Does Coffee Raise Your Cholesterol? Here’s the Least Harmful Option

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Many love coffee in the morning. But, its effect on cholesterol is confusing. You may have heard that some coffees raise cholesterol while others don’t. However, how do you know which is good and which is bad?

In this blog, we’re diving into the world of coffee. We want to figure out which ones are harmful and which are “healthy”. I’m putting those words into brackets and you’ll quickly learn why. Curious? Read on!

Why Coffee Raises Cholesterol

Coffee contains compounds like cafestol and kahweol that can affect your cholesterol levels. These compounds are present in unfiltered coffee, including French press and espresso. Studies show that these chemicals can increase total cholesterol.

When you drink coffee, cafestol interacts with receptors in your intestines. This interrupts the process that regulates cholesterol levels. As a result, LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) begins to rise.

Some studies have found that drinking more coffee raises total cholesterol. For example, a study showed that people who often drink coffee had higher cholesterol. They had higher levels compared to people who didn’t drink coffee. This suggests a direct relationship between coffee intake and cholesterol (source)

Brewing methods play a significant role too. Lifestyle factors can also influence how coffee raises cholesterol. If you have other habits that hurt heart health, coffee’s impact might be bigger. Being aware of how your coffee is brewed and how much you consume can help manage cholesterol levels.

Researchers still debate coffee’s impact’s extent. But, the pattern is clear. Some types of coffee and more consumption raise cholesterol.

Different Kinds of Coffee Methods Ranked

When it comes to coffee, the method of brewing can impact your cholesterol levels. Some methods are better for your health than others.

Paper-filtered coffee filters out most of the cholesterol-raising substances. It is considered one of the better options for heart health. However, studies still show that even paper-filtered coffee does raise cholesterol.

Instant coffee is convenient. According to research, it affects cholesterol less than many other options.

Percolated coffee was once very common. It’s an unfiltered method. It can moderately raise cholesterol, like the French Press and espresso.

Espresso is stronger and also has unfiltered properties. Studies have found that espresso can slightly raise cholesterol. But, people usually drink only small amounts.

French press/Cafatiere is popular but can raise cholesterol. Research shows that unfiltered coffee like this has more cafestol and kahweol. These substances are linked to higher LDL cholesterol.

Turkish Coffee is unfiltered. This method can raise cholesterol levels. It has lots of cafestol and kahweol, like the French press.

Boiled is the worst option when it comes to maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol. No filtering takes place. All the harmful oils of the coffee beans go straight into your cup and body.

Why Filtered Coffee Raises Cholesterol the Least

Filtered coffee tends to raise cholesterol less than unfiltered versions. This is because filtered coffee removes two substances called cafestol and kahweol. These compounds are in the oily part of coffee. They can raise your LDL cholesterol, the “bad” kind. When coffee is filtered, these harmful oils are reduced significantly.

All the other forms of coffee have varying quantities of these two cholesterol-raising substances in them. It’s the reason why boiled coffee is the worst because that’s not filtering out anything at all.

How Much Filtered Coffee Raises Cholesterol

However, filtered coffee can still raise your cholesterol. But, the effect is smaller than with other brewing methods. Many studies have shown that drinking filtered coffee raises total cholesterol a bit.

Research suggests that even drinking filtered coffee can cause a small increase in cholesterol levels. A study noted only minor changes in cholesterol among participants who drank filtered coffee (source).

The impact of filtered coffee also depends on other factors like your diet and lifestyle. If you eat a balanced diet and exercise, the rise in cholesterol from filtered coffee might matter less.

In conclusion, filtered coffee does raise cholesterol slightly. But, its effects are small. Monitoring your overall intake can help manage these changes.

Does The Kind Of Coffee Roast You Use Matter?

In theory, dark roast coffee should raise cholesterol less. This is because roasting burns some of the cafestol (source). However, limited research has been done on this topic. The research compared a medium-light roast to a medium roast. They found that both raised cholesterol equally (source). In other words, we still have a lot to learn!

Stefan K.

Stefan has been vegan since 2019 and has been regularly working on his strength since the beginning of 2023. He’s on a mission to help other vegans get stronger and have all of them achieve the quality of life they deserve.