- Toxin dodger
- Posts
- Coffee beans vs toxins
Coffee beans vs toxins
Yo toxin dodgers…
I'm on a quest for the cleanest cup of coffee and since you’re reading this I’m guessing you are too.
This is one area i’m happy to over-optimise on because coffee is an all in thing.
You probably drink it every day. Multiple times per day. I do.
And this ads up to a LOT of coffee over time…
That's why I've been obsessively researching how to make my coffee as clean-and-toxin-free-as-possible.
We spoke about coffee machines last week so today lets talk about the beans.
In this email:
Coffee bean related toxins to avoid
Recommended clean coffee brands
How to figure out if beans are clean
lets go…
(I made a short video about this on Instagram here and also on Tiktok here)
Coffee toxins to avoid
Ugggh I hate to admit it but coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world (pesticides)
And it's prone to mold growth (mycotoxins).
And we haven’t even considered microplastics yet (eek).
Can you avoid most of this stuff?
Yes.
(And I have options for you below)
Here’s what you need to know…
Coffee beans, toxicity and testing
It goes without saying but you should be buying beans that provide 3rd party testing on contaminants.
Quite a few brands test for mycotoxins.
A few brands also test for chemicals/pesticides.
And at least one brand I found is also testing for microplastics now too.
But finding a brand that will test ALL 3 is rare so here’s how you should think about it:
Your first priority: Mycotoxins
This is the biggest risk with coffee beans.
These mold toxins l directly damage your kidneys, suppress immunity, and have even been linked to the ‘C’ word.
So this is the first thing you want to verify is that its free of mycotoxins
About a month ago I asked the brand I’ve been using if they could share their test results (this is Byron Bay Coffee Co - a local brand where I live)
They said yes and gave me their mycotoxin test results:
But then I asked them about pesticides. They replied saying they don’t test for them :(
Your second concern: Pesticides
No Mycotoxins? great.
This is already a good sign you’re onto some clean beans.
But if you want to take it to the next level (and you should)
Look for signs of pesticides and chemicals.
Conventional coffee can contain dozens of pesticide residues, many banned in the US but still sprayed liberally in non-US coffee-growing regions (which is most of them)
These disrupt your hormones, mess with your brain, and again are linked to the big C word.
So extra points if your coffee is mycotoxin AND pesticide free.
Note: if a brand is organic they SHOULD be free of this stuff, but you have to be ok with trusting them on that.
I ain’t playing Russian roulette with my health and hormones.
Your third focus: PFAS & Microplastics
If you’ve found beans that show non-detectable levels of mycotoxins and pesticides you’re onto a solid brand. Well done.
What about microplastics though?
Well…testing for microplastics is new territory in the coffee bean space but good news:
Some forward-thinking brands ARE starting to include microplastic data in their reports.
I found at least one (below)
Hardly any brands test for PFAS in the coffee space right now but its a growing area of concern so its worth a mention for now.
Most importantly: “trust but verify”
This goes without saying but if you want clean coffee you should purchase from brands that actually share their third-party testing results with you.
Seem obvious but guess what?
There are still brands out there who claim to do 3rd party testing but will not share the results with you because its “internal company data” or some s**t.
Example: Bulletproof coffee.
They don’t share their 3rd party results and instead ask you to trust.
LOL
No thanks.
With all this outta the way lets look at some examples of GOOD CLEAN coffee brands with verified 3rd party testing…
5 coffee brands that actually test for toxins
As always I will be adding these + more to clean products spreadsheet but here’s a few good ones to start with:
1) Lifeboost coffee (my #1 pick)
✅ tested for mycotoxins
✅ tested for pesticides
✅ tested for microplastics
Lifeboost does very thorough testing but their Uganda Medium Roast showed trace levels of lead, acrylamide & microplastics.
So for now I would avoid Uganda but other roasts tested very clean.
This goes to show you how important 3rd party testing is.
A brand may be organic. They may test thoroughly. But contaminants can still somehow infiltrate your beans.
How? who knows. Maybe some coffee farmers in uganda weren’t so honest.
But luckily Lifeboost is honest and they put it all on the table.
Obviously I’m impressed with Lifeboost. They are the only brand that tests for everything. They are clearly committed to offering the cleanest coffee beans in the world and all their tests are available and extensive.
Every time i’m in the the states I drink Lifeboost. Unfortunately its not easy to get it here in Australia.
I hassled them for some coupon codes
10% off store wide with the coupon TOXINDODGER at checkout
Or…first time customers get 58% off their first order via this link. Insane.
✅ tested for mycotoxins
✅ tested for pesticides
❌ not tested for microplastics
Purity is my second choice for clean beans. 3rd party testing shows virtually undetectable mycotoxins and pesticide residues apart from slight glyphosate traces detected. No microplastic testing as of April 2025.
I haven’t personally tried purity coffee but everything I read about them online is solid.
I asked them for a coupon and surprisingly they said yes - take 20% off using the code TOXINDODGER
3) Cafe Mam
✅ test for mycotoxins
✅ test for pesticides
❌ not tested for microplastics
Green coffee tested free for over 400 pesticides, mycotoxins, & heavy metals. or acrylamide. Cleanest raw beans; great for home roasting
4) Wholistic roasters - biodynamic coffee
✅ test for mycotoxins
❌ not tested for pesticides
❌ not tested for microplastics
Lab-tested for mycotoxins & heavy metals. Since its certified biodynamic & organic farming they don’t feel the need to test for pesticides. I get it…but it wouldn’t hurt to prove it.
5) Byron Bay Coffee Co.
✅ tested for mycotoxins
❌ not tested pesticides
❌ not tested for microplastics
This is brand I usually drink (I live in Australia).
Tested for certain mycotoxins only. Passed clean. But unfortunately they don’t tests for pesticides, heavy metals or microplastics.
The good news however is that they are honest and transparent. I made an instagram video about coffee beans and they reached out to clarify their mycotoxin free only applies to some of their range.
They didn’t have to do this and to me it shows an honest company.
Want to keep looking?
If you want to go out there and find your own brands here’s a checklist to help you maximise your chances of choosing something clean:
✅ Always buy organic - This eliminates most pesticide concerns immediately
✅ We processed > dry processed - wet processed beans have less mold than dry processed beans because the fruit is removed before drying. So try to make sure its “wet processed”.
✅ High-altitude > low-altitude - Beans from mountain regions like Guatemala or Hawaii naturally need fewer pesticides because pests are less prevalent at high elevations.
✅ Single-origin > blends - Easier to trace back to specific farms with known practices
✅ Check the packaging - Look for paper bags with one-way valves or glass containers instead plastic or PFAS-lined packaging that can leach chemicals into your beans
And always ask the brand for their 3rd party test results.
If they don’t share them with you keep shopping.
Thats it for today
Alex
P.s. Hit reply to this email if you have any question… or if you have any other clean coffee bean recommendations please let me know so I can share those in the spreadsheet!