KTK-Nutrition

Last week, I blogged about coffee and its relationship with cholesterol and heart health. Some readers asked great follow-up questions:  What about instant coffee, decaf coffee, and mushroom coffee?   Let’s break down what the research says. ☕  Coffee and Cholesterol Basics Coffee itself contains  no cholesterol , but it does have two natural  oils  —  cafestol  and  kahweol  — known as  diterpenes . These compounds can raise LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). Using  paper filters  to brew coffee removes 80–90% of cafestol and kahweol. In contrast,  unfiltered coffee  can raise LDL cholesterol by up to  8% in just four weeks .    (See:  Coffee, Cholesterol, and Your Heart: The Facts That Matter ) ☕  Instant Coffee and Cholesterol Instant coffee isn’t brewed through a filter — you simply add hot water to the granules. So, does it affect cholesterol levels? Instant coffee  is considered a lo...

Coffee is one of America’s favorite daily rituals — and it comes with real health benefits. But how does it affect cholesterol and heart health? Let’s break down what the science actually says. 🌟  The Health Benefits of 1–4 Cups of Coffee a Day Moderate  coffee  consumption —  up to 4 cups a day  — is consistently linked with better long‑term health outcomes. Research shows that regular coffee  drinkers  may experience: Lower overall mortality Reduced risk of stroke and heart disease Lower risk of respiratory diseases Slower cognitive decline Reduced risk of certain cancers Lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer Filtered  coffee , in particular, is associated with a  12–20% lower risk of cardiovascular death  compared to non‑coffee drinkers. (See:  Is Coffee Good for Your Health?  ) ☕  What Happens If You Drink More Than 4 Cups? More than four cups a day may start tipping the balance. While c...

Almost everyone has heard of cholesterol.   Not everyone has heard that you have both “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol.   For good health the goal is to raise the “good” cholesterol.   And yes, you do want the “good” cholesterol to be higher.   The other goal is to lower or keep within normal range the “bad” cholesterol.   What is cholesterol?   The Mayo Clinic defines cholesterol as “a waxy substance found in your blood”.   Believe it or not but your body not only needs cholesterol for healthy cells, your body also produces cholesterol.   Adults make about 1,000 mg of cholesterol a day and we get about 200-300 mg of cholesterol a day from food.   Our bodies need cholesterol for many functions in the body including being a precursor for vitamin D, a layer covering our nerve cells, to transport molecules around our body, and for each cell.   What about cholesterol and heart disease?   Our bodies use the cholesterol ...

Last week we talked about how important fiber is for feeding the good bacteria in your gut.   To have a healthy gut you need to populate it with good bacteria by eating yogurt and then you need to “feed” those good bacteria by adding some fiber to your diet.   Fiber is not only good as a food source for your good gut bacteria, fiber is also good for your heart.   A recent article in our local newspaper points out “ Four ways fiber helps your heart ” taken from an article by a registered dietitian, Carolyn Williams.   She acknowledges fiber is good for your gut but also your heart by saying, “to put it simply, eating more fiber means a healthy gut, and a healthy gut means a healthy heart.”      So how does fiber promote heart health?   Fiber lowers your cholesterol .   Have you seen the oatmeal and Cheerios packages?   Right on the front of Cheerios, it states, “Can help lower cholesterol as part of a heart healthy diet”.   Foods l...