Have you ever reset your relationship with coffee? “Reset” means changing the frequency, amount and/or quality of coffee you drink.
It can be transformative.
Fall is a great time to do a whole foods-based cleanse. I just did one, from September 1st through the first week of October, to support my immune system. The cleanse included abstaining from coffee, which helped reset my circadian rhythm; sleep more deeply; calm my central nervous system; rebalance hormones; and lower the stress hormone cortisol.
When I finally enjoyed my first espresso—the first weekend in October—I treated myself to this certified organic, antioxidant-rich brand.
Why this specific brand? Because these coffee beans are grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers; they are also free of mold, mycotoxins and other contaminants. Not least of all because it is DELICIOUS! Personally, I love organic dark roasts, and my go-to is “Ease”, with its robust flavor profile—deep, rich, smooth and low-acidity with a hint of dark chocolate.
Did you know…your everyday cup of conventionally grown coffee can be a source of toxins? I discuss below.
If you want to uplevel the quality of your coffee, apply the discount code PURECOFFEE20 at Checkout to get 20% off your first order HERE.
Back to coffee and your health…
Americans are drinking coffee more than ever before. Most Americans—67% to 73%, depending on the source—drink coffee every day (1, 2). Two of 3 Americans make coffee at home every day (3).
The media and health experts often liken coffee to a superfood, reporting on the purported health benefits of coffee consumption. For example, studies have linked coffee consumption with potentially lowering the risk of Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s; protecting the liver; containing anti-cancer properties; lowering risk of stroke; and potentially boosting fat-burning and metabolism.
TRUTH: whether you experience any health benefits from consuming coffee depends on many factors, including age, current health status, metabolic health, hormone balance, stress load, environmental sensitivities, and whether you are a slow or fast metabolizer of caffeine.
That said…what is often overlooked in the coffee = health equation is the QUALITY of the coffee being consumed.
Unfortunately, what often lurks—and what we don’t want—in our much-anticipated morning cup of coffee includes the following…
Pesticides.
Most Americans are unaware that 90 to 97 percent of conventionally grown coffee crops are heavily sprayed with pesticides; in particular, insecticides, such as organophosphates (OP), pyrethroids, and carbamates (4).
In a study published in Food Analytical Methods, researchers found 69 pesticide residues in coffee, using the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) method (5).
A popular argument is that pesticide residues are significantly reduced after the roasting process (6). However, studies suggest that, even after proper roasting of coffee beans, pesticide residues can still exist in commercial coffee (7).
If you’re a habitual coffee drinker, it is important to understand that long-term exposure to even low doses of pesticides adds to the “body burden”, the total amount of toxic substances or chemicals accumulated in the body over time.
Oral pesticide exposure—by regularly eating or drinking pesticide-sprayed foods—is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases, including: cancer, neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s), metabolic disorders (e.g., Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity); asthma; allergies; dermatitis; endocrine disorders; reproductive problems (e.g., low sperm count, low sperm mobility and poor sperm quality in men; infertility or reduced fertility in women); immunotoxicity; developmental disorders and neurobehavioral disorders (8, 9, 10, 11).
Mold.
Mold is a bigger issue than most people realize. Mold exposure—through mold-contaminated foods (e.g., grains, nuts, tea, coffee, etc.), water-damaged buildings and mold-infested indoor spaces—has been linked to chronic illnesses that affect the brain, nervous system and immune system.
When it comes to coffee, mold can be a huge issue for those who have environmental allergies or food sensitivities to mold; those who struggle with mold illness; and/or for those who have histamine intolerance, a condition where histamine builds up, and your body is unable to break it down properly. Histamine intolerance can present as digestive, respiratory, sinus and/or skin symptoms.
Coffee plants thrive in tropical and equatorial climates. During the harvesting, drying and storage of the seeds, coffee beans are potentially susceptible to undesirable contamination—and growth—of micro-organisms, especially mold (12).
When researchers analyzed the mold flora of 944 green coffee bean samples from 31 coffee-producing countries, they found that:
Aspergillus was the predominant mold in Asian and African coffee beans—even after surface disinfection. Penicillium was the mold type most prevalent in Central and South American coffee beans (13).
Mycotoxins.
Where there is mold, there are mycotoxins!
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxic compounds, produced by certain molds. In coffee, these molds are primarily of the Aspergillus and Penicillium species (14).
Mycotoxin contamination can occur at any point pre-harvest when the crop is growing, or post-harvest during processing, packaging, distribution and storage (15). Under warm and humid conditions, many commodity foods, such as cereal grains (e.g., corn, wheat, rice), dried fruits, tree nuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, coconut), spices, corn, soybeans, tea and coffee, are susceptible to mold growth and mycotoxin contamination (16).
It is difficult to completely eliminate mycotoxins because they tend to remain chemically and thermally stable during food processing, including cooking, boiling, frying, roasting and pasteurization (17). Even if coffee beans are properly roasted, improper storage and processing increases the risk of mold and mycotoxin contamination.
Exposure to mycotoxins can cause acute (rapid onset) or chronic (low dose exposure over a long period of time) toxicity. Potential adverse health effects can include (18):
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- Liver damage
- Kidney damage
- Cancer
- Immune suppression
- Genetic (DNA) mutations or damage
Ochratoxin A (OTA).
Produced by the Aspergillus and Penicillium mold types, Ochratoxin A, or OTA, is the most common mycotoxin found in coffee beans.
A 2009 study found that, among 128 different coffee samples, ochratoxin A was detected in 56% of the samples (19). Researchers found that roasting naturally OTA-contaminated green coffee beans only lowered OTA levels marginally. In this same study, OTA was also detected in 18 out of 40 commercially brewed coffees, suggesting that regular or daily consumption of coffee can contribute to ochratoxin A exposure (20).
OTA is implicated in a variety of adverse health effects, including genotoxicity (mutation of / damage to DNA); liver damage; nephrotoxicity (kidney damage), neurotoxicity (damage to brain or central nervous system); immunosuppression; as well as increased risk of fetal development and birth defects.
OTA has been identified as possibly carcinogenic (cancerous) to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or IARC (21).
Aflatoxin B1.
Aflatoxin B1 is a mycotoxin produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus, normally present in soil and other organic materials (22). Aflatoxin B1 can be found in green coffee beans, which are especially susceptible to Aspergillus mold when the humidity level exceeds 75% (23). Higher levels of aflatoxin B1 have been found in decaffeinated green coffee beans than in decaffeinated roasted coffee beans (24).
Aflatoxin B1 is classified as carcinogenic (cancerous) to humans.
Exposure to aflatoxin B1 can increase risk for liver damage and weakened immune function (25).
Other Potential Contaminants
Produced in moist environments, harmful yeast and bacteria residues are other potential contaminants in coffee beans that can cause respiratory problems and/or allergic reactions. Yeast and bacteria may linger as residue on coffee beans after processing (wet fermentation); stay on processing equipment; or they may grow because of improper or extended storage.
Coffee Reset
You can reset your relationship with coffee in one of several ways:
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- Abstain 100%. Stop drinking coffee altogether periodically. *For example, I typically abstain from coffee anywhere from 1 to 3 months during the spring and fall seasonal transitions.
- Reduce frequency. Drink coffee less frequently.
- Reduce quantity. Drink less coffee overall.
- Upgrade the quality of your coffee. High quality organic, mold-free and mycotoxin-free coffee contains more antioxidants. Ultimately, the taste experience is more satisfying, so you tend to drink less overall.
As a highly sensitive person who has hypothyroidism (low thyroid), I have multiple environmental allergies and food sensitivities, including to mold, yeast, gluten and dairy proteins. I advocate for Purity Coffee because they…
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- Use specialty-grade Organic Arabica Beans (which rank in the top 1% in terms of quality worldwide)
- Conduct third-party lab testing to ensure that coffee beans are free of pesticides, molds and mycotoxins. *Mycotoxins in coffee can lead to liver and kidney damage, cause digestive issues, and contribute to brain fog and fatigue.
- Customize roasting protocols, which maximize retention of healthful compounds, resulting in 65% more antioxidants than other coffees.
- Produce certified organic coffees using regenerative organic farming practices that meet the highest standards for soil health and healthy communities.
- Have multiple certifications, including USDA certified organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified and Smithsonian Bird Friendly®.
- Roast their coffee in small batches to reduce waste and ensure quality.
- Not least of all…enhance my espresso-as-treat experience!
If you want to enjoy a healthier coffee experience, I am happy to be able to offer you an exclusive 20% discount on your first order. Click HERE and enter the discount code PURECOFFEE20 at the checkout.
Sources
1 National Coffee Association of U.S.A. “Daily Consumption of Coffee at 20-year high, up nearly 40%.” ncausa.org. April 11, 2024.
2 Ridder, M. “How frequently do you drink coffee?” Statista.com. Feb. 2, 2024.
3 Allen, Lark. “2024 Coffee Statistics: Consumption, Preferences & Spending.” Driveresearch.com. Feb. 1, 2024.
4, 6, 7 Merhi A, Kordahi R, Hassan HF. A review on the pesticides in coffee: Usage, health effects, detection, and mitigation. Front Public Health. 2022 Nov 8;10:1004570.
5 Yang, X., Wang, J., Xu, D.C. et al. Simultaneous Determination of 69 Pesticide Residues in Coffee by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry. Food Anal. Methods 4, 186–195 (2011).
8 Hamed MA, Akhigbe TM, Adeogun AE, Adesoye OB, Akhigbe RE. Impact of organophosphate pesticides exposure on human semen parameters and testosterone: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Oct 24;14:1227836.
9 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Pesticides in produce linked with reduced fertility in women.” Hsph.harvard.com. 2017.
10 Kalyabina VP, Esimbekova EN, Kopylova KV, Kratasyuk A. Pesticides: formulants, distribution pathways and effects on human health – a review. Toxicology Reports, Volume 8, 2021, Pages 1179-1192.
11 Pathak VM, Verma VK, Rawat BS, Kaur B, Babu N, Sharma A, Dewali S, Yadav M, Kumari R, Singh S, Mohapatra A, Pandey V, Rana N, Cunill JM. Current status of pesticide effects on environment, human health and it’s eco-friendly management as bioremediation: A comprehensive review. Front Microbiol. 2022 Aug 17;13:962619.
12 Preedy, Victor R. (Ed). 2015. Coffee: In Health and Disease Prevention. Academic Press.
13 Mislivec PB, Bruce VR, Gibson R. Incidence of Toxigenic and Other Molds in Green Coffee Beans. J Food Prot. 1983 Nov;46(11):969-973.
14 Viegas C, Pacífico C, Faria T, de Oliveira AC, Caetano LA, Carolino E, Gomes AQ, Viegas S. Fungal contamination in green coffee beans samples: A public health concern. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2017;80(13-15):719-728.
15, 17, 18, 22, 25 Alshannaq A, Yu JH. Occurrence, Toxicity, and Analysis of Major Mycotoxins in Food. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017 Jun 13;14(6):632.
16 World Health Organization. “Mycotoxins.” who.int. Oct. 2, 2023.
19 Batista LR, Chalfoun SM, Silva CF, Crillo M, Varga EA, Schwan RF. Ochratoxin A in coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.) processed by dry and wet methods. Food Control. Volume 20, Issue 9, Pages 784-790, 2009.
20 Studer-Rohr I, Dietrich DR, Schlatter J, Schlatter C. The occurrence of ochratoxin A in coffee. Food Chem Toxicol. 1995 May;33(5):341-55.
21 Więckowska M, Cichon N, Szelenberger R, Gorniak L, Bijak M. Ochratoxin A and Its Role in Cancer Development: A Comprehensive Review. Cancers. 2024; 16(20):3473.
23, 24 Nartowicz VB, Buchanan RL, Segall S. Aflatoxin Production in Regular and Decaffeinated Coffee Beans. Journal of Food Science. Vol. 44, Issue 2, Pages 446-448. March 1979.
