Organic
Coffee
Coffee
was "invented" in Ethiopia. It has been a
staple of Ethiopian life for thousands of years
and, thanks to coffee shops turning up on every
corner, has become a way of life for the
western world as well. Coffee is made from
pouring hot water through ground up coffee
beans.
The taste of coffee is determined by the
type of beans that are being used and whether
or not there are any additives (additional
flavorings like hazelnut or vanilla).
For a long time, people weren't that picky
about coffee, but now—thanks to corporate
coffee shops being built everywhere—people are
very particular about the coffee they drink. Of
course this "pickiness" isn't always based on
flavor; it is often based on how the beans are
grown. Many people will only allow themselves
to drink organic coffee.
Watch This Video
About An
Organic
Coffee
Farm In Costa Rica
What makes organic coffee different from
"regular" coffee? Organic coffee beans are
grown in a way that is meant to have as little
impact on the environment as possible. Organic
coffee growers do not use synthetic
fertilizers, pesticides or high carbon
producing machines. In the United States coffee
is not considered to be organic until it has
been inspected by the United States Department
of Agriculture.
Organic coffee is grown all over the world.
According to recent studies, the world produces
sixty seven thousand metric tons a year. While
it is grown all over the globe, almost half of
the total among of coffee grown is consumed in
the United States.
What about decaffeinated coffee? The
decaffeinating process for organic coffee
involves running the beans through water. This
process is called the Swiss Water process.
First the beans are cleaned and soaked in
water. Then the beans are immersed into
"flavor-charged" water that is free of
caffeine. The caffeine diffuses from the bean
and infused into the water. The water then runs
through a carbon filter that traps the diffused
caffeine and then the water is poured back over
the beans to restore the beans' flavor.
Organic coffee is labeled by the
manufacturers. If drinking organic coffee is
important to you, make sure to check for the
certified organic label provided by the USDA.
Unfortunately growing your own coffee, while
possible, is far more difficult than growing
other organic materials, so it is best that you
rely on the USDA label to tell you which
coffees are organic and which coffees are
not.
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