What is the first thing that you do when you wake up in the morning? Many early risers instantly head to their coffee machines and pour a jolting shot for themselves. But do you know that the wrong kind of preparation can increase your cholesterol levels? Yes! That's right. Your favourite beverage might be doing you more harm in the disguise of keeping you awake.
But much like everything, there is a solution to it. You should learn to brew coffee the right way, but first, you should understand what is wrong with your current method. In a conversation with The Washington Post, Harvard doctor-scientist and columnist Trisha Pasricha, MD, MPH, shared why she never recommends people drink unfiltered or instant coffee.
Are You Brewing Your Coffee Wrong?
"Coffee is great for your health, but it can raise your cholesterol if you make it the wrong way," she said in the viral video.
She added that if you are someone who drinks multiple cups of coffee in a day, she would not suggest using a French Press. You should go for a beverage brewed in a standard pot or something that uses a paper filter. "This includes instant coffee, drip coffee, pour-overs, and cold brew," she added.
What's Wrong With A French Press?
When you filter coffee through a French press, it lets a compound, called diterpenes, pass through. This compound is associated with an increase in cholesterol levels, but a paper filter can trap it. A study published in the National Library of Medicine confirms that coffee beans have cholesterol-rising diterpenes.
"Research has shown that drinking three to five cups of espresso daily or six or more cups of French press coffee daily was associated with elevated serum cholesterol levels because they contain diterpenes, which decrease the liver's ability to remove LDL cholesterol from the body," read the caption.
She added that people who drink filtered coffee live longer than those who don't, or those who drink French press or espresso, as both contribute to an increase in cholesterol levels.
Why Instant Coffee And Coffee Pods Are Better Than A French Press Beverage?
"Instant coffee or a coffee pod is filtered coffee that is technically paper-filtered. Instant coffee is actually brewed filtered coffee that gets industrially dried into granules," she said in the video.
"Coffee pods actually contain tiny filters on the inside," the expert said, adding that she does not recommend them because of the use of microplastics and single-use plastics in them.
Your instant coffee will not only jolt you out of the sleepy state, but also benefit your overall health.
Also Read | Drink Your Coffee Before Noon, Says Harvard Doctor, Plus 7 Ways To Upgrade It
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