A new study suggests that drinking coffee prepared in workplace coffee machines may be an overlooked factor in heart health issues due to potentially elevated cholesterol concentrations, Fox News reports.
Researchers from Uppsala University, in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology, investigated the levels of cafestol and kahweol – substances linked to elevated levels of LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, often called “bad cholesterol”) – in coffee made in workplace machines compared to traditional brewing methods.
High levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to plaque build-up in the arteries, narrowing them and restricting blood flow, potentially leading to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.
The study, published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, analyzed coffee from 14 different coffee machines in Swedish workplaces, comparing them to coffee produced using home-brewing methods such as paper filters and French presses. The results showed that coffee from most office coffee machines contains higher levels of cafestol and kahweol relative to coffee made with regular drip-filter setups.
Researchers noted significant variations in cafestol and kahweol levels between tests from the same coffee machines. They suggest that this could be due to cleaning schedules impacting the porosity of the machines’ filters. Regular cleaning of metal filters may wear them down, making them less effective in filtering out the substances.
The machines used five regular brands of ground coffee, and samples were taken on several separate occasions and analyzed. Researchers found a significant difference in cafestol and kahweol levels between machines and even at different times from the same machine.
The study also examined espresso from various machines but found considerable and unexplained variation in cafestol and kahweol concentrations between the four samples tested.
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