ORGANIC V/S CONVENTIONAL COFFEE: A DEEP DIVE

Let Us Begin The Discussion On Organic V/S Conventional Coffee

Unless you live under a rock, you might have noticed that the demand and craze for organic food products are growing exponentially daily. Even when you go to any supermarket, you'll be greeted with organic food products, left, right, and center! These days, most businesses market organic food as the new elixir of life.

Now, the question arises – Do we need to consider organic v/s inorganic food, even when it comes to coffee? Isn't regular, conventional coffee as good as Organic Coffee?

What is Organic Coffee?

By definition, the best organic coffee is been cultivated without using chemical fertilizers, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms (G.M.O.s). Suppose you want to be 100% certain that your "morning cuppa" is free from harmful chemical-based fungicides, pesticides, or even fertilizers. In that case, you won't find anything better than Organic Coffee today. 

Is it healthier than conventional coffee?

Some people argue that the current trend of "organic food" is just a passing phase, food, and related consumable products must undergo rigorous quality checks before they reach retail markets. Using pesticides and insecticides is the best way to maintain quality. 

But again, food and drink regulations are unique across the world. So, the push for organic food (including coffee) has intensified over the past decade.

 It's always better to be safe than be sorry. For instance, will you drink a glass of water if you know it has been exposed to fungicides and pesticides? No way, isn't it? Then why take the risk when it comes to your steaming hot cup of coffee?

How is Organic Coffee healthier than conventional coffee?

Did you know that conventional coffee is one of the world's most heavily chemically treated crops of any agricultural commodity? It is because standard coffee crops use over 200 different types of chemical-based pesticides when compared to organic coffee!

As coffee beans are placed in direct sunlight all day, it drastically weakens coffee plants' immune systems, making them more vulnerable to insects and pests. Coffee growers are bound to use large amounts of toxic pesticides and insecticides directly over coffee beans. Inevitably, this ends up in the average coffee user's daily drink. 

So, by now, you can see that growing and consuming "conventional" coffee isn't just harmful to our health but also highly toxic to the farmers who are growing the coffee. Most of the chemicals used in farming non-organic coffee are hazardous for plantation workers. Additionally, these chemicals can cause short-term and long-term health diseases to coffee farmers and coffee consumers like you and me.

What is the Difference between Organic and Non- Organic Coffee

From all the facts and information mentioned above, you must have realized by now that non-organic coffee isn't good for anyone who drinks it, farms it, or, to be honest, even lives in the vicinity of the farm where conventional coffee is grown. 

The difference in Cultivation processes

Let's pause here and understand the exact cultivation process of organic and non-organic coffee.

The most significant difference between the two is in the minor components of the process that we need to see—the farming processes.

When it comes to organic farming, the coffee grower must make crucial decisions at all levels of the coffee growing process to maintain or enhance the health of both the environment and the consumer. 

To start, an organic farmer always uses a natural fertilizer. This fertilizer usually comes from the coffee pulp itself or cattle manure.

 Whereas an organic farmer doesn't need to battle as many insects or pests as a conventional farmer does at the beginning of the coffee cultivation process, eventually, he too will have the problem of unwanted weeds to be taken care of. 

An organic farmer will strictly use natural methods to care for the weeds. It may include burning off the weeds with a natural gas flame weeder or using animals to eat the weeds.

By contrast, conventional coffee growers start their cultivation by fumigating the soil to remove any naturally occurring fungicides. Then, the usual procedure is to fertilize the soil with a solid petroleum-based chemical fertilizer. Even after this, the coffee seeds are soaked in many insecticides and fungicides before finally being planted. 

After planting the coffee seeds, another chemical is added to the irrigation water to keep pests away. Finally, once the coffee plants start sprouting, a conventional coffee grower will spray toxic chemical-based weedicides to eliminate unwanted weeds.

Comparing these agricultural processes makes it easy to see the vast difference in how these coffee crops are grown. Conventional or non-organic coffee not only has a hugely negative impact on our environment but can also have irreparable consequences on human bodies.

What makes Organic Coffee better?

From the above, it's safe to assume that cleaner Organic Coffee beans automatically ensure cleaner air, water, and land, as no synthetic fertilizers or chemicals are used to produce the coffee.

Although conventional coffee still maintains its health benefits (except for the use of pesticides, obviously), organic coffee beans are higher in nutrient-rich antioxidants. Some people claim they can even taste the difference between organic and non-organic coffee!

Summing Up on Organic vs. Conventional Coffee

When it comes to the debate between organic and non-organic coffee, the most important thing to know is exactly how your coffee is grown. Ideally, we all would love to buy coffee sourced hygienically and responsibly. Ensuring that your organic coffee is genuine by ascertaining that they are "certified organic" will ensure you get the highest quality of organic coffee.

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