Deans' stroke musings: This Type of Coffee Is the Worst for Heart Health, According to Cardiologists

Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Thursday, January 23, 2025

This Type of Coffee Is the Worst for Heart Health, According to Cardiologists

I'm doing a 12 cup pot of coffee a day to lessen my chance of dementia and Parkinsons. Tell me EXACTLY how much coffee to drink for that and I'll change. Yep, that is a lot more than the 400mg. suggested limit, I don't care! Preventing dementia and Parkinsons is vastly more important than whatever problems it can cause!)

I doubt they considered persons like myself who obviously process caffeine fast.

I think I'm in this category: I never get the jitters or flushed skin.

Genetics determine how much coffee you can drink before it goes wrong

And I'm doing it to lower my risk of dementia and Parkinsions. This research means nothing to me. I never do any fancy coffees, just a bit of milk.

How coffee protects against Parkinson’s Aug. 2014

Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Dementia Feb. 2013

Coffee drinkers rejoice! Drinking coffee could lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease

And this: Coffee's Phenylindanes Fight Alzheimer's Plaque December 2018

The latest here:

This Type of Coffee Is the Worst for Heart Health, According to Cardiologists

If you’re one of the 66% of Americans who drinks coffee, you likely can’t imagine starting your day without it. For many, having a cup of coffee is so ingrained into their morning routine that they have an automatic coffee maker that is pre-scheduled to brew a pot so it’s ready to drink as soon as they wake up.

Considering that it’s daily rituals impact our health the most, it’s important to know how your coffee habit impacts your heart. According to cardiologists, it all depends on how you have it.

Is Coffee Good for Heart Health?

When it comes to how black coffee (with nothing in it) impacts heart health, scientific research is mixed. “There have been many studies looking at coffee, with mixed results. We do know that coffee can raise blood pressure and increase the stiffness of arteries, both of which are bad for your heart. However, one study found that drinking coffee in moderation could decrease the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other heart health risk factors, says Dr. Edo Paz, MD, MPH, a cardiologist and the Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at Hello Heart.

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With this conflicting data in mind, Dr. Paz says he recommends drinking coffee in moderation, capping it at one cup a day. Dr. Sam Setareh, MD, MS, FACC, the Director of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Performance at Beverly Hills Cardiovascular, also recommends drinking black coffee in moderation.

“Studies suggest that one to two cups of black coffee daily can improve cardiovascular health by lowering the risk of heart failure and promoting vascular function due to its antioxidant properties. However, excessive caffeine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, especially in sensitive individuals,” he says.

The Worst Type of Coffee for Heart Health

While scientific studies do show that drinking black coffee in moderation can benefit cardiovascular health, both cardiologists say that how you prepare your coffee matters. Both doctors say that coffee drinks that contain sugar are absolutely not good for heart health.

“Highly sweetened specialty drinks like caramel macchiatos or blended frappuccinos do more harm than good, when it comes to heart health. These beverages often contain hundreds of calories, large amounts of sugar and unhealthy fats, which can negate any potential heart-healthy benefits of coffee,” Dr. Setareh says.

Dr. Paz agrees, saying, “I would advise staying away from any coffee drinks that have high sugar content. Flavored coffees with lots of syrup would fall in this category and they are generally not heart-healthy.”

Take a caramel macchiato for example. A grande Starbucks caramel macchiato has 33 grams of added sugar, which is more sugar than the American Heart Association recommends consuming in an entire day. By the way, it’s not just coffees you buy at cafes that can be high in sugar; Dr. Paz says that ready-to-drink coffee products can be high in sugar too.

Both doctors say that having a sugar-sweetened coffee every day can have detrimental health effects. “Added sugar has low nutritional value and can cause a lot of health problems. Too much sugar can damage blood vessels, lead to buildup of plaque inside the arteries and increase your risk of cardiac disease. It can also lead to other heart disease risk factors, like diabetes or high blood pressure,” Dr. Paz says.

Dr. Setareh says that the combination of sugar and caffeine in coffee drinks can be especially harmful. “Combining sugar with caffeine can create a stress response, spiking blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, these factors contribute to inflammation, plaque formation and an elevated risk of heart disease,” he says.

How To Make Your Coffee Habit More Heart Healthy-Friendly

If you prefer sugar-sweetened coffees to black coffee, Dr. Paz recommends making your coffee drink at home instead of buying a pre-made latte product or your coffee from a cafe. That way, you can control how much sugar or other ingredients, like creamer, you add. Instead of sugar, consider adding cinnamon to your coffee instead, which is beneficial for heart health.

“If you enjoy coffee, opt for simpler preparations like black coffee or espresso, or add unsweetened plant-based milk,” Dr. Setareh says, offering his advice on how to keep your coffee habit heart-healthy.

Dr. Paz reiterates the importance of drinking coffee in moderation. Even if you like black coffee, drinking cup after cup of it all day can end up being detrimental to your health. “I enjoy a cup every morning to help me start my day and then I transition to water and other low-sugar, non-caffeinated drinks for the rest of the day. It’s all about keeping a balance,” he says.

As long as you keep these tips in mind, you can rest assured that when you have your morning cup of coffee, you are starting the day by doing something that benefits your heart instead of working against it. And that’s a pretty great way to start the day.