When to Buy Organic

The four foods you should always buy organic

Proponents of organic foods claim their safer and healthier than the conventional alternative, but hunting down these specially labeled products can be a hassle- and add to your food bill.

So when to be choosy? Here are four items for which it may be worthwhile to "go organic" and why:

BEEF

Cattle are fed estrogen-like hormones and antibiotics, which end up in the meat we consume.

MILK

About 17 percent of dairy cows are given the hormone rBGH, which some people believe may cause cancer in humans.

CELERY

This food, which packs beneficial low-calorie fiber, also topped the list of vegetables high in pesticide residue in a 2011 study by the Environmental Working Group. (Spinach, too, ranked high.)

APPLES

Eve’s biblical offering led the fruit pack in terms of pesticide residue. (Runners-up include strawberries and peaches.)

Related Read: Organic Wines and Eco-Friendly Sipping