Organic vs. Non-Organic Coffee - What are the Differences?

If you’re an avid coffee lover, you’ve likely heard of the organic and conventional coffee conversation. You might be wondering why the topic is popular — and if it even matters. Well, knowing whether your coffee is organic or non-organic actually matters more than you think!

 

• Organic coffee and non-organic coffee differ most in how they were farmed.
• Organic coffee is grown using natural methods whereas regular coffee is not.
• There are health and taste benefits of drinking organic coffee.

Read on to learn more about the costs and benefits of organic and non-organic coffee.

Organic Coffee vs. Non-Organic/Regular Coffee

When comparing organic coffee vs. non-organic or regular coffee, the main difference lies in the farming processes. Organic coffee is FREE from pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Meanwhile, non-organic coffee plants are raised with harmful chemicals - from synthetic fertilizers to chemical weed removal treatments.

 

What is Organic Coffee?

To be approved by the USDA as certified organic coffee, farmers must follow strict organic farming practices and standards. Below is an overview of how growing organic coffee should be made to qualify for the organic label:

They use natural fertilizer, which can come from cattle manure or coffee pulp.
Weeds are removed by using a natural gas flame weeder, having animals eat them, or removing them by hand.
Genetically modified organisms (GMO) crops are NOT used in production.
The plants are also grown in partial shade, which protects them from sunlight. The shade also provides a place for birds who target coffee plant pests.

 

The Benefits of Organic Coffee Beans

Organic coffee plants themselves are healthy. After all, since they weren’t grown with chemicals, they have a low chance of developing diseases.

Drinking organic coffee can lower your risk of:

 

• Certain types of cancer
• Type 2 diabetes
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Depression

Organic coffee also contains natural compounds that are good for the body!

What is Non-Organic/Regular Coffee?

Conventional coffee is grown with pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which can be harmful to both the environment and human health. Because of the chemicals used on them, the resulting beans tend to taste bitter and sour. Here is a quick overview of how a conventional farmer grows non-organic coffee seeds:

 

• The soil is fumigated to remove naturally-occurring fungicides.
• The farmer fertilizes the soil with petroleum-based chemical fertilizer.
• The seeds are soaked in insecticides and fungicides before being planted.
• Chemicals are also added to the irrigation water.
• When the seeds start growing, they’re sprayed with weedicide.

These plants are also usually grown in direct sunlight, which causes damage to the roots and makes them more vulnerable to pests and disease.

 

The Dangers of Non-Organic Coffee Beans

Regular coffee is NOT grown using natural methods, making them a health hazard. For one, they can mess with your metabolism, which will cause diabetes and insulin resistance. Meanwhile, harmful fertilizers and other chemicals are dangerous to the environment. In general, the process of farming non-organic coffee uses a lot of energy and water — increasing greenhouse gases and contributing to climate change. But with regular coffee, you get a more bitter and acidic taste because of the chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides that are used on them.

 

The Verdict: Is Organic Coffee Better than Non-Organic?

The winner in the organic coffee vs. regular coffee battle is organic coffee. For one, organic coffee has MORE health benefits. What makes organic coffee healthy is essentially how organic farms grow coffee beans. The farms have better soil quality since farmers don’t use chemicals. Because of that, the beans don’t lose the natural antioxidants that make them healthy. On top of that, the plants develop coffee cherries that are more flavorful and fresher than regular coffee.

Of course, organic coffee is more expensive than regular coffee, but in the long term it pays off for your health and you don't have to pay money for expensive medical bills.

Only Tasty Goods offers tasty and healthy organic coffees. Just try it yourself!

  

Note: Consult with your healthcare provider for specific details on how much lion's mane you should take each day.