Organic Coffee for Your Health and the Environment

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Organic Coffee for Your Health and the Environment

Article by Andréanne Hamel. Andréanne helps her visitors make appropriate choices for a good cappuccino espresso machine, the best super automatic espresso machine for home use, or even stovetop espresso pots that work.

The word organic may bring many pictures to mind. Organic fruits, vegetables, and even organically fed poultry may seem like a fad. The truth is that it really isn’t; organics are quickly taking their place as the healthier choice, and they’re better for the environment to boot!

The same is true when it comes to organic coffee. As the market grows, more and more people are beginning to see real benefit in going green. It isn’t just for the health of the environment; it’s also for a healthier diet, and a better taste.

To gain a better understanding of what the term “Organic Coffee” really means, we have put together this guide to how it relates to your health, and that of our planet!
 

What Does Organic Coffee Really Mean?

Before we talk about the benefits of organics, let’s first discuss what it takes to earn the organic seal. According to the USDA to become certified a coffee farm must meet the following requirement:

No synthetic pesticides or prohibited substances used in the past three years

Have a sustainable crop rotation plan to prevent erosion and the loss of nutrients in the soil

If any pest prevention is required, the farm must have a plan to do so naturally

The coffee must pass an inspection and testing before being allowed into the country and sold as organic

Another label you often see on organic coffees is the bird-friendly label. A farmer, who has been certified as an organic grower, may apply for this label if they use natural shade when growing their crops. In other words, the beans are shaded by trees and not by screens or buildings that most coffee growers use. The bird friendly option is beginning to gain popularity amongst organic farmers.
 

Organic Coffee and the Environment

Obviously with the absence of chemicals, and in the case of bird-friendly coffee in a natural growing environment, there are many benefits to the planet by growing this way. There are fewer chemicals put into the soil, deforestation is reduced since the organic grower wants the shade trees, and of course that leads to less impact on the natural wildlife in the area.

Choosing to go organic is the environmentally responsible thing to do. However, it isn’t the only benefit.
 

Organic Coffee as The Healthier Choice

Along with being healthier for the planet, organics are healthier for you. The USDA has different rules for imported coffee that is certified organic, and that which isn’t. Both types are inspected for pests, disease, and other problems. If a problem is found, the coffee must either be destroyed or chemically treated, hence loosing its organic certification. Certified organic beans are never fumigated.

There are also different rules for the way the beans are processed afterwards. For example if you enjoy decaf, that regular coffee may be chemically decaffeinated with chemicals that are known to be carcinogenic. To remain organic though, a natural process must be used (Swiss water decaffeination for example).

Basically, by choosing the organic coffee, you are ingesting less chemicals. There is an absence of synthetics that grow into the beans themselves (such as fertilizers, pesticides, etc), and the coffee is chemically laden when it arrives in the country. It really isn’t just the environment that you’re taking care of by choosing organic coffees. It’s also the health of you and your family that benefits!