Think fatty foods are to blame for your cholesterol? Think again. Science reveals that your heart's silent enemy may be hiding in your cup of coffee. Filter or Turkish coffee? The answer tells you a lot.
Coffee is more than just a morning ritual or a caffeine kick that gets us going. It's a global phenomenon, a social glue, and for many, an indispensable part of everyday life. But while most debates revolve around the type of bean, the degree of roast, or the origin, science is pointing to something much more fundamental – preparation method.
New findings show that it doesn't matter how you prepare your cup of black gold. The difference between filter coffee and the one we brew “Turkish style” or drink in a cafe is not only in the taste, but it can have long-term consequences for your heart and blood vessels.
It turns out that one method can actually protects your heart, while the other quietly raises the level of dangerous cholesterol.
The secret is in the sediment
Heart Winner: Filter Coffee
If you want to drink coffee completely without a bad conscience about cholesterol, filter coffee is the absolute winner. The secret is in the paper filter.
Coffee contains natural oils (diterpenes) that raise blood cholesterol. When you pour water over ground coffee in paper filter, it retains almost all of these oils, leaving only the caffeine, flavor, and antioxidants in the cup.
Studies have shown that people who drink filter coffee even have lower risk for heart disease than those who don't drink coffee at all.
A good alternative: Instant coffee
It may surprise you, but even instant coffee (the kind in granules or powder that you pour over hot water) is bad for your cholesterol. very safe.
In the process of industrial processing, it is already lost most of those oils, which could be harmful to your blood vessels. Although true coffee lovers may turn up their noses at its taste, it is completely harmless to your heart.
Golden mean: Espresso (coffee from a machine)
The coffee you drink in a bar or prepare at home with a capsule machine belongs to "the golden mean"". Espresso is made under pressure and does not have a paper filter, so it contains some of these oils (what you see as that nice foam on top).
However, the amount of espresso is small (usually 30–40 ml), so the intake of these substances is moderate. If you drink two or three espressos a day, the impact on cholesterol is negligible for most healthy people.
Riskiest: Turkish coffee
Real Turkish coffee, where you boil the ground beans in water and then pour them into a cup along with the grounds, is cholesterol-free. the most problematic.
Because there is no filtration and the coffee “sits” in hot water for a long time, secretes a huge amount of diterpenes – up to 30 times more than filter coffee! If you have high cholesterol or heart problems, Turkish coffee is the one you should limit or replace.
How much coffee is too much?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) states that for healthy adults, a safe intake of up to 400 mg of caffeine per dayIn practice, this means up to 5 cups of espresso or coffee filter or to 3 cups of strong Turkish coffee (but watch out for cholesterol!).
If you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or sleep problems, this limit is of course lower (usually up to 200 mg or 2 cups).
You don't have to give up coffee. If you're healthy, enjoy your favorite coffee. But if you're worried about your cholesterol, try replacing Turkish coffee with filter coffee or at least reduce the number of cups you drink. Your heart will thank you.
