Before You Buy Organic Gourmet Coffee, Read This

Whether you want to reduce your impact on the Earth or just to avoid any nasty chemical residues in your morning cup of java, the idea of choosing only organic gourmet coffee is appealing. The problem is there are so many misconceptions about organic coffee that you can easily go wrong if you don't do a little research first.

Better for the planet?
Fortunately for those who choose organic for eco-conscious reasons, these coffees really are earth-friendly. Certified organic coffee is grown without harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides and practice sustainable crop rotation, which is healthier not only for the planet, but for those who live and work near coffee plantations. Many of these coffees are also "shade grown" or "bird friendly," meaning they're grown in the forest shade where coffee naturally grows, so no forests had to be cleared. As a plus, many fans of organic gourmet coffee find the traditional growing methods produce a more flavorful coffee.

Better for your health?
While most of us don't drink coffee for the health benefits, that doesn't mean we really want our daily cuppa to be any less healthy than nature intended. Organic gourmet coffee is certainly no worse than others, but getting the real health benefits is a little more complicated than the ads may suggest.

First of all, the fruit of the coffee tree absorbs most of the pesticides, but that part is discarded and only the seed ("bean") is used. Those beans are then dried and roasted at temperatures high enough to destroy most of the chemical residue. The problem happens when you buy beans that were roasted overseas. In the US, before coffee is allowed across the border, it's fumigated with chemicals. Since it's already been roasted, there's no further step to remove those chemicals before then end up in your cup. The solution? Buy green organic coffee beans and roast then at home. You may be surprised how affordable home roasters are.

Organic gourmet coffee is a treasure not only for its flavor, but for the peace of mind you'll get knowing your java habit isn't harming the environment or loading you up with carcinogens. Even better, if you look around a little, you'll be able to find organic coffee for a price comparable to that of any other coffee.