F. Y. EYE

The health effects of coffee consumption is a subject of much research, but Norwegian researchers looked at the possible effects of different brewing methods for coffee and the effects on cholesterol levels. The study used cross-sectional population data from Northern Norway to assess the association between serum total cholesterol and the total amount of coffee consumption. The effects on cholesterol level was variable based on the brewing method of the coffee being consumed. For espresso coffee, consumption of 3-5 cups per day compared to 0 cups per day was associated with a significant increase in serum total cholesterol for both men (0.16 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval 0.07-0.24) and women (0.09 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.17). For coffee that was boiled or plunger brewed, there was a significant increase in serum total cholesterol for consumption of 6 or more cups per day compared to 0 cups per day for both men (0.23 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval 0.08-0.38) and women (0.30 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval 0.13-0.48). For filtered coffee, there was a smaller effect on cholesterol levels for women who consumed 6 or more cups per day (0.11 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval 0.03-0.19), but there was no effect on cholesterol for men. Instant coffee did not have a significant effect on cholesterol levels for men or women.Svatun A, Loche M, Thelle D, et al. Association between espresso coffee and serum total cholesterol: the Tromsø Study 2015-2016. Open Heart 2022 Apr;9(1):e001946. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2021-001946.