With third-wave shops, monthly subscription services and well-stocked supermarket shelves offering fresh coffee beans at lower costs than ever, the choice to go organic may never have been simpler – but is it really better for our planet, our health or those who farm it?

Organic is preferable because it’s less damaging to both humans and the planet. Since organic farms don’t rely on chemical pesticides or fertilizers, there are fewer harmful substances present in both soil and air around organic farms – meaning fewer chemicals in beans we drink, meaning no exposure to potentially dangerous toxins in our bodies.

Organic certification requires that there is sufficient space between an organic farm and any conventional crops where chemical products are being used, in order to prevent cross-contamination from taking place. Furthermore, without being treated with chemicals themselves, coffee plants tend to have stronger natural defense mechanisms against disease than those subjected to conventional practices.

Organic farming techniques also have the added advantage of producing more healthy, delicious-tasting fruits (or seeds in this case). When purchasing organic coffee, you can rest assured that its flavors are pure and natural.

Organic is better in other ways as well. When beans (the source of your daily cup of joe) are grown in shaded conditions, trees are protected from direct sunlight’s harsh rays – helping prevent deforestation as farmers no longer need to clear away forests in order to cultivate crops; additionally, this provides habitat for birds which prey upon pesticide-emitting insects on plants, thus decreasing pesticide usage.

Organic farming practices not only benefit coffee fields themselves, but they also work to enhance the surrounding land. Because organic coffee does not contain synthetic chemicals that contaminate its soil, resulting in richer and more nutritous soil – meaning healthier crops with higher antioxidant levels as a result, as well as higher coffee antioxidant levels which have been linked with decreased risks of cancer, depression and dementia.

Organic coffee benefits not only the farmers themselves, but their families as well. When growers rely on synthetic chemicals to protect their harvests, that eats away at their earnings – which leaves more money in their pockets to be kept by family and communities in those areas where organic agriculture takes place. Furthermore, it supports local economies and creates better futures for all involved parties involved.