Organic vs. Non-Organic Coffee: What Are the Differences?

Love your daily dose of coffee? Find out why you should know the differences between organic and non-organic coffee.

Guest Post By: Michael Balmer, founder of My Coffee Base

• Organic coffee and non-organic coffee differ most in how they were farmed.
• Organic coffee is grown using natural methods whereas regular coffee is not.
• There are health and taste benefits of drinking organic coffee.
• Read on to learn more about the costs and benefits of organic and non-organic coffee.

Many people LOVE drinking coffee. In fact, some rely on it to get them through the day.

If you’re an avid coffee lover, you’ve likely heard of the organic and conventional coffee conversation.

You might be wondering why the topic is popular — and if it even matters.

Well, knowing whether your coffee is organic or non-organic actually matters more than you think!

Keep reading to learn how much these two differ.

Organic Coffee Vs. Regular Coffee

When comparing organic coffee vs. regular coffee, the main difference lies in the farming processes.

Organic coffee is FREE from pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.

Meanwhile, non-organic coffee plants are raised with harmful chemicals — from synthetic fertilizers to chemical weed removal treatments.

What Is Organic Coffee?

To be approved by the USDA as certified organic coffee, farmers must follow strict organic farming practices and standards.

Below is an overview of how growing organic coffee should be made to qualify for the organic label:

• They use natural fertilizer, which can come from cattle manure or coffee pulp.
• Weeds are removed by using a natural gas flame weeder, having animals eat them, or removing them by hand.
• Genetically modified organisms (GMO) crops are NOT used in production.

The plants are also grown in partial shade, which protects them from sunlight. The shade also provides a place for birds who target coffee plant pests.

All these precautions allow the plants to mature and develop a good flavor.

The Benefits of Organic Coffee Beans

Organic coffee plants THEMSELVES are healthy. After all, since they weren’t grown with chemicals, they have a low chance of developing diseases.

Drinking organic coffee can lower your risk of:

• Certain types of cancer
• Type 2 diabetes
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Depression

Organic coffee also contains natural compounds that are good for the body!

What Is Non-Organic Coffee/Regular Coffee?

Conventional coffee is grown with pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which can be harmful to both the environment and human health.

Because of the chemicals used on them, the resulting beans tend to taste bitter and sour.

Here is a quick overview of how a conventional farmer grows non-organic coffee seeds:

1. The soil is fumigated to remove naturally-occurring fungicides.
2. The farmer fertilizes the soil with petroleum-based chemical fertilizer.
3. The seeds are soaked in insecticides and fungicides before being planted.
4. Chemicals are also added to the irrigation water.
5. When the seeds start growing, they’re sprayed with weedicide.

These plants are also usually grown in direct sunlight, which causes damage to the roots and makes them more vulnerable to pests and disease.

The Dangers of Non-Organic Coffee Beans

Regular coffee is NOT grown using natural methods, making them a health hazard.

For one, they can mess with your metabolism, which will cause diabetes and insulin resistance.

Meanwhile, harmful fertilizers and other chemicals are dangerous to the environment.

In general, the process of farming non-organic coffee uses a lot of energy and water — increasing greenhouse gases and contributing to climate change.

Is Organic Coffee Healthier?

YES! Comparing organic coffee vs. regular coffee, there’s no doubt the former has more health benefits.

After all, growing organic produce requires coffee growers to adhere to rigid criteria — such as using only organic fertilizer.

Organic farming ensures that chemicals don’t leach into the food they’re growing (in this case, coffee).

Thanks to that, it maintains complete nutrients and flavor, ensuring that you get a cup of healthy and delicious coffee.

Does Organic Coffee Taste Better?

Yes, organic coffee tastes better than conventional coffee!

Organic products aren’t sprayed with chemical solvents, so they have a deeper and more full-bodied flavor.

In the case of coffee beans, you can even get some additional flavors, such as fruity tones.

But with regular coffee, you get a more bitter and acidic taste because of the chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides that are used on them.

The Verdict: Is Organic Coffee Better Than Non-Organic?

The winner in the organic coffee vs. regular coffee battle is organic coffee.

For one, organic coffee has MORE health benefits. What makes organic coffee healthy is essentially how organic farms grow coffee beans.

The farms have better soil quality since farmers don’t use chemicals. Because of that, the beans don’t lose the natural antioxidants that make them healthy.

On top of that, the plants develop coffee cherries that are more flavorful and fresher than regular coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions related to the organic vs. non-organic coffee debate? We’ve answered a few of them for you:

Final Words

Many people can’t live without their daily cup of coffee.

If you’re one of them, it’s all the more important to know why you should go organic.

Buying organic coffee means you’re saving the environment since you’re not buying something that’s grown by having chemicals poured all over the earth.

Buying organic coffee also means saving your body from potential health risks such as diabetes and even some forms of cancer!

Grab some organic beans and make delicious coffee at home

While we may write posts on the topic of “health” or “healing”, we are absolutely not doctors, nor do we claim to be giving health or medical advice. Any health or medical related articles found on this site are documentation of our own experiences and not suggestions for you to follow.