For many, the office coffee machine is essential, powering through long hours and endless meetings. However, a recent study suggests that your daily cup from the workplace coffee machine might be doing more than keeping you alert – it could be raising your cholesterol levels.
A study led by researchers at Uppsala University and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden found that coffee from common workplace machines contains higher levels of cholesterol-raising compounds than regular filter coffee. The research, published in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, indicates that the brewing method plays a significant role in whether these substances make it into your cup.
According to lead researcher David Iggman, “We studied fourteen coffee machines and found that the levels of cholesterol-elevating substances were much higher in workplace coffee machines than in regular drip-filter coffee makers.” The substances responsible for this increase are diterpenes, primarily cafestol and kahweol, which naturally occur in coffee and can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels when consumed in excess.
High LDL cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Boiled coffee (like stovetop brewing) is known to have the highest levels of diterpenes. In contrast, drip-filter coffee, which uses a paper filter, removes most of these compounds.
Researchers tested coffee from various machines in office break rooms using five common coffee brands. They found that some machines produced coffee with enough diterpenes to impact cholesterol levels, and even within the same machine, these levels fluctuated over time.
Workplace-brewed coffee contained 176 mg of cafestol per liter, nearly 15 times more than the 12 mg/L found in paper-filtered coffee. This means people who drink three or more cups daily might unknowingly be raising their LDL cholesterol over time.
For heavy coffee drinkers, the brewing method could influence cholesterol levels and long-term heart health. The study suggests switching to well-filtered coffee, like drip-filtered, may be a healthier choice.
