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Starbucks takes preventive measures for coronavirus 0:39
(CNN) - For many of us, the day doesn't start until we have coffee.
Only the aroma of that dark and rich drink can make our senses stir, ready for the boost of the mood we know is coming.
And it turns out that coffee is not only good for your health, but can even lengthen your life, but only if you brew it with a filter, according to a new long-term study published Wednesday in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
"Unfiltered coffee contains substances that increase cholesterol in the blood. Using a filter removes these and makes heart attacks and premature death less likely, ”said study author Dag Thelle, a senior professor in the department of public health and community medicine at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
"Our study provides strong and compelling evidence for a link between coffee brewing methods, heart attacks and longevity," said Thelle.
That is bad news for lovers of coffee made with the French press, or cafetière, which is so popular today, or those who like strong Greek and Turkish brewing methods. Boiling coffee or using a coffee press can actually increase your risk of heart disease.
"Unfiltered coffee, like boiled Greek and Turkish coffee, or coffee made in a French press contains higher amounts of cafestol and kahweol, chemicals found in the oil droplets that float in coffee and also in the sediment, ”said registered dietitian Lisa Drayer, a CNN collaborator on health and nutrition.
"Studies have shown that these substances can raise triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol levels," said Drayer. "So stick with the filtered coffee, like a paper filter you would use in drip coffee, which can help trap these chemicals."
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Drinking filtered coffee is better for health
The new study followed more than half a million healthy Norwegian men and women between the ages of 20 and 79 over a 20-year period.
The results showed that drinking unfiltered, boiled or pressed coffee increased the risk of death in men 60 years and older, due to high cardiovascular mortality.
But drinking filtered coffee, through a paper filter, for example, turned out to be healthier than not drinking coffee at all.
Filtered coffee was associated with a 15% reduced risk of death from any cause, a 12% reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease in men, and a 20% reduced risk of death from heart disease in women compared to don't drink coffee.
In fact, the study found that those who drank one to four cups of filtered coffee per day had the lowest death rate.
“The finding that those who drank the filtered drink performed better than those who did not drink coffee could not be explained by any other variable, such as age, gender, or lifestyle habits. Therefore, we believe this observation is true, "said Thelle.
Evidence-based recommendations
The findings echo other research highlighting the health benefits of coffee. According to the American Heart Association, filtered coffee can sharpen mental focus, improve mood, and increase performance during exercise.
The British Medical Journal published a large overall study in 2017 that looked at over 200 meta-analyzes of coffee's health benefits and found that drinking three to four cups of black coffee a day provides most of the overall health benefits. .
Those included include reducing the risk of heart disease; from numerous types of cancer; neurological, metabolic, and liver disorders; as well as general mortality. Other studies have found that coffee reduces the risk of melanoma, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, prostate cancer, Alzheimer's, computer-related back pain, and more.
Of course, nothing is perfect. There are a few reasons why you may want to limit or avoid coffee.
Take care of your dream. " If you're having trouble falling asleep, it's best to avoid coffee and all sources of caffeine at night or near bedtime," Drayer suggested.
Be careful if you are at risk of fractures. The British Medical Journal analysis found that high levels of coffee consumption (more than four cups a day) were associated with an increased risk of fractures in women who were already more likely, but not in men.
Pregnant women should also be cautious. Higher levels of coffee consumption were found to increase the risk of premature births and stillbirths, as well as low birth weight in babies. This is possibly due to the fact that the half-life of caffeine is known to double during pregnancy, increasing the dose of caffeine per cup, according to the study.
Not for those with Parkinson's. A study published in September 2017 reversed opinion on the benefits for Parkinson's disease, as caffeine was long thought to help. The researchers who first discovered that coffee reduced tremors in people with Parkinson's came back and studied a larger sample of patients for longer. This time, they found no difference between those taking caffeine tablets and those taking a placebo. After the initial data came back negative, the study was stopped.
But for the vast majority of us, coffee is fine, experts said.
"For people who know they have high cholesterol levels and want to do something about it, you have to stay away from unfiltered infusion, including coffee made with a cafetière," Thelle said. "For everyone else, drink your coffee with a clear conscience and choose the filtrate."
To keep your coffee consumption even healthier, Drayer suggested the following tips:
Add low-fat milk and skip the cream. "The cream provides about 50 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon," Drayer said, adding that low-fat milk has fewer calories and will help offset calcium losses (one tablespoon has only 6 calories, but 19 milligrams of calcium).
Avoid the sugar in your coffee. "A teaspoon of sugar contains 16 calories. It may not seem like much, but if you add two teaspoons to your infusion and drink a few cups per day, the calories add up, "he said.
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