We come bearing some bad news for coffee lovers. The trusty and free office coffee that you love to sip on during a stressful day can impact your heart health. A new Sweden study suggests that the coffee available in offices may be linked to higher cholesterol levels that can even increase cardiovascular risk over time.
Office Coffee & The Cholesterol Connection
Coffee, besides its delicious flavours, is also known for its many health benefits. However, according to Hindustan Times, unfiltered coffee can raise LDL cholesterol, which is also known as the ‘bad’ kind and linked to several heart diseases.
Recently, researchers from Sweden-based Uppsala University and Chalmers University of Technology have discovered that coffee brewed in office machines isn’t good for your health. They found that the good ol’ office coffee contains significantly higher levels of cholesterol-raising compounds than coffee filtered through paper. In a study conducted in Swedish healthcare facilities, they analysed coffee from 14 different office machines. For this, they measure the presence of two natural diterpenes: cafestol and kahweol.
These compounds are found in coffee oils and can also elevate cholesterol levels. In other cases, paper filters trap these substances, but the metal filters that are more commonly used in workplace brewers, allow them to pass through. This increases their concentration in your cup.
The study found that the cafestol concentrations of 176 milligrams per litre in machine-brewed coffee. For context, this is nearly 15 times higher than the 12 mg/L found in paper-filtered coffee. The study revealed that officegoers who drink three or more cups daily could unknowingly increase their LDL cholesterol over the years.
Best Coffee Options For Better Health
According to Hindustan Times, you can skip your regular office coffee and switch to paper-filtered coffee. You can take them either from a home drip machine or a liquid-model workplace brewer. This switch can significantly reduce cholesterol risk. Of course, it is to be noted that a single cup from an office machine won’t harm you! This conclusion is made from decades of daily exposure.
Also Read: YouTuber Gets Slapped By Pantry Car Manager Over Coffee Bill; Netizens Say, “Reality Of Railways”
So, pick your coffee with caution and enjoy it to the fullest!
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
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