Consumed with GMO’s and chemicals in coffee
Wake Up to What’s in Your Coffee
Coffee is a morning must have. People all over wake up and leave a little bit earlier in the mornings to wait in long lines wrapped around a drive up window at the local Starbucks or coffee house. Organic coffee is the way to go. Unfortunately, consumers everywhere are not in the know about all of the harmful chemicals and possible carcinogens hiding inside of that Cinnamon Dolce Latte…
Does Starbucks Have Something to Hide?
It seems that Starbucks in particular is joining the dark side and it is all coming to light. Starbucks’ milk comes from factory farms, where dairy cows are forced to suffer through nasty wide spread infections and surgical mutilation all while being fed an unnatural diet full of growth hormones and antibiotics – Growth hormones and antibiotics that you then ingest while drinking your fancy morning pick me up. Starbucks’ pastries are full of genetically modified ingredients and this corporate company is spending lots of cash to keep that little known fact under wraps. Starbucks, alongside Monsanto, is a member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), a group that threatened to sue Vermont because of their GMO labeling bill (H.112). The GMA pushed a bill called the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling” act also known as the D.A.R.K. (“Denying Americans the Right to Know”) act. This association has donated millions of dollars to keep you in the D.A.R.K. about the ingredients that are actually in your food.
GMO’s and Chemicals
Does your coffee shop of choice offer organic options? Non-organic coffee is covered in pesticidal and herbicidal residue. The coffee plant is one of the highest sprayed plants. Starbucks’ coffee is not organic and their products are overflowing with some of the scariest chemicals and genetically modified ingredients. Ingredients such as Vanillin, caramel coloring, artificial flavors, preservatives, and dyes are what we are dealing with here… These specific ingredients have been linked to a number of health problems.
Vanillin
Vanillin is a cheap, imitation of vanilla extract. This ingredient is paired with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, or another low quality sweetener to make it taste better. This product is synthetic, produced by using petrochemicals and is made with the highest hopes of matching the taste of true vanilla. Unfortunately, nothing compares to the deep flavor of true vanilla. Vanillin is known to trigger headaches. Some artificial vanilla flavorings come from the castor sacs of beavers… these glands are located between the pelvis and the base of the tail and are used to spray when marking territory. Apparently, the smell that is emitted from this spray is a musky, vanilla scent.
Caramel Coloring
Caramel coloring is one of the most widely used food colorings. Used in pop and beer providing the golden-brown hue, this chemical is practically everywhere. There are four different types of caramel coloring, all are bad for you and two out of the four types are known carcinogens. Caramel coloring has been linked to a list of health problems including high blood pressure, decreased immune function, allergies, and cancer.
Red #40
Red #40, also known as Allura Red or FD&C Red No. 40, comes from petroleum distillations and coal tars. This chemical is also one of the most popular, if not the most popular, artificial food colorings out there. It is everywhere! Even if your food is not red or orange in color. Red #40 contains “P-Cresidine”, a chemical used to create dyes and pigments. P-Cresidine is a known carcinogen called out by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Red #40 is also linked to hyperactivity in children, such as anxiety and psychological issues, and allergic reactions.
Non-Organic Coffee Production
Is your coffee of choice organic? For all of you coffee addicts out there, this question should be at the top of your list. The ground up coffee beans you are drinking may be carrying the residues of agro-chemicals. Research shows that up to 250 pounds of chemical fertilizers per acre cover coffee crops all over the world. These chemicals have been connected to cancer and miscarriages in women. Unfortunately, organic coffee only takes up a small 7% of the worlds harvested coffee. Because of all of the pests that attack coffee plants, using harsh pesticides, opposed to insecticidal soaps or neem oil, helps coffee farmers yield more product every year.
Organic Coffee Wins
These problems do not just stop with Starbucks. Coffee shops everywhere offer similar, if not the same, ingredients in their products. Push your favorite coffee shop, whether it is Starbucks or not, to start offering organic coffee. Organic coffee boosts your health! It stimulates your brain, promoting focus. Organic coffee also fights against mental degradation as we age and is full of wonderful antioxidants that help relieve oxidative stress in the body. If you are lost as to what organic coffee to choose, my family is completely sold to Café Mam! This company is the bomb. Their coffee is 100% organic (certified organic by the Oregon Tilth) and 100% fairly traded. Each sack of their coffee has what Café Mam calls an “audit trail” to ensure that it does not come in contact with any chemicals. No pesticides or herbicides have ever been detected in their many years of residue training. Now that’s what we’re talking about!
Health Effects of Caramel Colorings
A Closer Look at Animals on Factory Farms
Starbucks Supports Pro-GMO Company
Are You Sipping Pesticide Residues in Your Morning Coffee?
What are the Benefits of Organic Coffee Consumption?
