There’s a line that’s been passed around for years. Chances are, you’ve probably heard it more than a million times, it goes something like; ‘You Are What You Eat.’
In a world where people are just so demanding; whatever they want is just – Now. The urgency of demand leads to companies cutting corners while sourcing and preparing their produce. While the result might reach you in a shorter time, it isn’t the best choice in the long run. Coffee is also among the product that people need in urgent. If you are serious about your coffee, we suggest trying Organic beans. In this article, we will be talking about the best organic coffee beans along with a little info on what they are and why use them!
What are Organic Beans
People over the last few years have become more aware. We’re not talking about social and cultural awareness, but self-aware. There have been scores of seminars on looking into what we’re putting into our bodies and looking out for our impact on both the environment and society. People are holding themselves accountable and the result is the growth of the organic business.
Most simply put, organic coffee ensures the absence of any outside intruders like chemical pesticides, herbicides, and other additives. In order for coffee beans to grow organically, they need to take root in the shade to avoid harmful damage from the harsh sun.
Before brands are allowed to wear the badge of honorable certifications on their label, however, they are required to have completed up to three years of cultivation while incorporating only natural pesticides and fertilizers in their fields. This is to ensure there is no hint of anything artificial tainting the plant. It is not just the growth cycle that is important. There can be no chemical co-conspirator even in the processing and packaging of the beans.
The best part; naturally nurtured coffee beans, play a tiny role in taking a little bit of the guilt out from your caffeinated guilty pleasures and taste sinfully good while they do that.
The Best Organic Coffee Beans
We hope that you now understand that not all coffee beans are organic but yes organic coffee beans can be among the best. For those of you who want to follow the brand’s footprint while monitoring your own, the good news is there are a lot of like-minded souls out there. Coffee companies, both big and small are going the organic route, leaving you spoilt for choice. Here are a few that are currently at the top of our minds.
1. Lifeboost Coffee
The company came into being through the passion and consequent hunt for a coffee that could be indulged in every day without a worry about the impact on personal health and the environment.
Origin: Nicaragua Roast: Light Tasting Notes: Chocolaty, Strawberry, Nutty
Handpicked high up in the mountains of Nicaragua; a bag of the first coffee on our list is going to leave you feeling like one of Captain Planet’s planeteers. Lifeboost coffee offers shade-grown single-origin Arabica beans. The coffee is low on acidity so you don’t have to worry about the impact a cup or three can have on your digestive system.
Lifeboost coffee is GMO-free. If you wish, you could follow the gene map of the plant, you’d find it free of any alien intrusions. The coffee is also free of any mycotoxins. So you can wave goodbye to the worry that mold can potentially interfere with and influence the taste of your daily coffee. The people at Lifeboost one-up the fair trade coffee companies by offering farmers up to thirty cents more than expected by that act.
It’s not just the people of Nicaragua that they care about. A percentage of the profits that Lifeboost collects are pumped into animal and environmental causes in the country.
Enjoy a slightly nutty light roast that releases a sweet fragrance of hazelnut, caramel, and vanilla. Or perhaps a medium nutty roast with a tinge of chocolate and splash of strawberry that goes down smooth might brighten up your day. The espresso or dark roast coffee with a hint of freshly-roasted cacao and earth wood and might be the kick you need.
Why should you buy this?
Single-origin, low acidity, GMO and mycotoxin-free, and freshly roasted beans are obviously to be admired. Lifeboost coffee holds the said virtues, making it a must-buy.
2. Mayorga Organics Cafe Cubano
- MAYORGA COFFEE CUBANO ROAST - Our Roastmaster craft roasts...
- 100% ARABICA WHOLE BEAN COFFEE - Start your day by enjoying...
- SIGNATURE SLOW-ROASTING PROCESS - Mayorga cofee is specialty...
- CERTIFIED ORGANIC & SUSTAINABLY SOURCED - We believe our...
Origin: Latin America Roast: Dark Tasting Notes: Bold, Sweet, Vanilla
The next coffee on our list proudly carries its cultural heritage with it. Mayorga coffee offers dark roasted, shade-grown single-origin Arabica beans born in Latin America that have been certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Mayorga offers its consumers non-GMO kosher coffee. You can crack the beans gene code open at any level and find it to be free of any outside influences.
Their signature blend is the result of a unique slow-hand roasting technique that beautifully balances the bold smoky hit with a hint of sweet vanilla. Apart from satisfying your daily demand for caffeine, a cup of Mayorga Organics Cafe Cubano also promises to increase energy and blood levels.
The company works more as a family unit than a business. Their primary goal is to narrow the gap between the coffee growers and market sellers. In an effort to ensure the farmers get their fair due, the employees of the company are in contact with the farmers every day. They make regular visits to the fields and problem solve on ways to further finance the supply chain.
Why should you buy this?
The out-of-the-ordinary slow-hand roasting technique allows this coffee to render a balanced, bold, and smoky flavor that satisfies the coffee need of every connoisseur. In addition, it’s efficient in stimulating energy, making it a healthy pick.
3. Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger
- One Bag of Cliff Hanger Espresso Whole Bean Blend
- Roast: Medium
- Certifications: Certified Organic, Fairtrade, Kosher Coffee
Origin: Central & South America Roast: Medium Tasting Notes: Tart red currant, sugar cane, milk chocolate
Riding in next is a coffee that promises to kick your ass with coffee beans that are pure, pesticide-free, and bursting with flavor. Kicking Horse Coffee was one of the first coffee companies in Canada to sign the Transfair Canada which worked to lay the groundwork to bring about Fair Trade Coffee in Canada.
Seven years after the company launched, they modified their approach to ensure they were only sourcing and processing 100% organic coffee beans. Kicking Horse has independent auditors come in randomly every few months to audit and ensure the absence of pesticides and herbicides in their coffee.
While the company in its entirety ensures the beans sourced are of the same standard. The beans used in the cliffhanger blend of Kicking Horse coffee in particular are sourced from three separate continents. The slight tinge of acidity is brought in from the beans picked in Central and South America. The beans growing in Ethiopia carry with them a splash of fruit through their wild berries syrup. Lastly, the kick that knocks it out of the park resulting in the smooth body in the drink can be attributed to the beans brought in from Indonesia.
Why should you buy this?
Finely audited, hundred percent herbicides and pesticides-free coffee is probably the preferred choice of every coffee buff. Kicking Horse beautifully meets this requirement without impacting its unique cup notes that includes a splashy, fruity hint, perfectly complemented by the undertones of wild berries syrup.
4. Cafe Don Pablo Subtle Earth
Origin: Colombia Roast: Medium Dark Tasting Notes: Milk chocolate, honey
Transport yourself to the municipality of Marcala in Honduras, Central America with a cup of their signature blend of Don Pablo, the Subtle Earth Organic coffee. The blend is composed entirely of Arabic beans, that are roasted to a beautiful medium-dark in small batches.
The air, altitude, and environment help in ensuring that the coffee plants are grown and nurtured without the use of any artificial chemical either in the face of pesticides or herbicides. It is not only the growth of the beans but even the roasting process that is organic.
Treat yourself to a morning cup of this perfectly balanced assault on your senses. The coffee teases your palate with hints of honey, caramel, and chocolate. It doesn’t go overboard on the sweetness though and has a slight undercurrent of bitterness that comes in to level the playing field.
The blend is not very acidic making it the perfect introduction to the world of coffee for anyone with a sensitive digestive tract. If you love the taste of a cup before bedtime, you could even opt for their decaf beans. For the people with Keurig or any kind of K-cup brewers, Subtle Earth is also available in K-cups pods format.
Why should you buy this?
The fans of subtility will surely love this classic version from Don Pablo. These beans are roasted in small batches and hold a balanced yet pursuable acidity, rightly associated with honey, caramel, and chocolaty sweetness. The colorful tasting profile and organic growing process make this coffee a must-try.
5. Equal Exchange Mind Body Soul Organic Coffee Beans
- Contains 3 bags, 12 oz per bag (36 oz)
- TASTE: Find your Moment of Zen with this Smooth, Creamy, and...
- ROAST: Balanced Medium & Vienna Roast Blend
- 100% Arabica Coffee Sustainably Grown by Small-Scale Farmer...
Origin: United States of America Roast: Medium Tasting Notes: Almond, malt, sweet orange, and dark chocolate
Marching in halfway through our list is a coffee that promises to be a treat for your mind, body, and soul. Equal Exchange beans are grown in fields scattered across Asia, Latin America, and Africa The coffee can credit its creamy smooth finish in part to the balanced medium & Vienna roast blend.
Through their work, Equal Exchange hopes to nurture relationships between the two ends of the spectrum; the farmers and consumers. They work to incorporate practices that ensure mutual and simultaneous growth and benefit.
Equal Exchange Mind Body Soul Drip has been certified as both organics by the USDA and certified kosher. So be assured the coffee is grown processed without invading harmful chemicals pesticides or herbicides to taint the value and flavor of the coffee.
All the ingredients steps undertaken in the creation of the blend are through fair trade practices. So have a clear conscience while sipping this coffee. The farmers picking the beans that flavor your cup are treated with transparency and respect and compensated fairly for their work.
Welcome the morning in with a flavor bomb of almond, malt, and dark chocolate. Truly a treat for all your senses, don’t forget to savor the scent of vanilla, walnut, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, and brown sugar as you down your caffeinated drink.
Why should you buy this?
As the name suggests, this coffee is blessed with the outstanding ability to bring tranquility to your body, mind, and soul. The blended almond malt and dark chocolate tasting profile cater to the need of relaxing your senses, ensuring the highest level of relaxation, which is commonly expected from a good cup of coffee.
6. Volcanica Coffee Complete Organic Range
An exquisite collection of beans that are purely organic and of single origin.
Origin: Miscellaneous Roast: Medium - roast Tasting Notes: Fruity, chocolate, nutty
Into our next spot is the exotic organic range from Volcanica. The company offers a wide range of roasts that you can choose from depending on your palate preference. You can even pick the region from where you want your coffee beans to originate.
The exotic choices include the Caribbean, the Americas, Africa, Arabia, Indonesia, and the Pacific. The beans sourced by Volcanica are mainly Arabica, there are however a few variants that also offer Robusta and Peaberry coffee beans in their mix.
The company follows fair trade practices ensuring that farmers working on the fields that provide the beans are paid wages in accordance with their work and are not cheated out of a livelihood. People at Volcanica ensure the coffee is shade-grown through regular and personal visits to the fields. The shade helps the coffee grow without any additional help from artificial herbicides or pesticides.
Beans are low on acidity ensuring you can treat yourself to a couple of cups of their coffee without having to worry about the impact on your digestive tract. The brand also ensures that one percent of the sales made on the official site goes towards the charity: Water organization that works towards bringing clean, safe drinking water to every soul on the planet.
Why should you buy this?
Because it’s Volcanica – probably the most uttered name in the world of coffee! Carefully sourced exquisite, pure, and single-origin beans allow Volcanica’s organic range to treat you with the best cups of your life.
7. Jo Espresso
- JO ESPRESSO PROFESSIONAL CUPPING NOTES: RICH CREMA | HEAVY...
- Each batch of this fresh roasted organic coffee is...
- Available in 12 oz or a 2 lb money-saving package, both...
- Our organic coffee is specialty grade coffee, which is the...
Origin: United States Roast: Medium-dark Tasting Notes: Dark chocolate, rich crema
There is no better way to kickstart your day than with a cup full of this rich, delectable medium roast coffee. Created entirely from Arabica beans, it’s difficult to not be tempted by the dark chocolate flavor undertones in the drink.
The coffee claims the Rainforest Alliance, the Roaster’s Guild, and Fair Trade Certifications under their belt. This means that the farmers working to pick the beans that form the coffee in your cup receive wages in accordance with their work. They are not exploited in any way. In addition, farming is conducted through a method that protects the land and ensures its longevity. The coffee is grown without any outside aid through artificial chemicals or other pesticides or herbicides.
While it might be tempting to do otherwise, we’d suggest you try a cup of coffee as it is unadulterated for the best test of taste. There is no bitterness overpowering the flavor of the cup. If it still feels too much for your palate, feel free to add creamer or some sugar. In an additional effort to be more eco-friendly, the blend is also available in recyclable single-serve options for Keurig K-Cup brewers.
Why should you buy this?
The classic delectability that every coffee freak searches in their cup is hidden in Jo Espresso. The tempting dark chocolate flavor and exceptional palatability make this hundred percent Arabica beans the right pick to kick-start your mornings.
9. Valhalla Java Whole Bean
- BY THE POWER OF ODIN: Meet the Valhalla Java...
- EXTRA KICK OF CAFFEINE: Our whole roasted coffee beans will...
- PREMIUM QUALITY BREW: This ain't your normal cup of coffee -...
- BOLD, FULL BODY BREW: Our Valhalla Java Odinforce Blend...
Origin: Indonesia Roast: Medium-dark Tasting Notes: Woody, bittersweet
Christened after the mighty structure in Norse mythology, a cup of this smooth, full-bodied coffee is just what you need to ride in to face the day’s challenges. A member of the Death Wish coffee family, Valhalla Java packs the expected punch of caffeine the brand is notorious for.
The coffee is sourced through fair trade so be ensured you aren’t ruining the lives and livelihood of the farmers growing and picking the beans. Valhalla Java whole beans are grown without the input of any artificial fertilizers, herbicides, or other chemical components. These efforts of the company have resulted in the blend being USDA Certified. One can opt to brew this beautiful blend through a pour-over method if you have the time to enjoy the enticing aroma of smoky sweetness that hits you as soon as the hot water hits the grind.
The company is so confident you’re going to love their coffee, they even provide a money-back guarantee if you don’t.
Assembled through the combination of Arabica beans from Central and South America, and Robusta beans from Indonesia, the coffee has an underlying hint of nutty chocolate. The dark roast of the blend ensures the hit of bitterness to balance the smooth drink out. With the tinges of chocolate and sweet molasses in every sip, we’d be surprised if even the Gods could find something to dislike.
Why should you buy this?
If you are looking for a solid punch of caffeine in your cup, you can rely on Valhalla Java unhesitatingly. The adorable blend of chocolaty sweetness and coffee-like bitterness is definitely going to blow your mind away.
10. Mount Comfort Peru
- Premium Grade Whole Bean Coffee - The Organic Peru Medium...
- Luscious Flavor Note Profiles - Flavor notes of Nutty,...
- 100% Roasted Whole Beans - 2.5 Lb resealable bag for maximum...
- Internationally Sourced Beans - Grown on mountainside farms...
Origin: Peru Roast: Medium Tasting Notes: Nutty, chocolate
As the name suggests, the blend hitting our list next comes from the sprawling green fields of Peru in South America.
Peru happens to be one of the biggest producers of certified organic coffees of any origin in the whole world. Peruvian coffee beans are grown in forested areas by small farmers. A favorable combination of the shade, soil, climate, and high altitude of the area results in creating the perfect breeding ground for flawless coffee.
The elements also help ensure the crops grow without the need for farmers to offer any outside help in the face of artificial chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides. The practice allows them to look after the crop in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. The farming is conducted in a way that ensures the soil remains fertile longer thus providing job safety to the workers in the area.
With low levels of acidity, this medium roast is composed solely of Arabica beans. Enjoy a smooth creamy cup of this coffee with its bursts of chocolate and nutty flavor. The blend is rounded up with a surprise citrus punch for that little extra zing to push you through your morning.
Why should you buy this?
This absolute Peruvian blend is made up of organically grown pesticide-free medium roast beans that are low in acidity but highly capacitated to produce outstanding and enjoyable cups.
11. Ruta Maya Medium Roast
Origin: Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico Roast: Medium Tasting Notes: Coffee, chocolate, nutty
Originating in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, Ruta Maya provides shade-grown coffee composed of 100% Arabica beans. Originating on the land of the Mayans, (the indigenous people of Mexico), the beans are handpicked and transported to Austin, Texas, where they are then roasted and packed every day. The coffee is grown and nurtured without the use of any artificial chemicals and pesticides. The method used to farm allows for farmers to rotate crops out keeping the land fertile for generations to come.
Ruta Maya Coffee has been certified by the Texas Department of Agriculture as USDA organic produce. The company doesn’t follow fair trade practices, instead, they have the ‘Ruta Maya Traded’ way of working. The beans are bought in person when a Ruta Maya company employee makes the trip to Mexico to collect the produce. It is done to guarantee the farmers receive full and fair market price directly in their pocket with no interference from any middle man. The beans are packed in resealable foil-lined paper bags to keep the produce fresh.
The mild roast of the blend ensures you’re not up the whole night. It has a pleasant tinge of chocolate and low acidity making it light on your stomach.
Why should you buy this?
Medium roast, pleasant chocolaty tangs, and tempting aroma Ruta Maya have simply everything to please an individual whose coffee love flows throughout the seasons.
At the End of the Day
Have you ever really wondered how that cup of coffee on your morning breakfast table really got there? Do you even care? Do you think it’s time that you should? While it is true that choosing to shift your buying habits to organic produce will possibly result in a hit on your wallet, you are gaining a lot in the exchange. Opting for organic coffee offers not just a new taste, but also a new way of viewing and respecting, and relishing the process.