You may be devouring your daily ritual completely unaware of it potentially making you sick.
Remember reading a previous blog: ‘peanut butter: friend or foe?’ highlighting that peanut butter contains aflatoxins - a toxic (in the name) compound that can effect our health?
Well… coffee is similar.
Coffee is one of the highest sources of mould toxins
Mould and mycotoxins are naturally occurring compounds that can develop in coffee beans during growth, harvest, processing, and storage. They commonly grow in other crops that have long storage processes such as corn and grains.
These mycotoxins are linked to
- brain damage
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- kidney disease
- respiratory problems
- allergic reactions
- cancer
Decaf beans contain more mould as caffeine, interestingly, protects the coffee beans from fungus and insects.
But before you think I’m getting you to ditch your beloved morning ritual, it is the QUALITY that is key when choosing your coffee.
Coffee has some amazing health benefits:
Bitter - stimulates the liver and gallbladder and stomach to produce digestive enzymes and bile
Antioxidant
Improves brain function and protects the brain (neuro-protective)
Delicious!!
It has been shown to improve exercise performance, fight depression, and boost cognition (we know this one very well).
But in some cases, I’d recommend switching to a decaf (Swiss Method) for those with:
stress, anxiety or nervous disorder.
Have the CYP1A2 gene, which makes you metabolise coffee slow (you’ll usually know if a cup or two makes you feel very uncomfortable or jittery)
Are pregnant
Use it to fight chronic lack of sleep
Some of the biggest coffee bean mould mycotoxin culprits include:
Aflatoxin B1 – A powerful carcinogen.
T-2 toxin – Causes neuronal death (brain damage!)
Macrocyclic trichothecenes – Causes neuronal death and olfactory inflammation.
Fumonisin B1 (FB1) – Causes neuronal degeneration in the cerebral cortex and interrupts lipid (fat) synthesis in the brain.
Ochratochin A (OTA) – Causes dopamine depletion, which causes cell death in the brain.
It is important to note that not all coffee contain mould and mycotoxins, and the level of these compounds can vary depending on factors such as the type of coffee bean, the country of origin, and the processing and storage methods used. However, testing can provide valuable information about the safety and quality of the coffee you are consuming.
Like buying a water filter because our water supply is full of toxic matter that shouldn’t be present but is not regulated, or buying a fish oil that should be rigorously mercury-tested, we need to choose companies that thoroughly check mycotoxin levels in our beloved coffee.
Brands that are tested for mould and mycotoxins include:
It’s up to us to decide where and how we'll reduce our chemical burden
Toxin burden is THE biggest cause of declining health and accelerated ageing today. The thing about toxin burden is it’s all about how it adds up within our body. Sure, there might be just a little mould in our coffee but add that to the THOUSANDS of chemicals we are exposed to each day and we've got a big problem. It’s up to us to decide where and how we'll reduce our chemical burden – but one thing is for sure, we all need to work to reduce the amount of chemicals we’re exposed to.
The truth is, our bodies are BOMBARDED with toxins - bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic, on a daily basis - predominantly exposed through our water and food supply. Some are fine and some are harmful, but what we should be focusing on, is our body’s ability to DETOXIFY these harmful ones out of the body. This isn't just our livers job, it’s our lungs, kidneys, lymphatic systems, skin and of course our colons job to handle and dispose of them safely and effectively - nothing is left behind when the truck delivery takes our rubbish bin!
There are also steps you can take to minimise your exposure to mould and mycotoxins in coffee. One step is to choose high-quality coffee beans that have been properly processed and stored. Another step is to store coffee in a cool, dry place to prevent the growth of mold. Additionally, it is important to properly clean coffee equipment, such as grinders and brewers, to prevent the buildup of mould and bacteria.
Cheers to the next cup of delicious frothy mould and mycotoxin free coffee!
Bec is obsessed with your gut...in more of an enthusiastic-than-creepy way! Book online for a consultation with Bec or contact us to learn more about how Natural Medicine and Colon Hydrotherapy can help you say good-bye to your gut issues!
*This blog is for educational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or other qualified health practitioners before acting on information on this article, particularly if you have a medical condition, taking medication or if you are pregnant.