Organic, Mold Free Coffee
+ DIY Cold Brew Recipe
As mentioned in last week's post on Non Toxic Makeup, coffee (along with cotton) is one of the world's most pesticide-intensive crops so it is more important than ever for your health that you are buying organic. Pesticides are known hormone disruptors. You do not want to start every morning by disrupting your endocrine system… or at least I don’t want to!
Additionally, several studies (1, 2, 3, 4) have found mycotoxins (toxins formed by molds that grow on crops including coffee) in coffee beans. Coffee beans are grown in warm and humid climates. Coffee farmers often spray the coffee beans with water before selling them (because they are paid on a per pound basis and the coffee beans absorb the water resulting in the farmers making about 5% more from the increased weight of the coffee beans) before shipping them off to sit in non air conditioned warehouses. Warm, humid and moist - prime conditions for mold growth.
What about the water?
Let’s not forget about the water… No one talks about the water that is used to brew your coffee?? You probably drink exclusively bottled water (ideally, glass bottled spring water or filtered water) because you know that tap water is filled with harmful chemicals including EDCs… BUT have you ever thought about the fact that your coffee is 98% water?!
To recap, your run of the mill coffee is:
+ grown with copious amounts of pesticides
+ potentially sprinkled w/ mold
+ 98% tap water (yuck!)
So about that organic, mold free coffee……
The Best Mold Free Organic Coffee
100% organic + tested for toxins
My personal favorite organic, mold free coffee beans and what I use to brew coffee weekly (for my husband). Their coffee beans are roasted to minimize unhealthy byproducts (like acrylamide) and to maximize health benefits. They have up to 2x the antioxidants of other leading brands.
DIY Cold Brew
It’s SO simple.
The cleanest, simplest and most affordable way to get your coffee! This DIY Cold Brew recipe is so easy, you may laugh. It also allows you to ensure that you are drinking the highest quality coffee to ensure that it is not negatively impacting your health.
Required items:
Coffee beans (organic mold free, duh)
Coffee grinder (or a blender)
Glass container w/ lid (32oz+)
Water (ideally, this spring water or filtered water)
Ingredients:
1 cup whole coffee beans
4 cups water
Recipe:
Coarsely grind coffee beans in this coffee grinder (or blender) on the coarsest setting of your grinder or pulse in 1-second pulses in your blender. I love this coffee grinder because the beans never touch plastic - only stainless steel:) I have this blender and bought a stainless steel container to avoid to daily plastic (ie PFAs exposure) in our morning green juice.
Combine coffee and water in this glass container. Stir thoroughly to ensure that the coffee grounds are saturated.
Steep coffee. Cover the lid, place it in the refrigerator and let it steep for about 12 hours. Leaving it overnight is perfect.
Strain the coffee using this cold brew pitcher or this 100% organic cotton cheese cloth.
Serve the coffee. Cold brew coffee is a concentrate so dilute the coffee with as much water or milk as you prefer. Drink it over ice or warm it up!
Store the coffee in the fridge for up to a week.
The Best To-Go Non Toxic Glass Cup:
I take this cup EVERYWHERE with me.
You will soon be taking this cup everywhere with you!
Another good option if you are just going somewhere where you will be sedentary (say you are headed to the office?), is a mason jar. Super affordable and guaranteed not to spill in your bag during your commute (as long as you seal the lid properly). These don’t fit into a cup holder though so if you are looking to sip coffee while you drive, stick with the to-go cup mentioned above.
Matcha Tea drinker?
Pique Sun Goddess Matcha is organic and quadruple toxin screened for pesticides, heavy metals, toxic mold and radioactive isotopes. It is truly the best of the best.
Looking to transition to clean beauty? Here are the Best Non Toxic Foundations, Non Toxic Mascara and vetted Non Toxic Self Care products.
Not sure where to start your non toxic living journey? Try here.
Thoughts, questions, comments? I love hearing from you. Send me all of them and I will be back next week with more tips for living a healthy and non toxic life.
With love,
Drew