What About Home Cholesterol Tests
You don’t have to see your doctor to check your cholesterol you can also check your cholesterol at home. These home cholesterol test kits can usually be purchased at your local pharmacy. But not all home test kits are the same, according to the Mayo Clinic.
There are a number of different cholesterol test kit brands and therefore different levels of accuracy. Per the Mayo Clinic, the most accurate tests are ones affiliated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention programs. These test meet the rigorous standards of the CDC.
However, the Mayo Clinic notes that most home cholesterol kits only measure total cholesterol levels. As mentioned, if a high cholesterol test is specifically caused by high levels of HDL , it’s unlikely a person is at risk for heart disease. Be sure to discuss your home cholesterol test results with your doctor.
Is Bulletproof Coffee To Blame For Your High Ldl
Why do some people see an increase in LDL on the Bulletproof diet?
Lets dig in to find out more.
For the better part of half a century a high dietary intake of saturated fat and cholesterol was identified as the major cause of heart disease, and a low saturated fat/cholesterol diet was promoted in the west as a result.
Numerous studies have since identified weaknesses with this hypothesis, and as a result, in 2015 the USDA Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reversed the long-standing recommendation that people limit dietary cholesterol intake. 1
However, dietary cholesterol, as is found in eggs, is not necessarily the same thing as dietary saturated fat, as is found in butter and ghee.
Whilst the jury is still out on the relative risks and benefits of saturated or unsaturated fats, numerous diet plans have appeared promoting the benefits of a high fat, low carb diet.
Foodscience Says We’ve All Been Making Coffee Incorrectly For Decades
Registered dietitian Whitney Linsenmeyer, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and an assistant professor of nutrition at Saint Louis University, agrees that coffee can be part of a heart-healthy diet. I rely on the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are rather encouraging for regular coffee drinkers in that they indicate that moderate coffee consumption can be incorporated into healthy eating patterns, she explained in an email to TODAY.
Generally the American Heart Association agrees that moderate coffee consumption does not seem to be harmful, and may even lower the risk of heart disease, she continued.
The Norwegian study concluded that filtered coffee was best. Freeman echoed this, suggesting that coffee drinkers keep their brews simple and choose filtered, black coffee without sugars and creamers.
The two most important factors to keep in mind,” says Linsenmeyer, “are total caffeine intake and any additions, such as milk, cream or sugar. These will contribute to your total calorie and added sugar intake, but these too can be incorporated into a balanced diet. Personally, my day starts with a whole milk latte , and that is certainly not going to change.
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Myth #: Eating Cholesterol Increases Your Bad Cholesterol
Most of the cholesterol in your blood is made by your liver. It’s actually not from the cholesterol you eat. Why do you think cholesterol medications block an enzyme in your liver ? ‘Cause that’s where it’s made!
What you eat still can affect how much cholesterol your liver produces. After a cholesterol-rich meal your liver doesn’t need to make as much.
A Health Drink Not Quite
It is one thing to say that coffee may be good for you it’s another to say it’s so good for you that drinking it should be recommended. And we’re not there yet.
All of the favorable studies and all of the seemingly healthful ingredients in coffee are good news for coffee drinkers. They can relax and enjoy their habit. And people who don’t drink coffee can find plenty of other things to do to help keep themselves healthy.
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Health & Wellnesscoffee Lover You May Just Live Longer 2 Studies Find
These results were not surprising to the researchers or to Dr. Andrew Freeman, the director for cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver and a member of the American College of Cardiologys Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Section Leadership Council, who was not involved with the study.
Filtered coffee seems to be quite healthful, Freeman told TODAY. “Depending on what study you look at, anywhere between 2 and 6 cups a day actually reduces cardiovascular events.” But it doesnt mean that you should start drinking coffee if the beverage isnt already part of your regular diet. Its important that if one is going to drink coffee that they probably should drink it habitually. If you drink coffee sporadically, meaning not every day, that can actually raise blood pressure.
Freeman also cautions, If people are sensitive, meaning they have blood pressure or arrhythmia or atrial fibrillation or other things like that, I recommend they avoid coffee altogether.
Coffee’s Other Effects On Cholesterol
When we think about cholesterol, we generally think that “high” means “bad.” And, while this is certainly true with LDL cholesterol, increased levels of HDL cholesterol are generally considered a good thing.
Among its benefits, HDL cholesterol absorbs excess cholesterol in the blood and carries it back to the liver where it is flushed out of the body. Increases in HDL generally correspond to decreases in the risk of heart disease and stroke.
A 2020 study in the Journal of Nutrition reported that while high consumption of unfiltered espresso did, in fact, increase TC and LDL levels in both men and women, it also increased “good” HDL and decreased “bad” triglyceride levels. Decreased triglycerides are linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
The same study also noted that regular consumption of tea and instant coffee had no detrimental effect on a person’s blood lipid profile.
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Coffee Drinks To Avoid
Blended beverages, such as frappuccinos and many store-bought breakfast drinks, are coffees that contain added syrups, sugar, excess milk/cream, and other ingredients. The calories from these additives can quickly add up. These sugar-riddled beverages can easily put you close to the American Heart Associations daily recommended limit of added sugar consumption.
Things You Should Know When Your Cholesterol Is High
Created on August 25th, 2018 · Last updated on April 12th, 2019 ·
Medically reviewed by Shahzadi Devje, Registered Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator
Cholesterol seems to be a buzzing topic, with a bit of an over-emphasis – borderlining obsession.
Before we jump into busting some myths, let’s make sure we’re on the same page when it comes to what exactly cholesterol is.
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Consistency In The Effects
A majority of the participants showed similar changes in blood lipids. In the two coffee abstention periods, 73 of 120 and 83 of 116 participants showed a decrease in serum cholesterol. Coffee drinking resulted in increasing serum cholesterol values in 81 of 120 participants in the first period, and in 64 of 116 the participants in the second coffee period.
Bulletproof Coffee And High Ldl
An important question is what does following a high fat, low carb diet actually do to the levels of LDL in the blood?
In a meta-analysis of several studies, blood triglyceride levels were decreased by an average 2.2 mg/mL, potentially as triglycerides are being broken down into ketone bodies rather than stored.
Cholesterol , LDL and HDL in comparison were all increased in those following high fat, low carb diets. 5
There is no data describing the effect of Bulletproof Coffee in a large population, however this report describes a patient presenting with hyperlipidemia after regularly drinking Bulletproof Coffee. Importantly, this man saw an increase in triglycerides, which were not elevated in those on more traditional ketogenic diets.
LDL, and in particular a subset known as small dense LDL , are associated with the development of atherosclerotic plaques on the blood vessel walls. These plaques result in the narrowing of the blood vessels, and if ruptured can result in the rapid development of blood clots leading to a heart attack.
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Why Your Coffee Brew Matters
Coffee oils are most potent in coffees where the grounds have the longest contact with the water during brewing. A French press, which brews coffee by continually passing water through the grounds, has been shown to have greater concentrations of cafestol.
Brewing in an American-style coffee pot with a filter, on the other hand, has relatively low levels, as the beverage is only passed through the grounds once. Most of the cafestol is left behind in the filter, no matter what the roast.
Another study found that Turkish-style simmered coffee and Scandinavian-style boiled coffee had the highest amount of diterpenes. Instant coffee and drip-brewed coffee had negligible amounts, and espresso had intermediate amounts.
Research has shown that drinking five cups of coffee daily over 4 weeks from a French press brewing method can increase blood cholesterol levels by 6 to 8 percent.
Coffee The Good The Bad And The Cholesterol
Posted on April 8, 2013
Back in December 2011 I wrote a post, Cholesterol-y Coffee, about the sad, sad fact that drinking unfiltered coffee has been shown to raise cholesterol. Specifically LDL cholesterol. As there have been recent updates on this topic I thought it was a good time for a Going Lo-Co coffee-cholesterol update.
First, some good news. A 2008 study published by the Harvard School of Public Health stated, Drinking up to six cups a day of coffee is not associated with increased risk of death from any cause, or death from cancer or cardiovascular disease.
Yay.
And it gets better: Catherine Pearson recently reported on The Huffington Post, Researchers from Harvard University found that women who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated joe per day had a 15 percent lower risk of depression than non-coffee drinkers, while those who drank four-plus cups daily had a 20 percent lower risk.
Indeed, theres a surprisingly long list of potential health benefits from a daily dose of coffee. In the January 2012 Harvard Health Letter, the article What Is It About Coffee lists seven count em 7 diseases that regular coffee drinking helps minimize. It also has a cool chart of how much caffeine is in tea vs Starbucks drinks . I highly recommend checking out this online Harvard Health article, it is well written and very informative.
Oh, and one more thing. I think I need to acquire this gorgeous Chemex coffee pot even though I love my Keurig machine.
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Be Mindful Of What You Put In Your Coffee
Though the research is mixed on whether coffee itself can raise your cholesterol levels, researchers do know that saturated fat increases your cholesterol levels. And saturated fat can be found in a lot of things we put in coffee. Here are a few to avoid or enjoy sparingly.
- Cream and half-n-half. The classic coffee lighteners made with whole-fat milk have high levels of saturated fat, which has been shown to increase levels of LDL cholesterol. More cholesterol-friendly choices include nonfat or low-fat options or plant-based milks with no saturated fat.
- Sweet coffee drinks. Those frothy, sugary coffee concoctions popping up at more and more coffee shops have more in common with a milkshake than a cup of coffee and, besides packing in a lot of sugar, may contain ingredients high in saturated fat. Ask about ingredients before you indulge.
- Bulletproof coffee. Popular with fans of the ketogenic diet, bulletproof coffee is a breakfast substitute that calls for adding butter and coconut oil into your daily cup of joe. Both have high levels of saturated fat and there have been several case reports of people who regularly drink bulletproof coffee having sharp rises in their LDL cholesterol.
The bottom line for coffee and cholesterol is the same as many foods and beverages: Enjoy it in moderation, be mindful of how it is made, and know what ingredients are going into it.
BMJ: âHigh intake of coffee positively correlated with total and LDL cholesterol in healthy young adults.â
Test#2 Unexpected High Trigs
I had read that if you are in the middle of losing weight you could skew your blood test, so I waited until my weight stabilized to get testing done. Back when I was eating a vegan diet several years ago, I became aware that saturated fat increased my cholesterol. I had tested around 240 mg/dL and I promptly decreased my coconut oil intake and saw my number drop to 165 mg/dL. So, when my initial test came back after a keto way of eating with a total cholesterol of 313 mg/dL, I was not surprised. However, I was very surprised at my triglyceride reading of 131 mg/dL.
Typically, on a ketogenic diet it is expected thattriglycerides drop like a stone due to the limited carbohydrate intake. In fact, many people will have a triglycerideto HDL ratio approaching 1:1. So, I wasa little concerned that my ratio was 131:47 or 2.79:1.
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Top Off Coffee With Milk Instead Of Cream
Ditching the half and half in your coffee for some skim milk is about the easiest change you can make youll barely taste the difference and it takes a matter of seconds.
People tell me they only have three coffees a day, but think how big those coffees are, says Blake. All that cream adds up. If you like your coffee light, go for skim milk or steamed skim milk . In addition to cholesterol help, choosing milk is also a great way to get in calcium and vitamin D.
Chlorogenic Acid And Other Antioxidants
Explanations for the association between coffee consumption and lower rates of heart disease and diabetes often point to chlorogenic acid and other obscure antioxidant substances as the responsible parties. Antioxidants are substances that sop up reactive molecules before they have a chance to harm sensitive tissue like the lining of blood vessels. Some experiments have shown that chlorogenic acid may also inhibit absorption of glucose in the digestive system and even out insulin levels.
Chlorogenic acid might be another coffee ingredient with a split personality. Along with caffeine, it seems to push up levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that has been associated with artery-clogging atherosclerosis.
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Diterpenes: Cafestol And Kahweol
The coffee effect on blood cholesterol levels has to do with a diterpene called cafestol. Some researchers rate cafestol as one of the most potent cholesterol-raising substances that can be found in the human diet. Together with kahweol another diterpene present in coffee, they are responsible for the cholesterol-raising effect of the drink. Their mechanisms of action are not completely known, but research suggests that they inhibit three liver genes responsible for cholesterol regulation in the body. These are two diterpenes are present in the oil derived from the coffee beans, although in different concentration depending on the variety. They are extracted by hot water but are retained in the filter paper by more than 50%, so they do not pass completely into the final beverage during the preparation of filter coffee.
Healthy Eating Tips To Lower Cholesterol
As well as sticking to a varied and healthy diet, try these tips to help you manage your cholesterol:
- Limit takeaway foods to once a week .
- Limit salty, fatty and sugary snack foods to once a week .
- Eat plenty of vegetables aim for 5 serves of vegetables every day. .
- Choose wholegrain breads, cereal, pasta, rice and noodles.
- Snack on plain, unsalted nuts and fresh fruit .
- Include legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, split peas), beans into at least two meals a week. Check food labels and choose the lowest sodium products.
- Use spreads and margarines made from healthy unsaturated fats instead of those made with saturated fat .
- Use healthy oils for cooking some include canola, sunflower, soybean, olive , sesame and peanut oils.
- Use salad dressings and mayonnaise made from oils such as canola, sunflower, soybean, olive , sesame and peanut oils.
- Include 2 or 3 serves of plant-sterol-enriched foods every day .
- Have 2 to 3 portions of oily fish every week. Fish may be fresh, frozen or canned.
- Include up to 7 eggs every week.
- Select lean meat and limit unprocessed red meat to less than 350g per week.
- Choose reduced fat, no added sugar milk, yoghurt, or calcium-added non-dairy food and drinks.
- Limit or avoid processed meats including sausages and deli meats .
If you are having trouble with your cholesterol levels, a dietitian can help you to eat healthily for your specific needs.
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Tips To Lower High Cholesterol
Just as coffee can increase your blood cholesterol level, there are numerous foods and habits that further promote said increase , so by avoiding them or implementing other options it is possible that you effectively reduce cholesterol and you do not necessarily have to stop consuming for always coffee, unless it is causing alterations in your body.
The use of drugs to lower cholesterol can only be indicated by your doctor and you must follow the treatment that has been indicated However, some things you can do on your own to improve this condition is to modify your diet if it is not very healthy, in which you include vegetables, fruits and legumes, foods rich in fiber and in omega 3 and 6, avoiding all those that they provide you with saturated and trans fats. In the following FastlyHealarticle you can find 5 recipes to lower cholesterol , which can be of great help when preparing your diet.
Also, if you stop harmful habits such as smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages, they will help you maintain control over your cholesterol. Likewise, by doing light activities that keep you active they favor you, but the best thing is that you can integrate an exercise routine that suits your condition and needs, which will lead to lower high cholesterol and not eliminate coffee from your life , especially if you have a predisposition for this alteration of the cholesterol level.