Your morning cup of joe may seem healthy enough, but coffee may actually contain numerous harmful chemicals including pesticides, mold and mycotoxins, heavy metals and carcinogenic byproducts from roasting. For consumers that prioritize health and toxin reduction goals while being conscious about the environment, organic coffee may offer a solution that meets both requirements.

Conventional coffee farms rely heavily on synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to increase yields and control disease. Unfortunately, their chemical residues often remain on beans that end up in your cup, raising concerns as long-term exposure to these chemicals has been linked with increased risks of cancer and compromised immune systems.

Many reputable coffee companies now employ independent laboratory testing to ensure their products are safe for human consumption, with tests often looking for glyphosate, mycotoxins and phthalates in their product. Unfortunately, however, some brands do not share these results publicly, making it hard to know exactly what you’re getting in your cup.

Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that’s been linked to numerous health concerns – birth defects and cancer – has long been used on organic crops; however, some of this chemical still seeps through from conventional fields nearby. Although organic coffee samples typically outshone conventional coffee in total levels of glyphosate residues; a small percentage contained AMPA residues instead. AMPA, like other forms of glyphosate has been associated with reproductive issues, low testosterone in men, and has also been linked with low testosterone in men.

Clean Label also recently conducted research that demonstrated nearly all samples they tested contained acrylamide, an invisible and odorless compound produced when foods are cooked at high temperatures. Acrylamide has been linked with various health concerns including genital defects in babies, low sperm counts in men, asthma and low birth weight in men. As darker or espresso roasts offer lower exposure levels for this compound.

Though no 100% mold and mycotoxins-free coffee exists, many health-conscious drinkers choose organic coffee in order to limit exposure to these toxins. You could also opt for single origin beans from farms adhering to stringent growing and quality standards; whole bean coffee may be less susceptible to mold growth.

Avoid purchasing coffee from cans and pods as these contain microplastics as well as hormone-disruptive plastic chemicals such as BPA and BPB that could harm our bodies. Opting for glass or paper cups instead can help decrease contaminants.

If you want to make the smartest choices for both yourself and the environment, select organic shade-grown coffee that has been certified mold and mycotoxin free by an independent lab. When selecting a brand that utilizes independent lab testing services for its product testing results.