Toxicity in Your Cup? Common Contaminants in Coffee, Chocolate & Peanuts

Toxicity in Your Cup? Common Contaminants in Coffee, Chocolate & Peanuts

Author: Krista Morton-Kill

Abstract: Taking an observer’s view of our nutritional intake can be a powerful tool to leverage health optimization. Amongst nutritional research, there are a variety of toxins to be aware of, through growing conditions and conventional farming practices. In examining my own nutritional intake, three foods stood out to me to take a deeper examination of. In researching the toxicity of coffee beans, peanuts, and chocolate, there are several pesticide, mycotoxin, and heavy metal contaminants to be aware of. Their health implications, as well as ways to mitigate their toxicities is imperative to health optimization.

Keywords: chocolate, coffee, heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticides

     Examining one’s nutrition intake is an incredible tool for optimizing their health. While the nutritional industry educates communities on general good practices for our micro and macro nutrient intake, there is a level of understanding beyond macro and micro nutrient intake to examine. Understanding toxicity in conventional farming, along with crops that may be contaminated with undesirable toxins, due to growing conditions, is extremely relevant to the toxic burden that we manage within our own bodies. “You are what you eat” is a phrase we know all too well, but oftentimes toxicity isn’t considered in this all too common numbers game that the general nutrition labels invite us to play as consumers. For those struggling with chronic conditions, consuming foods high in pesticides, heavy metals, and mycotoxins may be of concern, especially during their healing process. For the readers of this article, removing, reducing, or choosing better sourcing for the following foods will be especially helpful for those recovering from mold or fungal illness.

     The three foods that will be discussed more in depth, on levels of toxicity, are coffee, peanuts (peanut butter), and dark chocolate (cocoa). There are commonalities amongst these three foods, from a toxicity standpoint. However, they each have their own unique profile of pros and cons to be aware of, as a consumer. Having an awareness of their cons, while balancing a healthy relationship with indulgence in high quality food as pleasure, is key to maintaining a state of optimal health. As a disclaimer to all of these foods, quality sourcing makes a significant difference. Much of the toxic burden discussed in the sections below is lessened, when sourcing these foods from quality, organic sources. Doing our research as consumers truly makes a difference, and helps support health in our nutritional and environmental ecosystems.

     In analyzing the toxicity found in coffee, there are various components to consider. Firstly, accumulation of toxins is quite easy to accomplish in avid coffee drinkers, as coffee is consumed by many daily, if not multiple times a day. The over consumption of this food has not only contributed to the build up of naturally occurring toxins, such as fungi and heavy metals, but also has created a massive farming issue, due to an attempt to keep up with the supply demands. 

     Because of the high demand of coffee in the crop industry, the growing conditions for coffee beans are unfavorable for the mitigation of the growth of fungi, bacteria, and pests. In an attempt to keep up with the demand for this crop, the industry began implementing pesticide use, in order to keep these unwanted microorganisms off of the crops. The presence of fungus on the coffee beans is accompanied by a load of heavy metals in some beans, commonly sourced from Brazil, Kenya, and Columbia (Albals et al., 2021). These toxins alone can create kidney damage, amongst other diseased states. However, examining the pesticides sprayed on the crops, in an attempt to manage mycotoxin growth, opens up one’s awareness to the dangers beyond naturally occurring toxins, and can lead to a suboptimal state of neurological health.

     Organo chloride and organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) can dysregulate physiological functions in the body. For example, The accumulation of OPPs inhibits acetylcholinesterase, which is highly related to the optimal function of the nervous system, and its signaling to the musculoskeletal system. Pesticides in the organochlorine family, such as DDT and dieldrin, are connected to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s (Merhi et al., 2022). Other more subtle, common signs of neuroinflammation, such as depression, was observed amongst the farmers in Brazil (one of the largest coffee production regions in the world). There was a correlation found between the psychological health of these farmers, who handle pesticide sprayed crops without proper protection, and exposure to chemicals, such as DDT and dieldrin (Merhi et al., 2022). 

     Organochlorine pesticides are also a massive issue in the peanut harvesting industry. These same chemicals are found in peanuts, and are even more prevalent in highly processed versions of the crops, which can be found in peanut oil (Cui et al., 2022). Many restaurants now cook with peanut oil, which means that the distribution of these toxins are not exclusive to the consumption of peanut based products alone. In addition to the chemical toxicity found on peanuts, there is also a notable mycotoxin issue on this crop. Mycotoxins are the metabolites of mold, which can wreak havoc on the health of the gut and overall human body. Two of the most common mycotoxins found on peanuts are aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol (Li et al., 2023). The accumulation of these mycotoxins can lead to inflammation of the gut and brain, which may result in inflammatory gut diseases, as well as psychiatric and neuroinflammatory conditions (Yueqin et al., 2021). 

     Sharing the same concerns of mycotoxin accumulation, chocolate shares these common mold metabolites with peanuts and coffee. Similarly to coffee beans, there is concern for the accumulation of heavy metal build up in cocoa beans. Lead and cadmium being the most common cause for concern amongst cocoa crops, can lead to a variety of health issues, especially those related to neurological health (Abt et al., 2018). An accumulation of lead toxicity can have a major impact on every function in the body, because of how it impacts the cell (Halmo, 2023). From neuroinflammation, to metabolic disturbances, and nephrotic damage, an accumulation of lead in the body is a driving mediator in conditions of chronic inflammation or mitochondrial dysfunction. While cocoa is certainly not a sole cause from lead toxicity, it is important to be aware of its lead content for more sensitive groups. 

     It is important to acknowledge that there is much potential to mitigate the pesticide residues, along with the many fungi that grow on the foods discussed in the sections above, through choosing to source the foods through trustworthy companies that test for toxicity. Testing for metabolites of aspergillus and penicillium mold strains on a variety of coffee beans from various sources reveals that the growing conditions make a significant difference, as it relates to the mycotoxin levels in the crop (Casas-Junco et al., 2017). Sourcing foods, such as coffee, peanuts, and chocolate, from organic sources can also reduce pesticide toxicity (Hyland et a;., 2019). 

     While it is instrumental to the empowerment of our health that we have awareness of these things, ultimately a balanced nutritional mindset is a sustainable approach to balancing nutrition and stress management. For myself, as I reflect on the research of the foods discussed, I feel that an appropriate action step for my nutrition would be to continue focusing on high quality sources of these foods, while enjoying them in moderation. For example, I brew my own coffee at home in a french press, and use beans tested for mycotoxins and pesticides, in order to reduce the toxicity in my morning cup. Small changes like this have a snowball effect, and can give us the freedom to enjoy the pleasures of palatable foods, while reducing our overall toxic burden on the body. 

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