Going organic at the grocery store is a healthy choice because certified organic foods are grown using fewer toxic chemicals, which are harmful for the earth and our bodies. If it's available in your area, at a price that suits your budget, "people should be buying organic as much as they can," says Gideon Forman, executive director of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.
Confused about what to buy when faced with imported organic produce from California or local, conventionally grown greens? "It's a complicated equation to figure out, but buying local reduces food miles, protects Canadian farmland and often tastes better," he says. Whether you're shopping for peaches or frozen pizza, scour your neighbourhood grocer and farmer's market for foods that are both local and organic - those are the best option.
If you can't always find organics, or are trying to stretch your grocery budget, Forman suggests starting with some of the foods that are known to be grown using the most pesticides, to avoid excessive exposure to these chemicals.
Read on for some of the top foods to buy organic.
Apples
Your favourite Granny Smiths are a snack you should definitely buy organic. Apples are one of the most heavily pesticide-laden foods produced in Canada. According to Forman, and studies conducted by the David Suzuki Foundation, Canadian regulations around pesticide use are lax compared to most European countries, the US and Australia. We permit much higher amounts of chemicals like diazinon, which is a suspected endocrine disruptor, and a concern for women's health in particular.
Peaches
These rank number-one on the US Environmental Working Group's top 12 fruits and veggies you should buy organic, meaning they're grown using some of the worst pesticides and pose one of the biggest risks to the environment. According to Forman, peach trees are sprayed with thiram, a suspected endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin. If you can't find organic peaches at your grocery store or farmer's market, consider stocking up on bananas or oranges instead, since even the conventionally grown ones contain very low levels of toxic chemicals.
Yogurt
Organic dairy products are produced without antibiotics or hormones. "I buy organic cheese, milk and yogurt," says Forman. "They're available everywhere and in most cases the prices are competitive." The hormones used in dairy production are of particular concern to women since consuming high levels of estrogen could be linked to breast cancer.
Lettuce
Salads are a lunch staple for many women, which means we should be thinking critically about our greens, too. Lettuce is grown using high levels of toxic chemicals - and so are many popular add-ins like bell peppers, carrots and celery (all four are on the Environmental Working Group's top 12 list). Plus, studies have shown that organic foods contain higher levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. "There is some evidence that organic food is more nutritious than conventionally-grown, but our main point is that organic food is superior because it contains dramatically less toxic residue, is more environmentally-friendly, and is much better for the farm workers who harvest it," says Forman.
Packaged foods
From peanut butter to bagels, even packaged foods have gone organic. A box of organic cereal, for example, means that all the ingredients meet the same environmental and health standards as fresh foods bearing the same designation. As with fresh foods, Forman insists that often the prices are comparable to conventional alternatives and the selection is varied, making organic an easier choice to make than ever.
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