People who don't brew coffee properly can experience high cholesterol levels, especially if they drink the unfiltered variety..

The researchers found that among more than 21,000 Norwegian adults, those who drank several cups of coffee a day tended to have slightly higher cholesterol levels than those who didn't.. However, the degree of difference depended on the method of brewing..

People who drank the “least filtered” coffee, such as brewed with a French press, showed the greatest cholesterol effect: on average, those who drank six or more cups a day had total cholesterol levels 8-12 points higher,.

Espresso drinkers were next, followed by women who drank filtered drip coffee (without any of the cholesterol effects seen among their male counterparts).

According to researcher Dr. Mai-Lisa Lehan, the findings are consistent with past research suggesting that unfiltered coffee may have a particular effect on cholesterol levels..

“Unfiltered varieties include coffees that are brewed or prepared with a French press or “plunger”. Espresso also falls into this category, but it is relatively more filtered than other varieties, says Lechen, a professor at the Arctic University of Norway.. – Brewing methods matter because coffee contains natural oils that can raise blood cholesterol levels. Researchers have long known that unfiltered coffee, when exposed to prolonged exposure to hot water, contains more of these oils.”.

More recently, unfiltered brewed coffee was a priority for users. But espresso and plunger coffee are all the rage right now, so Lehen and her colleagues used more recent data from the Tromso study to explore the relationship between these drinks and blood cholesterol levels..

Results published online in the journal Open Heart.

On average, study participants drank four to five cups of coffee a day.. The results showed that those who drank brewed coffee or French press coffee—six or more cups a day—had higher cholesterol levels than those who didn't..

Then there were people who said they drink three to five cups of espresso a day.. Their total cholesterol was about 4-6 mg/dl higher than people who didn't drink espresso. Finally, women who drank at least six cups of filter coffee each day had an average of 4 mg/dl higher cholesterol levels than women who never drank filter coffee..

“Coffee by itself likely plays a very minor role in raising cholesterol levels,” Dickman said.. “So instead of worrying about how coffee can affect your cholesterol levels, look at your entire diet and establish other healthy lifestyles.”.

However, some people should be especially mindful of the caffeine in coffee, including pregnant women and anyone with potential caffeine side effects such as trouble sleeping or “trembling,” the researchers warn..

medical-heal. en.