What does “organic” mean to you? For some, “organic” simply signals that a product is somehow superior to other products. While this is typically an accurate assumption, the term means so much more. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, “certified organic foods are grown and processed according to federal guidelines addressing, among many factors, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Organic producers rely on natural substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible.” While we don’t yet have the capital to become certified organic by the USDA, we have carefully selected all of our ingredients to produce a clean, organic beverage.
For the a|dash team, finding ingredients that are sourced from producers that forgo using harmful pesticides or GMOs was one of our core values in developing our cold brew. What troubled us most was that the United States government does not have a set limit to how many pesticides can be used on coffee beans. This leaves consumers of non-organic coffee with ambiguity on what’s really going into their bodies when drinking their beloved coffee beverages. As avid coffee connoisseurs, choosing the organic option was important for us in our daily caffeine fix; it is also something we successfully adhered to when formulating our product. Our product steers clear from artificial additives. Organic products are more than just “better for you,” they’re what’s best for you! Here are the top 5 reasons we chose organic coffee over conventional coffee:
1.) Decrease the Pesky Pesticides in Your Diet
When you consume non-organic products like seeds (coffee), legumes or produce, you’re likely consuming various pesticides as an unintentional result. Did we lose you by telling you coffee is a seed?!? Well that’s right, the beans you brew are actually the processed and roasted seeds from a fruit, called a coffee cherry, so technically the coffee we consume is a seed. Back to those pesky pesticides…pesticides find refuge in your colon, where they slowly begin to poison your body. The long-term, accidental overconsumption of pesticides is linked to many illnesses such as cancers, ADHD, Alzheimer’s and more.
By eating and drinking organic products, you reduce the pesticides in your diet since most organic farmers produce their healthy crops without using pesticides at all; those who choose to use pesticides solely use those acquired through natural sources. To sum it up, consuming organic products reduces your risk of toxic chemical ingestion, which is a HUGE benefit by our standard.
2.) Organic Ingredients and Products Are Rich in Antioxidants
Antioxidants are one of the many and most powerful mechanisms your body uses to fight off illness. Antioxidants fight free radicals, which in high amounts are linked to diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart problems. While your body naturally produces antioxidants, consuming foods rich in the substances helps you maintain enough antioxidants to keep you happy and healthy!
Because most organic ingredients are grown without using pesticides, they rely on and produce more of their own natural protection, which leads them to contain more antioxidants to protect them from any foes in their environment. Numerous studies point to the fact that organic products have higher amounts of antioxidants and nutrients, namely Vitamin C, iron and zinc. Also worth noting is that organic foods and beverages can contain up to 69% more antioxidants than their non-organic counterparts.
Studies have shown that coffee is particularly rich in several powerful antioxidants including hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols. More importantly, numerous studies have shown that coffee is actually the richest source of antioxidants in the western diet, even more so than some ‘superfoods’ like green tea, chocolate, blueberries and kale. While you should be eating those too, when we decided that beverage was the best vehicle to deliver adaptogens to everyone, every day, we knew that coffee was our first choice.
3.) Natural, Organic Products Don’t Contain GMOs
GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, constitute any organism whose genetic material is altered by technology. In farming processes, producers often use GMO crops, which have added genes to make them more resilient against the environment, improve growth, or have other added benefits. Although GMOs make producers’ lives easier, there is a heavy cloud of concern surrounding the organisms. For starters, studies on GMOs lack long-term research and data, so the side effects of the organisms are relatively unknown. Additionally, individuals harbor concerns that products containing GMOs could cause various allergic reactions since they’re composed of foreign genes. Along with allergies, there is also fear that long-term consumption of products containing GMOs might be linked with cancers and environmental issues.
But no worries y’all! At a|dash not only is our cold brew coffee GMO-free, but the entire can is also completely void of any GMO-containing ingredients. Top-notch, organic, GMO-free ingredients are blended into our final product to create a delicious, adaptogen-infused cold brew.
4.) Organic Products Lack Synthetic or Artificial Ingredients
The controversy concerning artificial ingredients is more prominent than ever. Synthetic additives, which are in many processed foods and beverages, lead to innumerable health problems. Health issues related to these additives range from diabetes to allergic reactions to obesity.
We consider ourselves more than a better-for-you beverage, we are a wellness brand that puts health and wellness first. As part of that ethos, we avoid using synthetic and artificial ingredients. Specifically, we crafted a|dash to be free of all of the following additives that are found in many other canned coffee beverages: high fructose corn syrup, gums, fillers or stabilizers, and stevia.
5) Organic Coffee Helps Combat Climate Change Compared to Conventional Coffee
Organic farms typically use organic fertilizers on their crops, such as coffee pulp or compost. By using alternative fertilizers, organic producers provide healthier air, water, land, and coffee beans. Additionally, organic farming fights climate change by emitting less carbon into the environment, as compared to traditional farming.
To wrap it all up for y’all, organic coffee is better for your overall health by lacking synthetic ingredients and being rich in antioxidants, GMO-free and pesticide-free. To top it all off, organic coffee beverages are better for our environment. Your body, mind and world will thank you for making the switch to organic coffee.
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