Study: Modern Coffee Machines May Raise Cholesterol Levels
A new Swedish study has found that coffee brewed in many modern workplace machines may contain high levels of cholesterol-raising compounds, compared to coffee prepared using traditional paper-filter drip methods.
The study, conducted by researchers from Uppsala University and Chalmers University of Technology, analyzed coffee from 14 machines in office break rooms across Sweden. It revealed that several machines produced coffee with elevated concentrations of cafestol and kahweol—naturally occurring compounds known to increase levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, often referred to as “bad” cholesterol.
Published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, the research raises concerns about long-term health impacts for individuals who consume multiple cups of coffee daily, especially in professional environments where unfiltered coffee machines are commonly used.
“Given the quantity of coffee consumed in Swedish workplaces, we aimed to assess the content of cholesterol-raising compounds in machine-brewed coffee,” said lead researcher Dr. David Eeg-Olofsson from Uppsala University.
To compare brewing methods, the study examined coffee prepared using drip machines with paper filters, French press, boiled coffee, espresso, and cloth-filtered coffee. The findings showed that boiled coffee and French press preparations contained the highest levels of cafestol and kahweol. Espresso samples also varied in concentration depending on the machine.
In contrast, coffee made using paper-filtered drip machines showed significantly lower levels of the two diterpenes. Researchers concluded that paper filtration is highly effective in removing these substances and reducing their cholesterol-raising effects.
“There were substantial differences in compound levels between the machines,” Eeg-Olofsson said. “Some machines produced coffee with levels of cafestol and kahweol similar to those found in boiled coffee, which is already discouraged in Nordic dietary guidelines.”
The 2023 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations advise reducing or avoiding boiled coffee due to its established link to higher cholesterol. The current study reinforces this recommendation and highlights the health advantages of choosing filtered coffee methods, particularly for high-frequency drinkers.
The researchers emphasized the importance of filtration in mitigating the presence of these compounds and called on coffee machine manufacturers to consider better filtering mechanisms in future designs.
“For individuals who drink a lot of coffee daily, drip-brewed coffee or any coffee that is well-filtered is clearly the safer option,” Eeg-Olofsson added.
The study stops short of labeling machine-brewed coffee as harmful but urges caution over long-term exposure to high levels of these compounds. The team recommends further controlled studies involving habitual coffee drinkers to better understand the cumulative effects on cholesterol levels.
As global coffee consumption continues to rise—particularly in workplace settings—the study offers a timely reminder that brewing method matters not only for taste, but also for heart health.
