Think ‘organic’ coffee is a healthy choice? Then think again

People begin their day with coffee. Over 1 billion people worldwide drink coffee every day. This is about 12.6% of the world’s population. Everyone has their favourite coffee. While some enjoy Arabica dark roast, others prefer instant or decaf. Nowadays, the ‘organic’ coffee varieties are in vogue. But are these ‘organic’ coffees healthy and safe?

Boom in the coffee market

Everyone loves a good coffee. Your coffee is more than a pick-me-up. It is loaded with health benefits. From boosting alertness to accelerating the reversal of fatty liver, drinking coffee is linked with numerous health benefits. No wonder the global coffee market shows no signs of slowing down. The market is valued at $269.27 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $369.46 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Market Research.Yes, coffee certainly has many benefits, but a new study found that even coffee labeled 'organic' may not be as pure as you believe. A new study by The Clean Label Project, a watchdog, tested the purity of coffee. They analyzed 57 products from 45 leading brands, running more than 7,000 individual contaminant tests.What they found was shocking. The study found that many products may contain dangerous levels of contaminants not reflected on traditional nutrition labels, despite the growing health-conscious market. They identified traces of heavy metals, pesticides, phthalates, acrylamide, and glyphosate byproduct AMPA. These substances enter the coffee through farming practices, environmental conditions, manufacturing processes, or packaging materials. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in many herbicides and is linked to several potential health effects, including cancer, liver inflammation, and metabolic disorders. They can also potentially disrupt the endocrine system and immune system, and have neurodegenerative effects.The study also explored whether roast (light, medium, dark), packaging type (bagged, canned, pods), and product claims (organic) were associated with particular levels of contaminants.

Key findings

No, ‘organic’ does not always mean safe for health

The researchers found that organic coffee had 5% more AMPA on average compared to conventional coffee. Yes, that’s right. Though ‘organic’ coffee is expensive, it does not promise safety. They also found that canned coffee contained up to 66.9% more acrylamide, which is a potential carcinogen, than pods and 57.6% more than bags. Where the coffee comes from also matters. African varieties of coffee beans have the lowest levels of toxins, and Hawaiian beans have the highest.