You might consider swapping out that coffee during your work break and trying some tea instead. According to a recent study conducted by Swedish researchers, many workplace coffee machines contain elevated amounts of cholesterol-raising compounds.
The two compounds under discussion are cafestol and kahweol, which are both present in coffee beans.
Scientists from Uppsala University, working alongside researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, collected samples from fourteen coffee makers in workplace rest areas utilizing five distinct coffee brands.
According to the study published in the journal, the concentrations changed based on the machine used and the duration. Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases .
Coffee makers – the most prevalent type of coffee equipment in the offices examined – along with brewed coffee from a pot exhibited the highest levels of compounds known to elevate cholesterol.
“Based on this information, we conclude that the filtration process plays a key role in retaining these cholesterol-increasing components in coffee,” stated David Iggman, a researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden and the principal investigator of the study, in a press release.
"Clearly, every coffee machine doesn’t successfully filter these components out. However, the issue differs among various kinds of coffee makers, and we observed significant fluctuations in concentration levels over time," he explained.
A majority of the coffee samples had concentrations that might potentially influence the LDL cholesterol levels in individuals consuming the coffee, along with increasing their future likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases.
LDL — which stands for low-density lipoprotein — cholesterol is commonly known as the "bad" cholesterol.
Filtered coffee 'is preferable'
"As individuals consuming large amounts of coffee daily, it’s evident that drip-filter coffee, or other meticulously filtered varieties, would be more suitable," he noted.
Utilizing paper filters managed to nearly eliminate all the molecules entirely.
Additional studies are necessary to ascertain the exact impact on cholesterol levels for customers, as stated by Iggman.
Cholesterol, which naturally occurs in our bodies, can pose a issue when its levels rise excessively.
It can accumulate in plaque within the artery walls, causing them to become stiff and constricted, as stated by the Mayo Clinic based in the USA.
Occasionally, a fragment of plaque might detach and create a blood clot which could lead to a heart attack or stroke.
The European continent has the highest incidence of high cholesterol globally, with more than half of all adults believed to have above-average levels.
Based on Statista figures from 2021, Lithuania stood out with some of the highest average cholesterol levels in Europe, contrasting sharply with Greece, which reported some of the continent’s lowest levels.