Organic vs. Non-Organic Coffee: What’s the Difference?
Have you ever stopped to check if the coffee you’re drinking is organic? For most people, the word “organic” is most commonly associated with fruits and vegetables, so they don’t even think to check to see if their coffee is organic.
But here’s some that might surprise you. Coffee comes from coffee beans, which grow inside of coffee “cherries.” In other words, coffee beans are the seeds of a fruit! And like all fruits and vegetables, coffee plants can be treated with pesticides and herbicides or they can be grown organically.
Why Organic Coffee Is Just Better Than Non-Organic
Coffee is, for many people, their largest daily source of antioxidants. And while conventional coffee growers will tell you that non-organic coffee still provides you with all the benefits you expect, the truth is, organic coffee beans are higher in nutrient-rich antioxidants because they haven’t been treated with industrial pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.
At the end of the day, it is becoming increasingly important for us to understand how our food is grown and where it comes from. We all want food that is grown and sourced responsibly because it not only tastes better and is healthier for us, it’s also better for the planet. When your coffee is certified organic, it means that it meets the strict growing requirements needed to qualify for certification.
Organic Faming vs. Non-Organic
Organic coffee farms tend to follow the shade-grown concept of coffee growing. This means that the coffee plants grow under a canopy of shade trees in an environment that very much resembles a natural forest. Coffee plants that grow in the shade are naturally fertilized by leaves and sticks that fall from the canopy trees and the trees and other plants not only share nutrients with the coffee plants, but they also help protect the coffee cherries from pests and diseases.
On non-organic coffee farms, nutrients usually need to be added to the soil because the plants grow in very dense environments, often crowding each other out and depleting the soil of its vitamins and minerals. And because the plants are exposed to the sun, pesticides and other man-made products are used to keep diseases and pests away. Unfortunately, the toxic ingredients in those products not only get inside the coffee beans, but also end up in the local water supply where they can affect the flora and fauna.
Want the Best Tasting Coffee? Buy Organic!
Organic coffee delivers a win-win-win. It not only tastes better, it’s also better for you and better for the environment. If these things matter to you (and they should), then you should always make sure that the coffee you are purchasing bears the organic certification logo.
The Exotic Bean is where you can find some of the very best organic coffee the world has to offer. Shop our incredible selection today and order yourself a bag of premium coffee and savor the taste of quality.