Best Organic Coffee 2020: A Guide to Buying Better Beans

Coffee and friends, coffee and work, coffee and stroopwafels, meeting over a coffee, and even coffee to go! Over the years, this bold, aromatic beverage has gained the status of not just being a drink, but a culture. Coffee lovers are constantly seeking new ways to enjoy their favourite beverage and the production, trading, and distribution methods are evolving to meet these needs.

So, when the world turns to the organic aisle for food and beverages options in pursuit of better health, coffee aficionados are bound to join the bandwagon, picking up organic instant coffees and the likes!

What is organic coffee?

To put it plainly, organic coffee is coffee grown without synthetic agro-chemicals and plant protection methods like fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Organic methods of producing coffee utilize organic fertilizers like coffee pulp, chicken manure, and compost.

For coffee to be branded as organic, at least 95% of the coffee beans used in the blend should have been grown under organic conditions. However, for the distinction between conventional and organic coffee, the use or non-use of chemicals is not restricted to the growing add fertilising stage of farming alone. This is the case with every single stage including harvesting as well as processing. We are talking about organic coffee grounds where the roasting and even the shipping is preferred to be environmentally sustainable. This means, that organic decaf coffee that you ordered is going to be free from preservatives, additives, artificial flavouring, and colour!

As opposed to the conventional ways of coffee production, organic coffee beans, and organic green coffee beans are produced in a natural habitat. Organic farms are generally forested areas that are more resilient to weather changes and are teeming with natural flora and fauna. Coffee naturally prefers shade and organic coffee is grown within a unique regional ecosystem of lush forests.

Why organic coffee?

Well, we say, why not organic coffee! While growing coffee the natural way may be tedious, it is the better way to do it; and for several good reasons.

Firstly, organic coffee is key in promoting practices which sustain the vegetation, wildlife as well as soil fertility. Conventional means of growing coffee mostly use hybrid varieties that flourish rapidly in the sun. Mass production of coffee, then requires, clearing up of the forests which trigger a domino effect on the environment. Since the soil is stripped of lush vegetation, rains tend to run the topsoil off which then results in the usage of volumes of agrochemicals to restore and maintain soil fertility.

The lack of natural foliage also ends up chasing away the birds and animals from their natural habitat also affecting the soil fertility in the process. The soil which could have otherwise benefitted naturally from the bird and animal droppings is left barren and at the mercy of synthetic fertilizers. In the absence of natural fauna, the crop is also left exposed to pest attacks that are warded off by regular spraying of pesticides. This practice ends up having a long term adverse effect on the plants and the people tending to them.

Secondly, organic coffee farming is also more sustainable for the environment. Synthetic chemicals generally employed in conventional farming have been known to have an adverse impact on the environment. Apart from changing the chemical composition of the soil, it also releases chemical residues into the air and water of the surrounding environment. Organic farms help in combatting climate change since the carbon emission from these farms is considerably lesser than their chemical counterparts.

Organic farming of coffee also is a better investment in the health and future of the farmers. In conventional farms, typically, the labourers and farmers are exposed to high levels of chemicals when the plants are sprayed as well as during the harvesting when they handle the berries directly. Contrary to that, the organic farmers invest in means and in an environment that is healthier for them as well as the farm.

Finally, thanks to all the natural ingredients and methods used, organic coffee beans are richer in antioxidants as well as vitamins and minerals which make it a healthier option. Owing to the chemical-free processing methods, these benefits also seep into the organic coffee grounds. In fact, coffee lovers can also vouch for a definitive difference in the flavour of organically grown coffee.

How organic coffee benefits you 

Coffee beans are one of the most widely traded and consumed commodities in the world. Did you know that over 12 billion pounds produced annually worldwide? Organic farming of coffee, therefore, is bound to have a huge positive impact. If you are a coffee lover, organic coffee is your way of giving back to the community and mother earth! Aside from obviously being a healthier choice of beverage, organic coffee is also a promoter of sustainable methods as well as healthy ecosystems.

The methods of organic farming promote natural foliage as well as wildlife. This means that the plants grow in a self-sustaining symbiotic environment that requires little or no additional nutrients or pesticides. When more people around the world consume more organic coffee, it also propagates fair treatment of the farmers and people employed in the farming of organic coffee. As a bonus, since organic farming discourages the use of harmful chemicals, it also helps keep them healthier.

Not only this, when you opt for organic green coffee or organic coffee you sign up for a host of health benefits. For starters, you are safeguarding your health by avoiding unnecessary exposure to pesticides and other harmful chemicals. When you go for a fresh pour-over black coffee, you can also reap benefits of reduced risk of strokes, heart and cardiovascular diseases as well as type-2 diabetes. A delicious concoction prepared from freshly ground organic coffee beans can also be your step forward to a healthier liver and stronger immunity!

If you want to make a switch to an organic route in the coffee world, Karma Kaapi houses a great range of organic coffee sourced from India’s choicest farms. Buy organic coffee online and enjoy a new coffee experience!