The Elixir of Life
Coffee. From the ritual of preparation, to the aroma during the brewing process, to that first wake-up shot of caffeine, coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world.
How do you take yours? Plastic-free, please! The brewing process determines what besides coffee may end up in your morning mug.
If you are a fan of K-cups, that oh-so-easy way to get your morning dose of caffeine, you might not realize that most coffee pods are made from polypropylene plastic and release microplastics into the coffee. A single-cup coffee maker heats the water to 190 degrees and forces it through the pod under high pressure causing the plastic to release chemical additives and tiny plastic fragments.
Recent research on microplastics in coffee brewed in a single-cup maker found measurable amounts of microplastics. Microplastics range in size from observable bits the size of a grain of rice to those invisible to the naked eye. Nanoplastics are even smaller, less than one micron in size, far smaller in diameter than a human hair. Microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in human organs including the brain.
So how do you structure your morning ritual to enjoy the benefits while still avoiding the plastic?
Unfortunately, the convenience for both the single-cup coffee maker and the familiar automatic drip coffee maker comes with a serving of microplastics because the water is exposed to plastic throughout the brewing process.
If your goal is to reduce plastic exposure while still enjoying the convenience of a one-cup coffee maker, a simple change will help. Purchase a stainless-steel coffee pod - plastic-free and chemical-free. They are also reusable which is no small issue. Currently, fifty-six billion pods enter landfills each year.
Drip coffee makers are one of the most common ways to brew coffee. However, in the average drip coffee maker, the water is exposed to plastic from the time it is poured into the reservoir until it enters the glass carafe.
Whether you favor the single-cup or drip process, be sure to store your freshly ground coffee in glass or metal and brew into a glass or ceramic mug.
Completely avoiding plastic may require a more hands on brewing process by using a French press or pour-over method. Both types are available in models that prevent the water from coming into contact with plastic.
The French Press has a long history as a brewing method that results in a rich flavor. It doesn’t use electricity, paper filters or a complicated mechanism. Instead of the water dripping through the coffee grounds like more conventional brewing processes, the grounds are immersed in the water during the entire several minute brew. A metal mesh filter ensures that the grounds remain in the press and not your mug.
For those who take their coffee brewing seriously, a pour-over may be the best option because it gives the brewer full control. While it involves pouring hot water over the coffee grounds, it is a fully manual process and allows the brewer to determine the water temperature and pouring speed for a complex and satisfying brew.
Whether a person appreciates the convenience of an automatic coffee maker and simply wants to reduce plastic exposure or is a purist who doesn’t want anything to interfere with that perfect cup of coffee, options abound. Coffee is big business these days and coffee makers are available in a variety of styles, brands and price ranges to help you “wake up and smell the coffee!”
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