Coffee. There is nothing quite like the sweet aroma and smooth taste of coffee first thing in the morning. As one of the most popular beverages in the world, more than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year.
While great controversy exists whether or not coffee is good or bad for you, I will save that topic for another post but in general you might want to consider switching over to decaf if you:
- Are pregnant
- Have the CYP1A2 gene which makes you metabolize caffeine slowly
- Struggle with insomnia
- Have an anxiety disorder
- Have been diagnosed with adrenal dysfunction
If you don’t fall in the above categories and find yourself innocently drinking your morning joe, I am sad to inform you that your morning up of coffee is likely hiding a myriad of mold, toxins, and pesticides. Many conventionally grown coffee contains health-harming contaminants like Ochratoxin A, Acrylamide, Yeast, and Pesticides. These toxins have been shown to cause short term symptoms like fatigue, weakness, and brain fog, in addition to long-term health consequences like cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and more.
When I first heard about these things, I was shocked. A devout Dunkin loving girl, I was in disbelief and denial that molds, yeasts and pesticides would be allowed in coffee. However, to my surprise, I quickly found that the information I was told was correct.
Ochratoxin A (OTA) in Coffee
Ochratoxin A is classified as a possible carcinogen by the US Government and categorized as a mycotoxin. Mycotoxins are toxic chemical that mold produces that commonly grow in crops that have long storage processes like grains, corn, and coffee beans. They are the cause of many health conditions and coffee mold symptoms.
While several different strains of Mycotoxins can be found in coffee, Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxin B1 are the two most common and of greatest concern. Specifically Ochratoxin A has been described in scientific literature as neurotoxic, immunosuppressive, genotoxic and carcinogenic. It has been found to cause oxidative stress in the body, which in turn impairs mitochondrial function. Considering About 90% of your energy is generated by tiny cellular structures called mitochondria this is not something you want to mess with.
In several other countries, the amount of ochratoxin A permitted in food is limited, however in the United States there is no limit, meaning the potential for contaminated beans is a great concern.
Yeast & Pesticides
If mold in your coffee wasn’t enough, let’s add in some yeast and pesticides. While yeast is commonly known to be found in breads to help them rise, it is actually a key played in the fermentation process for things such as beef, chocolate and COFFEE. For chocolate and coffee in particular, it is believed that yeast strains play a critical role in the creating a bean’s distinctive taste and smell.
While this may not be a problem for most it can be dangerous for those with allergies and sensitive immune systems. For those struggling with a gut dysbiosis, this yeast can also further potentiate the problem.
In addition to the yeast we find pesticides. If you haven’t heard of a pesticide before, it is a substance used on plants and crops to destroy insects or other organisms. Pesticides are linked to a number of health issues including ADHD in kids, breast cancer, depression, fertility issues, and immune system dysregulation. Only 3% of coffees available worldwide today are grown using organic methods, which means 97% are treated with pesticides and other chemicals.
Considering how much coffee is consumed each year, the amount of toxins in coffee is incredibly problematic. With toxic burden being one of the biggest causes of declining health and accelerated aging, it is important we think about the amount of toxins we are being exposed to on a daily basis. While the little mold, yeast or pesticides in your coffee may not seem like a big deal, add that to the 84,000 other chemicals you are exposed to each day and you have yourself a big problem.
What I suggest. Ditch that nasty cup of coffee. Break up with Starbucks or Dunkin, and opt for something like Purity Coffee. Purity coffee takes organic coffee and mycotoxin and pesticide exposure. In fact, they tested 65 different type of coffee at an independent lab and they held up against some big name brands. If you are interested in learning more you can check it out here.
If interested in trying some out for yourself, click the link here
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