I’ve been drinking organic coffee for years, but it wasn’t until recently that I started learning the importance of mold free coffee. Being a barista for 10 years, I learned so much about the importance of good quality coffee. Not just because of the taste, but also because of where and how it was grown. Now, I am learning more about how good quality coffee can make you feel. As I try more mold free coffee brands, I will continue to update this post. So, make sure to subscribe to my e-mail list if you want to know about more brands, what I think about them and discount codes.
The Importance of Organic Coffee
Coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops (with chemical pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) in the world. Some of the residue from these chemicals is burned off during the roasting process, but not all. Even if all the residue was burned off, all those chemicals are still going into the soil and water and affecting the local wildlife. To top it off, the U.S. doesn’t have any set limits for pesticide residue on coffee beans. Yuck! If you see the importance of buying organic produce, you should be buying organic coffee as well. Click here to learn more.
The Importance of Shade Grown-Coffee Coffee
Now lets talk shade-grown coffee. Shade-grown means several things, first being that rainforests weren’t cut down in order to plant the crops. Less deforestation means that the native animals have a healthy habitat. It also means that there are trees surrounding the coffee plants to create the perfect coffee growing eco-system. The trees act as buffers and can protect the coffee plants from frost as well as very warm weather. Coffee plants grown under direct sunlight tend to need more fertilizing while shade-grown coffee gets nitrogen in the soil from the nearby trees. To learn more about shade grown-coffee, click here.
Mold and Mycotoxins
Mold is everywhere, it is impossible to avoid it. Typically it is in small amounts and it doesn’t affect most people. However, if you are getting it in your daily coffee on top of everything else, it can add up. If you are dealing with brain fog, memory issues, night sweats, dizziness or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; mycotoxins (a toxic compound produced by some molds) could be the cause. Try switching to one of the brands of mold free coffee below and see how you feel.
It’s no surprise that coffee beans themselves are subject to mold growth. Coffee thrives in damp, warm environments, just like mold. Mold can grow on the coffee at any point during the harvesting, processing, drying and milling process. Ground coffee is also more likely to grow mold than whole bean. According to a Pub Med study that sampled 60 different green coffee beans from Brazil, 91.7% of the beans sampled contained mold. Considering, only a very small amount of mycotoxins can be eliminated when the coffee is roasted at high temperatures, that leaves a lot of contaminated coffee.
Organic, Mold Free Coffee Brands
Purity coffee and Kion coffee are the only two mold free coffee brands I have tried so far. Like I stated above, I will continue to add more coffee brands as I try them. So, please subscribe to my email list if you would like more mold free coffee reviews. Also, if you would like to know more about my favorite methods of brewing coffee, check out my spicy mocha recipe post here.
Kion Coffee
Kion Coffee (pronounced key-on) is certified organic, shade-grown, fair trade, ethically sourced and specialty grade. The beans are grown and harvested on fair-trade, sustainable coffee cooperatives in Mexico and Central America. Where they source the beans varies throughout the year, depending on availability. They use 100% Arabica beans, Robusta beans are more likely to contain mycotoxins. Kion regularly tests their coffee beans for mold, mycotoxins, pesticides and yeast. Kion’s home base is in Colorado and that is where they roast the beans. Their bags of coffee are packaged with nitrogen to extend the self life and to prevent oxidation.
Kion sells medium roast, dark roast and mountain water processed decaf (medium roast). They sell both roasts in whole bean or ground, but the decaf only comes in whole bean. I personally like the dark roast, I am really sensitive to caffeine, so the medium roast was a little much for me. Fun fact- the darker the roast, the less caffeine it has! Get your Kion coffee here. They also sell numerous other products including a clean protein powder, supplements and energy bars. I have tried their energy bars- they have clean ingredients, are filling and taste really good. My daughter loves them too. Check out all Kion’s products here. Use code JENNCGC15 for 15% off your purchase.
Purity Coffee
Purity coffee is also certified organic, shade-grown, fair trade and specialty grade. They select the highest quality organic beans and lab test them to make sure they meet their requirements. Only sustainable coffee from sustainable agriculture is used. (For more about sustainable agriculture see the image below). Then they customize their roast for each batch of beans to maximize the antioxidants and health benefits. Purity tests their coffee at each stage of the supply chain for mold and mycotoxins. Their bags of coffee are also packaged with nitrogen to extend the shelf life. Therefore you get more health benefits and are much less likely to be drinking stale coffee, which is a huge problem with store bought coffee.
The company has also tested (using 3rd party testing) their coffee against 46 other brands of coffee. Testing for pesticides, mold, mycotoxins, yeast, acidity levels, antioxidants, flavor, etc. The results are published on their site, click here to take a look. Purity comes in a medium roast and dark roast whole bean. You can also get it in coffee sachets and coffee pods for a Keurig. They even offer several founders roasts from different regions.
Purity was found to be 65% higher in antioxidants, on average, than all of the other organic coffee brands that were tested. Furthermore, Purity ranked the absolute highest in antioxidant levels out of all the coffees tested, while also being free of mold and mycotoxins.
Purity Coffee® is Lab Tested for Antioxidants and Toxins
Conclusion
I like Kion coffee and I like that they have supplements and energy bars, but overall, Purity is my pick. It gives me the caffeine boost I need without the jitters or anxiety, it also makes me feel good. I have actually had days where I feel like it makes me happier, maybe it’s a placebo affect, but I’ll take it! I also like that they are very transparent and up front with all their information and testing. Try Purity coffee here. Use promo code JENNCGC20 for 20% off your order!
Check out some of my other posts:
- Clevr Blends Adaptogen SuperLattes Review + Discount Code
- The Best Homemade Vanilla Mocha- Dairy & Refined Sugar Free
- Healthier Homemade Pumpkin Spice (Latte) Sauce & Coffee Creamer [Paleo]
- Paleo Spicy Mocha- Dairy & Refined Sugar Free
Resources:
- Is Coffee Bad for You? Why Mold and Mycotoxins Might be to Blame (naturalforce.com)
- Mycotoxins in Coffee- Symptoms and Mold Free Coffee Beans (jillcarnahan.com)
- The Importance of Organic When it Comes to Coffee – Purity Coffee
- Should You Switch To Organic Coffee? – Kion (getkion.com)
- Incidence of microflora and of ochratoxin A in green coffee beans (Coffea arabica) – PubMed (nih.gov)
- 5 Coffee Statistics No One Is Talking About – Longevity Warehouse Blog
- Why Does Shade Matter? | Specialty Coffee Association News (scanews.coffee)
Disclaimers
Affiliate Marketing Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
Medical Disclaimer: The information provided on Clean Green & Caffeine is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified healthcare provider. Clean Green & Caffeine is not liable for how the information is used and cannot be held responsible or guarantee any results. You alone are solely and personally responsible for the results, and your success depends primarily on your own effort, motivation, commitment, and follow-through. Clean Green & Caffeine is simply serving as a coach, mentor, and guide to help you reach your own health and wellness goals through simple holistic remedies and healthy lifestyle changes.
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