Differences Between Organic Coffee Beans and Regular Coffee

A lot of pesticides are used in regular coffee production, which is one of the main differences between traditional coffee and organic green coffee beans. Normally, coffee plants are treated with pesticides before harvest to safeguard against weeds and insects. After being harvested, traditional green coffee beans are treated with even more chemicals.

In the past, coffee was grown in natural environments underneath shade trees where the plants could grow without human interference. Today, large-scale coffee growers have abandoned this method and instead chop down trees and plant coffee in large fields. This change in methodology has brought forth the need for pesticides and fertilizers to ensure favorable yields. The chemicals with which coffee plants are treated seep into the ground and affect soil quality as well as the quality of the coffee beans.

Organic coffee beans are grown in a completely different way. Instead of destroying shade trees to make room for larger growing plots, organic coffee farmers utilize these trees so that the coffee plants may grow in a protected area. This, and the use of birds to control insects, eliminates the need for harmful chemicals and is known as shade tree farming. The results are higher quality, more flavorful coffee beans.

The USDA has a set of standards for organic foods and in order for a product to be certified as being organic, it must meet the USDA's regulations. Organic coffee growers must not use synthetic pesticides and must rotate their crops every several years to preserve soil nutrients.

Even though organic coffee is usually grown on a smaller scale than traditional coffee and its farmers must adhere to strict USDA guidelines, the cost of organic coffee is actually not astonishingly higher than the price of regular coffee. Keep this in mind when you are choosing a new brand of coffee to try. The easiest way to buy organic green coffee beans is online, where a variety of roasts and flavors may be found.

By Steve Turley