Your morning coffee could be causing a cholesterol spike – but it's all down to how you make it
Of course, studies like the above need to be read in context. They can't always prove 'cause and effect' as there may be something else about the coffee drinkers' lifestyle that keeps them healthy – perhaps they have better diets overall than non-coffee drinkers. It's encouraging for those who enjoy a flat white though.
But now new research shows that it's not just whether you drink coffee that matters to your health, the way you brew it can have a significant effect on your cholesterol levels and heart health too. The study, released in March from Uppsala University in Sweden and published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases found that some methods of coffee preparation can have the unwelcome outcome of raising your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (aka LDL or 'bad' cholesterol). The researchers suggested a hierarchy of cholesterol-friendly ways of coffee preparation. At the 'bad' end lies Turkish-style boiled and some office-machine coffees, with filtered coffee coming out as the best option, and other methods somewhere in between.
Why does coffee spike your cholesterol?
Coffee does not in itself contain cholesterol. But the beans contain natural oils which include two chemical compounds called cafestol and kahweol and it's the mechanism of these on the body that can raise cholesterol levels.
David Iggman is a GP, and an associate professor in clinical nutrition at Uppsala University. 'Cafestol and kahweol are lipid molecules called diterpines,' he says. 'They are unique to coffee beans and have similar properties to cholesterol.'
Diterpenes interfere with the body's natural processes of cholesterol breakdown and transport, potentially leading to an increase in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, while also decreasing the 'healthy' HDL cholesterol. Scientists still don't understand exactly why this happens, but have known since the late 1990s that 'boiled' coffee, made on the stove, is particularly high in diterpenes.
'Many types of office hot drinks machines brew their coffee in a similar way to the boiled variety,' explains Iggman. 'In Swedish workplaces, there are almost mandatory breaks around these machines, and so we decided to test them.'
How the way you prepare your coffee impacts your cholesterol
The Uppsala team studied the offerings from a number of coffee machines. They discovered that, depending on whether the coffee was brewed by the machines, or filtered by them, the levels of diterpenes were significantly raised.
'Six cups of boiled coffee a day will raise your cholesterol by around 10 per cent,' says Iggman.
At the other end of the scale, coffee which is made with a paper filter turned out to be the healthiest choice. 'For people who drink a lot of coffee every day, making it this way manages to almost completely filter out these cholesterol-elevating substances,' advises Dr Iggman. Those who have recently invested in an Aeropress can feel smug.
Coffee from a cafetière comes somewhere between boiled and filtered coffee, as do the cups you buy from high street chains such as Pret or Starbucks. 'Some espresso samples also contained high levels of diterpenes, but there was great variation,' says Iggman. 'We didn't look at instant coffee in our study, but previous studies have shown it has a similar profile to filter coffee.'
According to Iggman, you can get an idea how healthy your homemade coffee is, just by looking at it. 'If your drink appears cloudy, it probably hasn't been properly filtered,' he says.
Does coffee have any heart health benefits?
Several other studies have pointed to coffee's heart-health-promoting characteristics. According to the 2023 Coffee and Real-time Atrial and Ventricular Ectopy trial (also known by the snappy acronym CRAVE), drinking coffee might increase the amount of exercise you do.
The study, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that on the days people drank coffee, they took an average of 1,000 extra steps per day.
'Every additional coffee drink was associated with 587 more steps per day,' the researchers say. 'This magnitude of step count differences has been associated with improved health outcomes, including reduced mortality. Presumably, the caffeine helped with the psychological motivation to exercise or enhanced physical performance in a way that made such activity easier or more enjoyable.'
The downside was that participants slept 36 fewer minutes per night, on average.
What's the best time of day to drink coffee for heart health?
A study published in the European Heart Journal in February this year found that people who drank coffee in the morning had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and had a lower mortality risk than all-day coffee consumers.
'A possible explanation is that consuming coffee in the afternoon or evening may disrupt circadian rhythms (our bodies 24-hour cycle of physical, mental and behavioural changes) and levels of hormones such as melatonin,' says Dr Lu Qi, the lead researcher and director of Tulane University Obesity Research Centre.
'This, in turn, leads to changes in cardiovascular risk factors such as inflammation and blood pressure.'
Like the 2022 paper from the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, these latter two studies were 'observational', in that other factors could have affected the results. Dr Qi suggests that further research is needed to work out exactly why morning coffee is healthier.
How to master a heart-healthy coffee habit
Choose filter coffee and avoid office-machine coffees
The study from Uppsala University in Sweden and published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases found filtered coffee to be most cholesterol-friendly while suggesting Turkish-style boiled coffee and some office-machine coffees are to be avoided.
Aim for two to four cups
'A moderate amount of coffee or tea, say four cups a day, should be fine for most people,' says Victoria Taylor of the British Heart Foundation. 'Research shows that this level of caffeine intake shouldn't be detrimental to your heart health.' Any more than this might increase heart rate and blood pressure in some people, leading to palpitations.
Drink it black
Scientists also concur that it's not just the brewing of the beans that affects your heart health. 'Adding sugar to your coffee or tea, or drinking lots of milky coffees, is more likely to be a problem than the caffeine because the calories can add up, causing you to gain weight,' explains Taylor. Ditto the white chocolate mochas and the caramel macchiato, as well as that slice of carrot cake you just happen to have on the side.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
5 hours ago
- Times
Six easy recipes that boost your health in the menopause
Always eat for the age you are, not the age you'd like to be. Is that a saying? If not, it should be. As we go through life, our nutritional needs change — and it's in that spirit that Mary Berry's daughter, Belles, and Mariella Frostrup have devised a cookbook for women going through the menopause. As they say, 'This is not just a recipe book; it's a call to arms for those who don't consider advancing years a time to slow down but rather a time to recalibrate and renew.' Tony Turnbull This is a simple, energising midweek stew. Serves 4 . Time: 20 minutes • 1 tbsp olive oil• 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into finger-size strips• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce or tamari• 2 tbsp miso paste• 400g tin of black beans, drained• 1 avocado, mashed• 400ml tin of coconut milk• Salt and pepper• Handful of baby spinach• Juice of 1 lime• Handful of herbs, to garnish• Flatbreads, rice or noodles, to serve 1. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips and cook until browned on each side. Mix the soy sauce and miso in a small bowl, then toss it in with the chicken in the pan.2. Add the black beans, avocado and coconut milk, and simmer uncoveredfor 5 minutes. Season to taste.3. Remove from the heat, throw in the spinach and stir in the lime juice. Serve with plenty of fresh herbs on top, with flatbreads, rice or noodles. NutritionBlack beans are an excellent source of fibre and support all aspects of health. We're both big fans of the fresh and tasty nature of Eastern-style dishes and this is another homage to Asian cuisine, using one of our favourite ingredients: makrut lime leaves. These are recommended to aid digestion and reduce bloating, but we love them because they taste so good. Serves 4. Time: up to 30 minutes • 2 tbsp olive oil• 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced• 2 shallots, or 1 small brown onion, finely chopped• 4 garlic cloves, crushed or grated• 30g fresh root ginger, grated• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped• 5 fresh or 8 dried makrut lime leaves• 1 lemon grass stick, bashed with a rolling pin• 1 litre fish or vegetable stock• 2 tbsp tamarind paste• Salt and pepper• 4 skinless salmon fillets• Juice of 1 lime• 250g pak choi, ends trimmed and leaves separated• Handful of coriander leaves and 4 spring onions, sliced, to garnish 1. In a large frying pan that has a lid, heat the oil over a medium heat, then add the mushrooms and fry until golden.2. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, chilli, lime leaves and lemon grass. Stir for a few minutes until softened, then pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and gently cook for about 10 minutes to infuse all the flavours. Add the tamarind paste and stir well, then season to taste.3. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, then add to the pan, cover with the lid, and poach in the broth for 7 minutes over a low heat until cooked through.4. Remove the lid, add the lime juice and place the pak choi leaves on top of the salmon, put the lid back on and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and discard the lemon grass and lime leaves.5. Divide the pak choi leaves among four bowls, then top with the salmon fillets and spoon over the broth. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and spring onions. NutritionSalmon provides omega-3 fatty acids for heart and brain health. • Read more restaurant reviews and recipes from our food experts We love a frittata: a quick and easy one-pan breakfast. Serves 4. Time: 20 minutes • 300g silken tofu, drained• 8 large eggs• ¼ tsp flaky sea salt• 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped• 1 tbsp olive oil• 80g pack of watercress, spinach and rocket• 30g cheddar cheese, grated• 6 radishes, sliced, to garnish• Roasted black sesame seeds, for sprinkling For the miso sauce • 3 tbsp miso paste• 3 tbsp Japanese rice wine vinegar• 2 tbsp maple syrup• 2 tbsp soy sauce• 1 tbsp sesame oil• Zest and juice of 2 limes• 5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1. Preheat the oven to 200C fan/gas 7. Place the tofu in a muslin cloth and squeeze out any excess water, then place in a medium bowl. Crack the eggs into this, add the salt and green chilli and mix well.2. Heat the olive oil in a 20cm nonstick, ovenproof frying pan that has a lid over a medium heat. Add half the watercress, spinach and rocket mixture and cook for 1 minute, then add the egg mixture and sprinkle the cheese on top. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, then transfer to the oven for 10 minutes, or until set. The frittata should bounce back when touched lightly.3. Meanwhile, make the miso sauce. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a small jug and set aside until ready to serve.4. Remove the frittata from the oven and slide it onto a serving board. Garnish with the remaining watercress, spinach and rocket leaves, sliced radishes and black sesame seeds. Serve the sauce on the side. NutritionEggs provide protein and vitamins for overall health. Superhealthy and refreshingly vibrant, this soup is great to serve cold for a summer lunch. Alternatively, warm it up in the colder months. Fresh flowers look so pretty on top, especially in the summer. Serves 4. Time: 15 minutes • 1 tbsp pine nuts• 2 tbsp olive oil• 1 tsp cumin seeds• 4 garlic cloves• 1 small green chilli, deseeded• 175g peas, fresh or frozen• 2 large ripe avocados• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 4• 2 tbsp shelled hemp• Juice of 1 lemon• 600ml vegetable stock• Dill sprigs and fresh edible flowers, to garnish (optional) For the whipped feta • 50g Greek feta, crumbled• 150g Greek yoghurt• Zest of 1 lemon• 1 garlic clove, crushed• 1 tbsp chopped mint• Salt and pepper 1. Heat a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat, toast the pine nuts until golden, then transfer to a small ramekin. In the same pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the cumin, garlic and chilli for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.2. For the whipped feta, place the feta, Greek yoghurt, lemon zest, garlic and mint in a medium bowl, whisk to combine, then season. Place in the fridge.3. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the peas and bring to the boil, then drain and submerge the peas in a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain again.4. In a blender, combine the avocados, cucumber, shelled hemp, lemon juice and vegetable stock. Add the sautéed cumin, garlic and chilli along with the peas, then blitz until smooth. Season, then pour the soup into a large jug and chill in the fridge.5. Serve garnished with the whipped feta, toasted pine nuts and a few sprigs of fresh dill and edible flowers (if using). NutritionHemp seeds provide omega-3 fatty acids and protein. A healthy alternative to baked beans, and a potent source of dietary fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. It's economical, easy to make, supports metabolic function, reduces fatigue, strengthens bones and boosts memory. What's not to love? Serves 2. Time: 15 minutes • 1 tbsp olive oil• 1 red onion, finely diced• 3 garlic cloves, crushed• 400g tin of cherry tomatoes• 2 tbsp rose harissa paste• 2 tsp soft dark brown sugar• 1 tsp cider vinegar• 400g tin of cannellini or haricot beans, drained and rinsed• Salt and pepper• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt and a few saffron threads, to serve 1. Heat the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the cherry tomatoes, harissa paste, sugar, vinegar and 3½ tbsp water. Simmer for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and simmer for a further 5 minutes.2. Season to taste, then divide between two bowls. Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, sprinkled with the saffron threads. NutritionTomatoes offer antioxidants and vitamin C to aid skin health and reduce inflammation. A fibre-fuelled salad with tahini and lime dressing, equally good as a main or a side dish beside your chosen protein. Serves 4-6. Time: up to 30 minutes • 250g buckwheat• 1 tbsp olive oil• 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges• 5 thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp thyme leaves, finely chopped• 200g chestnut mushrooms, quartered• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar• 100g cavolo nero, stalks removed, roughly chopped• 200g Tenderstem broccoli, halved lengthways• 6 dates, pitted and chopped• 50g walnuts, chopped• 1 tbsp flaxseeds• Salt and pepper• 125g spinach For the tahini and lime dressing • 75g tahini• Juice of 1 lime• 1 tsp flaky sea salt• 2 garlic cloves• 20g parsley, plus extra to garnish• 50ml olive oil 1. Cook the buckwheat according to the packet instructions.2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan that has a lid over a medium-high heat, then add the onion and thyme sprigs and fry for 5 minutes. Increase the heat, add the mushrooms, and fry for a further 5 minutes until golden, then add the vinegar and cook for a further minute. Remove the thyme sprigs and transfer the mushrooms and onions to a large bowl.3. Using the same pan, add the cavolo nero and broccoli along with a cup of water and cook with the lid on for 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water for a couple of minutes to stop the cooking process, then drain.4. Make the dressing. Using a food processor, add the tahini, lime, salt, garlic and parsley to the bowl and blitz to combine, then add the olive oil in a thin stream, mixing until it is incorporated.5. Add the cooked buckwheat, chopped dates and walnuts, flaxseeds and finely chopped thyme to the mushroom bowl and mix well. Season, to taste.6. Stir in the cavolo nero, broccoli and spinach. Add the salad dressing and toss to combine, then transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with fresh parsley. NutritionBuckwheat is rich in fibre and antioxidants, supporting digestive health and reducing inflammation. Extracted from Menolicious: Eat Your Way to a Better Menopause by Mariella Frostrup and Belles Berry, published on August 28 (DK Red, £22). Buy from or call 020 3176 2935. Free UK P&P on online orders over £25. Discount available for Times+ members
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Suffer from bloating? This vegetable will improve your digestion
Zucchini is a low-calorie vegetable recommended for reducing bloating due to its high water content. Its low fermentable carbohydrate content makes it gentle on sensitive stomachs, including those with irritable bowel syndrome. A single average-sized zucchini provides approximately 2 grams of fibre, which is beneficial for digestion. The water content in zucchini helps to flush out excess bloat from the body. Other summer squashes, such as yellow summer squash, also offer important nutrients like Vitamin C and potassium for hydration.
Medical News Today
a day ago
- Medical News Today
3,000 steps a day at a faster pace may lower cardiovascular risks by 17%
Increasing daily step counts and walking faster may reduce risk of cardiovascular events in people with hypertension, a recent study has more than 3,000 steps each day reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 17%.The benefits of walking also reduced risk of cardiovascular events in people without more steps reduces the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in people with published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that taking extra steps every day as well as walking faster reduced risk of heart attack, heart failure, and Stamatakis, PhD, director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub at the University of Sydney, Australia, who supervised the study, said in a press statement that:'This study is one of the first to demonstrate a dose-response relationship between daily step count and major problems of the heart and blood vessels. In a nutshell, we found that, if you live with high blood pressure, the more you walk with greater intensity, the lower your risk for future serious cardiovascular events. These findings support the message that any amount of physical activity is beneficial, even below the widely recommended daily target of 10,000 steps.'3,000 steps a day may help lower cardiovascular risksAs part of their study, the researchers examined data from more than 32,000 people who were enrolled in the UK Biobank database. The participants had a diagnosis of high blood wore accelerometers on their wrist for a week to measure how fast and how far they researchers found that compared with a daily step count of 2,300 steps, taking more than 3,000 steps each day and taking regular walks at higher speed was associated with a 17% reduction in risk of major cardiac events in people with high blood every extra 1,000 steps taken daily, there was a 22% reduction in risk of heart failure, a 24% reduction in risk of stroke and a 9% reduction in risk of heart attack.'Our findings offer patients accessible and measurable targets for heart health, even below 10,000 steps daily. Clinicians should promote physical activity as standard care, especially in patients with high blood pressure. Our results can inform new, tailored public health recommendations for these patients. Future recommendations on walking in people with high blood pressure could consider promoting higher stepping intensity,' Stamatakis said in the press amount of exercise can make a difference for heart healthThe study adds to a growing body of research that demonstrates any amount of exercise can be beneficial to improving cardiovascular Chen, MD, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, not involved int his research, told Medical News Today that:'These results are significant in that they demonstrate a very clear dose-response relationship between walking and improvements in cardiovascular risk, even at low levels of walking. They indicate that even some physical activity is better than none, and that more is probably even better.' The study also concluded that taking any additional steps over 10 thousand a day was associated with additional benefits in reducing the risk of to Carl J. Lavie Jr., MD, Medical Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Preventive Cardiology at the John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, walking has many advantages for improving health.'The benefits are numerous including improving autonomic function (the balance between vagal and sympathetic systems), improving cardiometabolic profiles, including metabolic syndrome and diabetes, reducing inflammation, and reducing psychological stress,' Lavie, who was likewise not involved in this study, said. 'One of the most important things that physical activity does to improve prognosis is improving levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. Higher intensity walking or exercise (e.g. faster steps, running etc) improves fitness even more, but compared to being totally sedentary, some steps improves fitness at least a little and moderate steps probably gets people out of the very low fitness categories,' he benefits those with and without hypertensionThe researchers also found a benefit of increased steps among those who do not have high blood pressure. They examined data from just over 37,000 people without hypertension and found that an extra 1,000 steps daily led to a 20.2% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, 23.2% lower risk of heart failure, 17.9% lower myocardial infarction (heart attack) risk, and 24.6% lower risk of Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults need 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week. One way to do this is by taking a brisk walk 5 days a week for 30 Garg, MD, cardiologist with Keck Medicine USC, says that movement is the priority and that the number of steps taken does not necessarily need to be the focus.'I tell my patients, 'look, let's not get hung up on this 10,000 number'… If we just focus on that as the threshold, then a lot of people are going to feel like they failed, and they may not walk much at all,' Garg said.'So if we change that message to 'any walking is beneficial,' that's a much more positive message to our patients,' he advidsed.
