With the increase in scientific development and enhancement of industrialization, where the world has gained a lot, it has also lost on major frontiers. One of it is health. With the increase in globalization, the demand for food supplies is also on an incessant increase. To cater to this increased demand, farmers have resorted to chemical fertilizers and genetically engineered food seeds.
Although these methods ensure pest-free crops in huge quantities that would otherwise have been impossible to get yet they have resulted in serious health hazards for us. Take for instance, the example of coffee. There is an ongoing debate whether organic coffee beans should be used or inorganic.
Before delving into the details, let us first know what organic coffee actually is. It is the coffee that is cultivated according to the organic farming ways without the usage of artificial herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. Techniques used in organic cultivation of coffee beans include socially responsible and green activities like composting, recycling, social and environmental protection strategies.
Having said that, it is also significant to mention here that coffee beans can only be classified as 'organic' when they have passed the following tests:
1. They should be grown on a land that has not been through the usage of pesticides or other restricted substances for a period of three years.
2. The land on which organic coffee is grown should have had sufficient crop rotation, thus preventing erosion and depletion of soil nutrients.
3. A sufficient barrier should exist between organic coffee beans and their nearest traditional crop.
Organic coffee beans are primarily produced in Mexico, Peru and Ethiopia. The advantages of using organic coffee beans include the fact that they are tastier and coffee brewed through them has a richer flavor as compared to the synthetic coffee beans.
Their added advantage is that they are good for the environment whereas most of the coffee available in the market is grown through the usage pesticides and chemical fertilizers. These substances pollute the environment severely and are a serious health hazard for animals and humans. These problems can be sufficiently catered to if farmers choose organic methods for the growth of coffee. That is the reason that for the growth of organic coffee beans, farmers especially in the USA must go through a tough process of certification by the USA Department of Agriculture.
One may ask whether one can differentiate between organic and inorganic coffee through its appearance. The answer is no. they would look alike but their tastes would be way different from each other. Organic coffee will have a lovely aroma and flavor which even the most expensive synthetic gourmet coffee won't have. So people, who are coffee addicts, can very well differentiate through their experiences taste buds. Being a citizen of the mother earth, it is also highly advised that for the protection of natural ecosystems, wildlife and soil nutrients, you should go for organic food products including coffee beans. So, include it in your green lifestyle mottos.