Coffee and Green Tea Are Cholesterol Control Beverages

There was an interesting small study out of Rome , Italy published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in September regarding coffee. Ten healthy volunteers, after an overnight fast, drank about seven ounces of filtered coffee. Blood was then drawn 30 minutes and 60 minutes after drinking coffee. It was found that resistance to LDL oxidation significantly increased after coffee drinking, although LDL concentration did not increase. It's the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that causes damage. Researchers concluded that resistance to LDL oxidation was probably the result of phenolic compounds in coffee which have antioxidant activity. Another great option is green tea as it provides a large amount of antioxidant nutrients. Look for green tea with high levels of EGCG, one of the key antioxidants.