Organic beans differ from conventional coffee in that they don’t come contaminated with chemicals that contain arsenic; however, that doesn’t mean it is free from other contaminants, like heavy metals and molds. Consuming unsafe levels of these toxic substances may lead to short-term symptoms like fatigue and weakness as well as long-term issues like cancer or neurological diseases; to limit exposure, opt for certified organic or fair trade coffee products instead.

Conventional coffee may contain trace amounts of heavy metals like arsenic, copper, cadmium, and lead that have serious health repercussions, including neurological disorders, heart disease, and cancer. Although the FDA has set safe limits for these toxic metals in coffee grown conventionally due to environmental contamination, soil erosion, cross-contamination during processing or other processing practices; organically grown coffee should contain lower concentrations due to natural fertilizers and pest control methods used during growth versus conventionally farmed varieties.

Conventional coffee may pose additional dangers in addition to heavy metal contamination, including mycotoxin contamination. Mycotoxin-producing mold grows on coffee beans exposed to moisture during production or roasting processes or improper storage conditions; they produce mycotoxin-related toxins which produce short-term symptoms like diarrhea and nausea and potentially long-term health concerns like cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and heart disease.

Does organic coffee contain arsenic? That depends on your priorities and outlook. Since organic coffee is produced without synthetic chemicals, it usually provides more beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols compared to its conventional counterpart. According to a 2025 study from Warsaw University of Life Sciences researchers found that organic Coffea arabica beans had higher chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and epigallocatechin gallate concentrations than their non-organic counterparts; although their authors do acknowledge that antioxidant levels may fluctuate depending on bean quality as well as brewing method.

On the other hand, non-organic coffee often contains glyphosate – an herbicide widely used in crop production techniques – though this use is prohibited under USDA’s Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule, it still remains widely employed by conventional farmers. Clean Label conducted research that demonstrated that 100% of coffee samples tested contained some trace amounts of glyphosate residue as well as AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid), an environmental breakdown product of glyphosate that can remain for an extended period. Unexpectedly, certain regions in the world boast lower concentrations of glyphosate in their coffee than others – Bali being an especially low producer in this regard due to the local Hindu philosophy Tri Hita Karana which discourages synthetic agrochemical use.