Coffee: How Does It Affect Our Cholesterol Levels

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Coffee is one of the most popular beverages among Americans to date, regardless of age, gender, race or lifestyle.Coffee offers many benefits - a morning rush, a unique taste - but is coffee good for your cholesterol?

Coffee and your Cholesterol

Some components of unfiltered coffee (cafestol, kahweol) have been proven to raise cholesterol levels.This means that a steady coffee consumption can ultimately result in raised cholesterol.Adding cream, which increases fat content, doesn't help.The problem lies in the oils of coffee.The oil can be separated from the coffee with a filter, but using a French press or drinking espresso leaves the harmful oils in.

What is Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a sterol (an alcohol and a steroid at the same time), and a lipid.It exists in your blood plasma and is manufactured by the body.There are two types of cholesterol.LDL or low-density lipoprotein is commonly called "bad cholesterol" and has been associated with cardiovascular disease.HDL or high-density protein is "good cholesterol" and performs tasks beneficial to the body.

Good Cholesterol

Good cholesterol, in high levels, protect against heart attacks.HDL guides cholesterol towards the liver, where it belongs, taking it away from the heart and arteries.

Bad Cholesterol

When too much bad cholesterol is circulating in the body, it can clog up the arterial walls and form a plaque.When this happens, the arteries became narrow, hard and inflexible.When an artery that feeds the heart or brain is blocked a stroke or heart attach can occur.

Triglycerides is a fat manufactured by the body.These all can be due to obesity, inactivity, alcohol, smoking, or a high carbohydrate diet.Triglycerides should also be avoided.

Avoid Bad Cholesterol

Avoiding bad cholesterol can seem overwhelming, as cholesterol is in many of the things we consume each day - including coffee.Cholesterol can also be found in meats, creams, cheeses, eggs and nuts.Cholesterol can be passed down to you in your genes as well - 75% of all the cholesterol in your body is manufactured by your body.If your family has a history of high blood cholesterol levels, you may be at risk.

What you can do for your Cholesterol Levels

However, there are plenty of things you can do to lower your cholesterol.Quit smoking and don't drink in excess.Make sure to stay physically active and watch what you eat.

There are plenty of things you can eat to get high cholesterol, but there are also things you can eat to lower your cholesterol.Artichokes, oats, garlic and other substances have been proven to either lower cholesterol levels or be good for your heart and circulatory system.Supplements containing the extracts of more obscure plants that don't enter your daily diet can also help lower your cholesterol.

Photo credit: Javier Benek