Drinking coffee is not necessarily healthy for the body? Study reveals: 5 cups of "espresso" a day may increase total cholesterol levels
Is drinking coffee good for your body? In fact, most academic circles are positive about the positive benefits brought by coffee. For example, Harvard University has proven that coffee can effectively prevent several chronic diseases; there are also large-scale studies that have confirmed that consuming up to 8 cups of coffee a day can reduce the overall risk of death.
Based on the above, coffee seems to be beneficial and harmless to the human body; however, the types of coffee beans and brewing methods are different, and the impact on the body after drinking cannot be generalized. For example, a recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that unfiltered coffee, such as espresso and filtered coffee, contains more cafestol, kahweol and diterpenes than other coffee products. If it is high, it may increase the serum total cholesterol (S-TC) in the body, which is detrimental to health.
Research: Drinking 3-5 cups of espresso a day significantly increases “total cholesterol” levels in the body
A research team from the University of Tromso in Norway conducted random interviews on coffee drinking in Norway every 6-7 years over the past 48 years (1974-2016). The most recent study included 11,074 women and 10,009 men, aged All of them are over 40 years old. The research team analyzed subjects who used different coffee brewing methods and used a multivariable linear regression model to evaluate the association between coffee and serum total cholesterol. Preliminary results show that women consume 3.8 cups of coffee per day, compared with 4.9 cups for men. Coffee drinkers are generally older.
Research results show that increased intake of “espresso” coffee is significantly associated with an increase in serum total cholesterol in men. Men who drank 3-5 cups of espresso every day had cholesterol levels that were 0.16 mmol/L higher than those who did not drink them; women who drank espresso had a cholesterol level that was 0.09 mmol/L higher. Overall, drinking 3-5 cups of espresso per day may be associated with an increase in serum total cholesterol of 0.13 mmol/L.
In addition, studies have also found that the intake of filtered coffee (Plunger coffee) may also increase cholesterol levels. Women who drink more than 6 cups of coffee a day have a 0.11 mmol/L higher level than non-drinkers. The research team claimed that men’s coffee intake is more closely related to increases in total cholesterol than women’s.
Does drinking too much coffee cause cardiovascular disease? Does using a “coffee filter” help?
Why do espresso and filter coffee increase serum total cholesterol? Study author Åsne Lirhus Svatun said that when different coffee bean varieties are blended to make espresso, substances such as cafestol, kahweol and diterpenes are likely to remain, which are considered to be the main reasons for increasing cholesterol levels in the body. Previous research has shown that drinking more than 9 cups of espresso per day may produce excessive diterpenes, cafestol and kahweol in the body, which may increase the risk of cardiovascular death by 25%.
In addition, the extraction method may also affect the coffee ingredients, such as espresso machines, capsule coffee machines, moka pots, etc. Among them, the coffee made by the espresso machine has a cafestol concentration of 54 mg/L, which is the largest among the three. Diterpenes vary by coffee bean variety; in this study, Arabica beans were found to contain the highest levels of diterpenes. If you want to avoid consuming these 3 ingredients, using a coffee filter may help.
“Interestingly, coffee contains more than 1,000 phytochemicals. The intake of 35 of these compounds depends on the type of coffee bean, degree of roasting, type of brewing method and portion size. So in future studies, more will need to be included factors are taken into consideration,” Svatun said.
source:
Association between espresso coffee and serum total cholesterol: the Tromsø Study 2015–2016
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