Here and there, talking with people in person and online, I share why I love organic coffee.  For this, some folks have titled me a ‘coffee snob’ — inaccurate but acceptable — and once you read my reasons I think you’ll understand why I disagree and believe that organic beans are best.

Sure, I can tell you that I’m not a very good morning person, that I like the taste of coffee — all the usual “I like coffee” tag-lines, but that’s aside the point.  I could also get cavalier and tell you how I can drink gallons of it all day — but that’s not true any more.  Yeah, there was a time that I’d have cups throughout the day — now — my limit is 2 … more than that and I don’t even like me.  I can’t even drink it past 5PM or I have problems sleeping … so while I’d love a fresh cup with that slice of pie, I’m going to have to pass.
(Despite all this, I still think that a coffee IV drip / alarm clock is a magnificent concept!)

So let’s get down to why I love organic coffee …

I used to buy the bulk container of inexpensive name-brand coffee grounds.  It was cheap and the flavour was consistent — and with any luck the can came in handy afterwards.

For me, after 5 or 6 months of drinking this stuff, I’d get what felt like a terrible sinus infection.  It felt as though I wanted to climb the wall with my face.  Every time it occurred I thought I was coming down with something … until I remembered.  Apparently some of us — including me — need to take a break from coffee from time to time.  I know what you’re saying, “Oh god, the headaches!!!”  But before we get too much into that, let’s take a look at how mass-produced commercial coffee is grown, and see if we can figure out why people get headaches when they go off coffee.

As I understand it …

Coffee plants are supposed to grow in the shade, so they grow slow.  Big companies often don’t do “slow” — they want a lot and they want it Now … because they want to make a lot of money and fast.  These large food producing companies clear-cut acres upon acres of land to grow coffee — meaning that it is in the full sun where it is also easy to access (none of those pesky trees getting in the way of their harvesting equipment).  Either to compensate for the full-sun issue, or to make more coffee / money / now, they use fertilizers and pesticides.  Later various other not-coffee ‘ingredients’ are used in processing their beans, preservatives and such.

Think about it …
Fertilizers, pesticides, and preservatives are in your mass-produced coffee — and when you go off that coffee you get headaches.  When I go off of organic coffee, I don’t get headaches.  Organic coffee doesn’t use fertilizers, pesticides, and preservatives.  So what do you think it is giving you headaches?  As I can tell … it’s not the coffee, beans, or grounds.

So back when I had the ‘sinus infection’ sensation every 5 to 6 months, how did I get rid of it?  I’d give my body a chance to detox from the stuff.  Stop coffee for 1-2 weeks.  Dealt with a whopper of a headache for 1-2 days.  Drank plenty of water.  Tried to get some simple exercise in like walking.  All things that gave my body — and my aching head and face — and opportunity to flush everything out.

I started getting together with a friend of mine for breakfast once a month.  We both lead busy lives, however she was able to schedule making a substantial breakfast at her place every few weeks.  With that, she would serve coffee that had incredible flavour.  When I asked her about it, she said that it was from freshly ground organic beans.  She said something about it being better for your body, but I didn’t give it much thought at the time — to me, coffee was coffee and this stuff was good!

While that was my introduction to organic coffee, I don’t remember when I switched to buying organic beans and drinking it regularly myself*.  I noticed some changes, and I was pleased…
(*When I launched WIBC, this was one ingredient I insisted upon along with the other quality ingredients I used — and still use — in making my cookies.)

I still get the ‘sinus’ issue — but it is lighter and it occurs further apart.  The detox is easier and shorter — about 5 to 7 days.  When I skip coffee on any given day, no headache (could it be that my body isn’t addicted to any fertilizers, pesticides, or preservatives and I’m not quitting them cold-turkey?).  Something I’ve also noticed is that my coffee doesn’t get acidic after sitting around for a while — not in my pot, and not in my stomach if I’ve delayed getting lunch.  I’ll still have a cup of commercial-bean coffee — I don’t let my organic switch rule my life — if someone offers me coffee I don’t ask if it’s organic and decline if it isn’t.  So I get some commercial product here and there, that doesn’t affect me.  Instead, most of the time, I consume organic coffee and my body is much happier for it.

Is organic coffee for you?  I don’t know — try switching for a while, see what it does for you.  In the process you might also find that you’re consuming a tastier, natural product.

Want to know how to make a great cup of coffee?

The longest section in my debut recipe book, “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies”, explains how to get the most use out of a French press.  This is one of the best ways to make coffee — it takes patience, and it’s worth it.

This book presents over 50 proven recipes — cookies, beverages, breakfast items, and main-course comfort foods.  Read more about my book here on my site, order a copy online, available through most major retailers in e-book format, and ask for it by name through your favourite bookstore and local library.