Coffee lovers, rejoice! There's no better time to be a caffeine fiend than the present day. With access to so many different beans from farms around the world, passionate brewers from all walks of life are experimenting with different blends in hopes of creating the perfect cup for every coffee drinker.
There are so many options, however, one of the biggest choices is also one of the broadest, do you pick traditional coffee or organic beans? Many coffee drinkers face this dilemma as they purchase their next bag of beans. When it comes to the organic coffee vs. regular coffee debate, people want to know if organic coffee is healthier or tastes better. Let's look at the organic coffee benefits and how those compare to the benefits of coffee grown and processed through standard methods. What is organic coffee? The dictionary definition states that organic food products are those which have not had any contact with antibiotics, pesticides, growth stimulants, or chemically formulated fertilizers during their growth or processing.
BENEFITS OF ORGANIC COFFEE
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Almost completely free of chemicals: What you put in your body is just as important as what you choose to not consume. Synthetic substances and chemicals can pose serious health risks to the land, animals, and people that they contact. Pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, and other synthetic chemicals can negatively influence bodily changes in some cases. Research is ongoing, but some studies show that chemicals such as those used in the growth or processing of non-organic foods can potentially trigger health issues.
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Organic coffee farms promote eco-friendly practices: Coffee farms that commit to organic practices are actively protecting and preserving our environment. Aside from the growing and processing practices, those who distribute organic coffee may also try to conduct other aspects of their business in more environmentally-friendly ways such as using renewable resources, manufacturing products with recyclable materials, donating proceeds to sustainability or conservation efforts, and promoting environmentally responsible practices to their employees and customers.
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Natural compounds are good for the body: Organic coffee health benefits are definitely enhanced by the lack of synthetic and man-made chemicals used to grow and process the beans. Organic nutrients found in coffee are also effective for reducing stress, increasing your mood, strengthening your immune system and boosting your metabolism. If you choose decaffeinated organic coffee black coffee, you can limit your caffeine intake to ensure you're putting exactly the right amount of this stimulant in your diet.
BENEFITS OF REGULAR COFFEE
There is no denying that the benefits of organic coffee are welcomed by coffee drinkers around the world — we can't imagine a coffee lover not appreciating the lack of chemicals in their morning cup or the steadfast dedication to preserving the environment so they can continue to enjoy quality cups of the coffee year after year. However, when debating organic coffee vs. regular coffee, the conventional process yields several benefits as well:
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Traditional coffee is healthy too: Coffee in any form has been scientifically proven to provide health benefits. Along with energy and focus enhancements, caffeine can help you burn fat and improve your physical performance. It also has the potential to reduce your risk of developing diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, hepatitis, fatty liver disease, depression, and certain cancers like liver and colorectal cancer. Organic or not, the nutrients and antioxidants found in a cup of coffee have positive impacts on your health.
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More options for regular coffee: Although organic food sales are continuing to increase year after year, the quantity of organic farms has stayed relatively the same. With fewer organic farms, there simply cannot be as many diverse options for organic foods as there are conventional foods. This offers coffee drinkers more options when it comes to regular coffee beans. Average drinkers and coffee connoisseurs alike have opportunities to sample different blends and beans from more conventional coffee farms than organic farms.
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Some traditional coffees are more affordable: Not all organic coffees cost more than conventional coffees. However, higher costs can result from several factors. Organic farmers often lack subsidies from governmental organizations, increasing their growing costs. The organic farming process typically requires more labor and thorough management to ensure the products meet the USDA NOP's strict certification requirements. Most of these organic farms are also smaller and don't receive the same economic benefits or tax breaks as larger farms may.
From an environmental standpoint, organic coffee farms may have a more positive impact on the planet than some conventional coffee farms. Comparing the prices of organic black coffee to regular coffee is difficult, as a variety of factors can increase or decrease the price of each specific batch of beans. While there may be more options for regular coffee, there are still plenty of organic alternatives available. Is organic coffee good for you? Yes. Is organic coffee healthier? Not necessarily. But it is tastier.