Discover the Perfect Blend of Health and Sustainability in These Top Organic Coffee Brands

Confession time: I might have taken my love for coffee to extreme lengths. When my team thought my coffee addiction couldn’t get any worse, I clicked that “Order Now” button, adding over $250 worth of coffee to my virtual cart. But before you raise an eyebrow, let me explain – it was all in the name of research! As an office full of self-proclaimed coffee snobs, we pride ourselves on seeking out the finest brews and exploring the world of clean, organic coffee. So, consider this your personal Clean Coffee Directory, where we’ve made it our mission to determine the absolute best clean coffee on the market.

So, with coffee beans in hand, let’s explore the coffee universe, evaluating each brew for its cleanliness, organic goodness, and of course, its ability to deliver that perfect cup of joe.

*Affiliate Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this blog post. If you purchase from my link, I will receive a small commission from the sale. This comes at no cost to you but is paid by the company.

Is my coffee dirty? Why Clean and Organic Coffee is So Important.

No, your coffee isn’t necessarily “dirty” in the literal sense. When we refer to “clean coffee,” it highlights the difference between coffee produced using conventional farming methods that may involve synthetic chemicals and coffee produced using organic and environmentally friendly practices.

Conventionally grown coffee often involves using pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals to manage pests and diseases, enhance crop yields, and control weeds. While these chemicals are regulated, some residues may remain on the coffee bean after harvesting and processing.

On the other hand, clean coffee refers to coffee produced using organic farming methods or sustainable agricultural practices that aim to minimize or eliminate synthetic chemicals. Clean coffee is cultivated in a way that prioritizes soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable farming practices.

Avoiding Pesticide Contaminate in Your Morning Cup of Coffee

Even though coffee is one of the world’s most beloved beverages, it is also one of the most chemically-treated crops on the planet. According to recent statistics, conventional (non-organic) coffee farms can use up to 250 pounds of chemical fertilizers per acre.^[1]

But there’s more: there are approximately 42 different pesticides used on coffee crops, and that excludes the banned substances that may still be making their way into the production process illegally.^[2]

Mold, Mycotoxins, and Yeast…In My Coffee?

Beyond the familiar concerns of pesticides and chemicals, there’s another vital aspect to consider: mycotoxins. These natural toxins, produced by molds and fungi, can seep into various food crops, including coffee.

Although not intentionally added, mycotoxins can infiltrate coffee beans during growth, storage, or transportation, posing a risk to consumers. ^{[3] [4]} A study found that 91.7% of green coffee beans displayed signs of mold contamination even before processing.^[5] Another study revealed that around 52% of green coffee beans and nearly half of brewed coffees were tainted by molds.^{[6] [7]} These statistics highlight the importance of quality and potential mold contamination when selecting your coffee. These facts may also highlight that the jitteriness that people often experience when drinking coffee may NOT be just the caffeine, it could be mycotoxins! Scary thought, right?!

What to Look For When Choosing the Cleanest and Healthiest Coffee

When choosing the cleanest and healthiest coffee, here are some factors to consider:

What Type of Coffee to Look For

• Single-origin or small-batch coffee: These coffees are often sourced from specific farms or regions, allowing for better traceability and quality control.
• Shade-grown: This coffee is cultivated under a canopy of trees, providing a natural bird habitat and supporting biodiversity. These farms often use fewer pesticides, as the diverse ecosystem helps control pests naturally.
• High altitude: Coffee cultivated in cooler and high mountainous regions is known to have a reduced risk of mold. Anything above 1,200 meters in elevation is ideal.

Coffee Certifications

Certifications play a crucial role in helping consumers make informed coffee decisions. These certifications ensure that specific standards and practices are met throughout the coffee supply chain. Some of the most common coffee certifications include:

• Organic Certification: This guarantees that the coffee is produced without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
• Fair Trade Certification: This ensures that coffee farmers receive fair prices for their products, enabling them to invest in sustainable farming practices and improve their communities.
• Rainforest Alliance Certification: This certification focuses on environmental sustainability, wildlife conservation, and worker well-being.
• UTZ Certification: This certification promotes responsible pesticide use, safe working conditions, and transparency throughout the supply chain.
• Bird Friendly Certification: This certification focuses on shade-grown coffee and its impact on bird habitats by ensuring suitable shade cover, biodiversity, and protection for migratory bird populations.
• Specialty Grade: This signifies that the coffee has been thoroughly inspected and sorted to ensure that the beans are free from defects by the Specialty Coffee Association.

These certifications have different criteria and levels of strictness, and some coffee brands may carry multiple certifications. This demonstrated their commitment to various sustainability and ethical standards.

10 Organic Coffee Brands You Need to Try

Now that we’ve covered the essentials of clean coffee, it’s time for the fun part!

Get ready to dive into the world of clean and delicious coffee.

Kion

About: This premium coffee brand is focused on health and offers a unique blend of high-quality beans sourced from sustainable farms to offer a rich and smooth flavor.

Price: Starting at $21 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Kion sources from fair-trade, sustainable coffee cooperatives in Mexico and Central America.

Certificates: Kion Coffee is USDA Organic and Fair Trade certified.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Kion regularly tests their coffee beans for mold, mycotoxins, pesticides, and yeast, but their lab results are not publicly available.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes: Kion was, hands down, almost everyone’s favorite! It was smooth and yummy with no bitterness to taste.

Alexa: Light and smooth. Would be great over ice!

Natalie: Smooth and nutty, but it isn’t too strong. Plus, it smells incredible.

Julie: Caramel-like, vibrant, and clean with no aftertaste!

Dr. Kelly: Flavorful and smooth – just like a fresh cup of black coffee should be!

Fabula Coffee

About: Fabula strives to deliver the finest and healthiest cup of coffee and is committed to freshness, as they roast their coffee just before shipping it to you.

Price: $20 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Fabula sources high-quality beans from South and Central America, regions renowned for producing exceptional coffee beans.

Certificates: Fabula holds several certifications, including USDA Organic, Vegan, and Non-GM certificates.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Fabula tests for mold, mycotoxins, and 350 chemical compounds. Mold testing and lab results are available upon request.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes: Favula was also a staff favorite!

Alexa: The medium roast is a little nutty, sweet, and not bitter at all. Great with creamer.

Matt: The medium roast was my favorite – it was very smooth!

Dr. Kelly: The medium roast and the decaf were great. This one is my new go-to decaf coffee!!

Purity Coffee

About: Purity aims to improve people’s health – through coffee – with meticulous sourcing, certifications, and commitment to transparency.

Price: $24 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Purity selects high-altitude beans from farms in Indonesia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, and Brazil. These farms prioritize regenerative farming techniques, ensuring sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

Certificates: Purity takes pride in its extensive range of certifications, including USDA Organic, Specialty Grade, Rainforest Alliance Certified, Bird Friendly, and Demeter Biodynamic Certified.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Each batch of Purity coffee undergoes multiple tests throughout the supply chain, ensuring the highest quality and safety standards. Their mold testing and lab results are available on their website.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes:

Alexa: Smooth and not too bitter, but left a strong aftertaste.

Julie: Moderate flavor profile – not too bold. Liked the individual bags because they are more gentle and less bold.

Sarah: Very mild in flavor, even a little watered-down tasting.

Dr. Kelly: The decaf was good.  The individual sachets were a little weak-flavored.

Natural Force

About: Natural Force emerged from a passion for trustworthy supplements without fillers or artificial ingredients. Today, they offer an array of items, including coffee, all prioritizing effectiveness, convenience, and rigorous testing for purity.

Price: $24.99 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Natural Force selects Arabica beans from a Rainforest Alliance certified farm in Columbia.

Certificates: Natural Force holds several certifications, including USDA Organic, Paleo, Keto, Vegan, Single Origin, and Direct Trace.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Natural Force provides access to their annual mold testing and lab results on their website.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes:

Alexa: A little bitter but light and smooth. Great if you are a black coffee drinker.

Natalie: Rich, smooth, and great taste.

Julie: Smoky and strong.

*Don’t mistake Natural Force for the brand Clean Coffee in the bright orange bag.*

Bulletproof Coffee

About: Bulletproof Coffee is a well-known brand that gained popularity with its unique blend of coffee, MCT oil, and grass-fed butter.

Price: $16 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Bulletproof sources 100% Arabica beans from coffee farms in Columbia, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

Certificates: Bulletproof Coffee is not certified organic, but they state that they follow “Passively Organic” standards, meaning their products meet organic standards but do not carry the official certification. The farms where they source their beans are Rainforest Alliance Certified.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Bulletproof assures that they test their final products for mycotoxins, but they don’t publicly share their coffee’s third-party test results.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes:

Sarah: Bulletproof Mentalist and French Kick were a little watered-down tasting, and the French Kick has a slightly over-roasted flavor. French Kick also had a pronounced bitterness, while the Mentalist was more acidic.

Kicking Horse Coffee

About: Kicking Horse is a Canadian brand focused on affordable pricing and widespread availability for their “kick ass coffee.”

Price: Starting at $12 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Kicking Horse sources beans from South America, Central America, Africa, and Indonesia, which creates a blend of unique flavors and profiles.

Certificates: Kicking Horse is certified both USDA Organic and Fair Trade.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Kicking Horse assures that they test their final products for mold, bacteria, and yeast, but they don’t publicly share their coffee’s third-party test results.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes:

Sarah: Very bold flavor, the first few sips have a mild bitterness, and then it smoothes out. The decaf had a really nice flavor, bold but smooth.

Alexa: Smooth, bold flavor, #3 favorite

Matt: Easy to drink, tastes clean and smooth

Dr. Kelly: Smooth, rich, tastes great. Definitely in my top 3. Their decaf is also top-notch and smooth

Natalie: Bitter aftertaste but still smooth and a definite good choice for coffee lovers.

Four Sigmatic

About: This brand is likely familiar to you as they were among the early pioneers of the mushroom coffee movement. Their unique twist lies in incorporating mushrooms, adaptogens, superfood powders, and more into their coffees.

Price: $15 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Four Sigmatic sources, single-origin, Arabica coffee beans from Honduras, Guatemala, and Colombia.

Certificates: Four Sigmatic Coffee is Fair Trade Certified, USDA Organic, and CCOF Organic.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Four Sigmatic’s lab results are not publicly available, but their website provides a comprehensive list of their quality standards.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes:

Sarah: Chocolatey flavor and velvet smooth. As a bonus, I felt alert all day and had no caffeine slump.

Peak Performance Coffee

About: Peak Performance was born from the owner’s journey of dealing with body pain and inflammation. It was a realization that what we consume significantly impacts our overall well-being. With this in mind, the brand prioritizes 3rd party testing of its products, focusing on whole foods and organic ingredients whenever possible.

Price: $23 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: The coffee beans used by Peak Performance are sourced from the Guatemalan Highlands, known for producing exceptional coffee with unique flavor profiles.

Certificates: Peak Performance holds several certifications, including USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified, and Single Origin.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Peak Performance states that they test their coffee for the absence of heavy metals, yeast, and mold, but they don’t currently share their coffee’s third-party test results publicly.

Lifeboost Coffee

About: Founded by renowned chiropractor Dr. Charles Livingston, this company strongly focuses on the impact of nutrition on overall well-being.

Price: Starting at $28 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Lifeboost sources its beans from Central America, a region renowned for producing high-quality coffee beans.

Certificates: Lifeboost is USDA Organic Certified for its light, medium, dark, espresso, and midnight roasts. They are actively working toward certification for their flavored roasts.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Lifeboost tests for mold and mycotoxins twice yearly. Mold testing and lab results are available upon request.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes:

Natalie: A little sour or bitter tasting, but still smooth. The smell while brewing was not sour, but definitely was on the bitter side.

Alexa: This one was not my favorite. It was too bitter for me. However, it was definitely still smooth and could be good for a black coffee drinker. It was on the lighter side and has no aftertaste.

Top Shelf Grind

About: Top Shelf Grind, a Seattle-based roaster, provides exceptional coffee focused on offering small-batch production and unique offerings.

Price: $14.99 for a 10 oz bag

Sourcing: Top Shelf Grind focuses on single original, high-altitude beans from Peru and Colombia.

Certificates: Top Shelf Grind is USDA Organic Certified, and their light roast is Fair Trade Certified.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Top Shelf Grind assures that they test their final products for mold and mycotoxins but don’t publicly share their coffee’s third-party test results.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes:

Natalie: The beans had a sour smell, but the coffee itself did not! It has a very smooth finish, and you can taste the hint of black tea. A definite favorite of mine!

Alexa: This one was surprisingly delicious! Bitter smell but is really delicious when brewed! The perfect kind of coffee with or without creamer.

Dr Kelly:  I liked this one too! Nice flavor.

Cardiology Coffee

About: Dr. Jack Wolfson, a cardiologist specializing in natural heart health, founded Cardiology Coffee to make great-tasting coffee that’s healthy for your heart. The coffee beans are cultivated in Honduras by women-run cooperatives that strive for economic independence to support their families. This brand’s commitment to natural heart health, empowering women, and sustainable farming practices makes them noteworthy.

Price: $22 for a 12 oz bag

Sourcing: Cardiology Coffee focuses on single original, high-altitude beans from Honduras.

Certificates: Cardiology Coffee is USDA Organic Certified.

Mold Testing and Lab Results: Cardiology Coffee is tested for toxins and found free of pesticides, mold, mycotoxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other contaminants, but they don’t publicly share their coffee’s third-party test results.

Our Team’s Tasting Notes:

Alexa: It has overtones of berries and fruit, sweet and bitter at the same time

Natalie: Fruity aroma with a very light finish and a sweetness mixed in.

Matt: Fruity, light but bitter

Dr. Kelly: Smooth, sweet, and fruity

Enhance Your Health, Improve Your Vitality, Increase Your Longevity

In a world where our health and well-being are paramount, every choice we make matters. When it comes to coffee, opting for clean, pesticide-free, and mold-tested options can contribute to a healthier lifestyle. By choosing organic and sustainable coffee, we protect our bodies from harmful chemicals and support farmers who prioritize the environment and their communities.

If you’re passionate about living your healthiest life and want to dive deeper into topics like clean coffee, nutrition, and wellness, I invite you to subscribe for your health. By joining, you’ll gain exclusive access to valuable insights, tips, and resources to empower you on your journey to optimal well-being.

Let’s embark on this health-conscious adventure together!

Resources

1. Organic coffee: Why Latin America’s farmers are abandoning it.” 29 Dec. 2009, https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2010/0103/Organic-coffee-Why-Latin-America-s-farmers-are-abandoning-it. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.
2. “A review on the pesticides in coffee: Usage, health effects, detection ….” https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1004570/full. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.
3. “Prevalence of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in Arabic coffee … – NCBI.” 29 Oct. 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8555823/. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.
4. “Evaluation of fungal contamination and ochratoxin A detection in ….” 15 Sep. 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8605134/. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.
5. “Incidence of microflora and of ochratoxin A in green coffee beans ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14726276/. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.
6. “Determination of potentially mycotoxigenic fungi in coffee (Coffea ….” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6049681/. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.
7. “Incidence of Toxigenic and Other Molds in Green Coffee Beans.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30921863/. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.