggs

“The organic egg means the birds are fed certified organic feed that contains no pesticides, drugs, antibiotics, or animal byproducts…none of these extra hormones, pesticides or antibiotics are passed on to us.”

If in doubt, Lusita said to “buy locally. If there is a question regarding organic or local, I would suggest picking local because you don’t know the quality control and standards of another country.”