The Coffee Buying Guide from "Food Matters"

Is coffee good for you or bad for you?

Well, that depends on who you listen to. Coffee has been demonized as well as praised by the media. Coffee is truly a controversial beverage.

The first thing to realize is that not all coffees, even the organic ones, are created equal.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN:

The global spread of coffee is said to have originated from the coffee trees in the Ethiopian province of Kaffa. Legend has it that Ethiopian shepherds were the first to discover coffee’s stimulatory effects, when they noticed their goats ‘dancing’ and full of energy after eating coffee berries! It actually wasn’t until the 13th century that people began to roast coffee beans, a crucial step in the creation of coffee as we know it today. Now, we are consuming 400 million cups of coffee each and every day, and that’s just in the US alone!

CAN COFFEE BE GOOD FOR YOU?

Up until recently, coffee used to be thought of as a guilty treat, something that wasn’t the best for our health, and that many of us regularly relied too heavily upon! However, new research continues to emerge highlighting some amazing health benefits when it’s consumed in moderation.

Some of these benefits include:

1. Helping to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
2. Improved brain function and mood
3. Increased beneficial gut bacteria
4. Beneficial antioxidants

WHEN CAN COFFEE BE DANGEROUS?

Despite the proven health benefits, it’s best to moderate your intake of coffee. Consuming too much coffee can limit the absorption of vitamins and minerals essential for your body to function properly.

Consistently consuming caffeine long term can also be problematic. According to Dr. Mercola, pregnant women in particular should restrict their coffee intake. Studies show a higher caffeine consumption increases the risk of a miscarriage or a low birth weight baby, exposing the child to a higher incidence of chronic diseases later in life.

Most coffee beans are very acidic, but not all of them! When you consume an overly acidic diet, you throw off your body’s naturally alkaline environment, disturbing the pH balance and making your body susceptible to illness.
Consuming an occasional coffee can offer health benefits, it’s best to practice moderation to help prevent these negative side effects.

The Coffee Buying Guide from Food Matters

What are the most Health Offending Coffees?

1. CONVENTIONAL COFFEE CHAINS - The average Starbucks or Tim Horton’s coffee is riddled with pesticides, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Most of their drinks are also packed with excessive caffeine! This could result in a possible 415mg of caffeine, whereas a typical cup of coffee has a mere 70-100mg of caffeine!

2. FLAVORED MILKY BLENDS - Any coffees that look more like dessert than a simple beverage should be avoided. There’s much more than just coffee in your cup with fake cream, hydrogenated fats, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners and preservatives all wreaking havoc on your body!

3. REGULAR DECAF - Most decaffeinated coffee is decaffeinated using chemical solvents such as methylene chloride, a carcinogen, and ethyl acetate, used in glues and nail polish! These chemicals are believed to contribute to symptoms like headaches, brain fog, and stomach issues, not to mention the increased risk of cancer! If you prefer decaf, opt for the much cleaner, healthier alternative of Swiss Water Processed varieties.

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING COFFEE BEANS?

1. Not all coffee beans are created equal - type of coffee you choose can make a huge difference to your health, the environment and the workers at the coffee farms! When looking for a great cup, be sure to look out for these key factors:

2. Certified Organic - Certified Organic coffee means that no chemicals, herbicides or pesticides have been used in the production of the blend. Coffee is one of the most chemically treated crops in the world, with up to 250 pounds sprayed per acre! When you sip your conventional coffee, you are ingesting these pesticide residues, which are highly toxic and detrimental to human health.

3. Fair Trade - Most of the coffee-dependent workers worldwide are in developing countries, especially Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Mexico. Producing coffee is a labor intensive job that frequently yields very little profit for the farmers. By requiring companies to pay the farmers sustainable prices, fair trade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which typically discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It allows the farmers to improve their position and have more control over their lives. Something we all deserve!

4. Mycotoxin-Free - Mycotoxins are the naturally occurring fungal by-products growing on the beans. They include aflatoxins, T-2 toxins, ochratoxins, rubratoxins and vomitoxins that can make you feel jittery and overstimulated, and lead to a variety of health concerns. Interestingly, organic coffee is more prone to these toxins, as the pesticides in regular coffee reduce their growth. Without being sprayed, the natural toxins are able to grow more freely. Mycotoxin levels can be managed by ensuring moisture levels are tightly controlled during the processing of the beans. So make sure your organic coffee tests for these mycotoxins to prevent any unwanted side-effects from your favorite blend!

5. Single Origin - Roasters will tell you blends are made to create unique flavor profiles and a consistent coffee, and single origin beans are more for coffee connoisseurs. This is true, but what they don’t tell you is that because coffee blends are beans mixed from multiple areas, you have practically zero guarantee of where your coffee comes from. Meaning you’re more likely getting a blend of cheaper beans with increased levels of mycotoxins! Instead of buying a blend, buy your coffee from single origins to help ensure quality and reduced mycotoxin growth.

SO WHAT DO WE USE AND RECOMMEND?

We recommend Longevity Coffee™ from David Wolfe’s company Longevity Warehouse.

It’s perfect for anyone sensitive to conventional coffee products because it is grown on volcanic mineral-rich soil, fed with pure natural spring water, and nurtured in clean, high-altitude air! Only the most robust and mineral-rich beans are selected and there’s only one other ingredient added - sunlight!

The beans are bathed in a unique spectrum of light that not only makes the need for chemical additives unnecessary, but also kills off any dangerous mycotoxins, creating one of the most unique coffee products ever produced.

As part of our research in writing this buying guide, we looked at a range of different coffees from around the world in our attempt to find the healthiest blend.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OTHER HEALTHIER CHOICES?

When we found Longevity Coffee, we knew we had to share it with you as it has the most incredible health profile! But in our quest for the healthiest blend, we also found some other blends worthy of a favorable mention. These blends include:

1. Bulletproof™ Coffee - This coffee is mycotoxin free, fair trade and single origin, but not certified organic or tested for acid alkaline balance. Made to supercharge your morning when blended with medium chain fatty acids and butter.

2. Organic Coffee Company - Certified organic and fair trade, the Organic Coffee Company produces a range of blended varieties and single origin coffees.

3. Kicking Horse Coffee - Certified organic, fair trade, shade grown and bird friendly, these arabica beans are strong and punchy. The company is committed to local and global environmental conservation and uses 100% recyclable packaging material.

4. Cafe Don Pablo - Fair trade, certified organic, full bodied beans from the Honduras. All of their coffee is roasted fresh to order in multiple small batch roasters.

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