Coffee

Researchers have shown that coffee plants are sprayed with more pesticides than any other commercial agriculture crop.  These days, many consumers are demanding that the food they consume is organic.  Yet many people don’t realize that the coffee they are drinking contains many harmful substances.  Conventional coffee is routinely doused with pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers.  These chemicals work their way into the beans themselves and, ultimately into your body.

Luckily, these days the consumer has a choice between buying the conventional, pesticide-ridden coffee, or an organic alternative.  Organic certifying organizations do a terrific job of ensuring that farmers meet strict guidelines when they grow coffee on their farms.  

Consumers can buy a wide range of organic coffee products, including beans from over 40 different countries in the world to decaffeinated coffee, to flavored and instant coffees.  Products that carry the USDA Organic seal need to contain at least 95% organic ingredients.  Most of them are in fact 100%, since coffee is a complete, natural product.  If you are purchasing an organic bottled coffee drink, everything in it must be certified organic, including the sugar, dairy products, etc.   

Organic coffee is already thriving in the world.  It is estimated that North America alone consumes 85% of the coffee produced throughout the world.  In 2008, 81 million pounds of organic coffee was imported into the United States and Canada.  This may sound like a lot, but it only accounts for 3% of the total coffee consumed in North America.  The trend is on the rise though, as organic coffee is one of the fastest growing segments in the beverage industry.  It has a phenomenal 35% growth rate, which far outpaces that of conventional coffee.  This impressive growth has definitely caught the attention of coffee shops and supermarkets, where organic coffee is steadily pushing conventional coffee off the shelves.

Is organic coffee worth the extra cost?  

The answer is definitely yes.  Coffee prices are so deflated these days that it only costs a few pennies to make a cup of coffee at home.  You can buy a pack of quality organic coffee for only one or two bucks more than regular coffee these days and that works out to about a cent increase per cup.  Everybody wins when you purchase organic coffee.  You get better coffee without the pesticides.  The farmer gets a little more income to support his family, and the ground the coffee is grown on isn’t sprayed with toxic chemicals.  Now that is definitely worth a penny more per cup.

Electric coffee machines are great for making organic coffee. Use a single serve coffee maker for making a perfect cup of organic coffee.

Author: Chad Damon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
White Coat Hypertension

Many people have turned to organic fruits and vegetables (and even meats) in recent years, striving to live healthier, longer lives. You may be one of these people. But did you know that organic coffee is now available, too? If you can’t find it at your local health food store, then you can definitely find it online.

How Organic Coffee Differs From Traditional Coffee

The coffee plant has traditionally been grown in the company of shade trees and other food and cash crops. This approach made for healthier soil and prevented water contamination. Unfortunately, many coffee growers have abandoned this approach in favor of larger crops and hence larger profits. However, synthetic pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers have become necessary to maintain these crops, and along with them the taste of the coffee has suffered, the soil has suffered, and no one knows the potential impact they may have on the future health of the coffee consumer.

In addition, the loss of the shade trees has had a direct impact on migratory song birds. While an obvious connection may not immediately come to mind, the relationship has actually been symbiotic. These birds used the shade trees as their habitat as they migrated, and as a result they provided a natural defense against many of the bugs and pests that can ruin a coffee crop. Without them, pesticides must be used to do the job.

Unlike the large, commercial coffee plantations, organic coffees are generally grown on small farms with plenty of shade cover. There are plenty of migratory birds to control insects, and pesticides are unnecessary. In fact, the United States requires that organic coffees be grown on shaded land and be completely chemical free for three consecutive years.

Tips For A Great Cup of Organic Coffee

Whole beans should be used within a week of purchase in order to enjoy the full flavor of the coffee.

Avoid vacuum-packed coffee, even organic vaccum-packed coffee. The process of vacuum packing cannot be done immediately after roasting. The coffee must sit for nearly a week before it can be vacuum-packed. This degrades much of the flavor.

Coffee beans should be stored in an airtight container, not on the shelf in the paper bag you brought them home with from the store. And in order to enjoy the full flavor of the coffee, you should grind only the amount you intend to use just before brewing.

Whole coffee beans that will be stored longer than a week should be placed in an airtight glass container that’s kept in the freezer.

As with any coffee blend, organic or not, grind the beans according to the brewing method you intend to use. Keep in mind that if you grind your beans too fine your coffee may end up bitter and muddy; if you don’t grind them enough, your coffee may end up flavorless.

Often overlooked, many people consider the most important step toward a good cup of coffee to be the proportion of water to coffee. Experts recommend 2 tablespoons for every 6 ounces of water.

In Conclusion

While you will pay more for organic coffee, just as you’ll generally pay more for organic fruits and vegetables, choosing organic coffee promotes the environment, the health of the coffee grower, and your health, too. Just as important for coffee drinkers everywhere: organic coffee tastes as good if not better than non-organic coffee.

D. Silva is the webmaster for Coffee Pleasures, a website about coffee, coffee flavors, coffee makers, and more.

Author: D. Silva
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Anti-angiogenic Food