Which drinks increase cholesterol and harm heart health?

December 15, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one-third of U.S. adults have high cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease. For many, managing cholesterol levels involves dietary changes, and understanding which drinks increase cholesterol is a crucial step towards better cardiovascular health.

Quick Summary

This guide details beverages that can elevate cholesterol and triglyceride levels, including sugary sodas, excessive alcohol, and unfiltered coffee. It explains how these drinks impact lipid profiles and offers healthier alternatives to protect heart health.

Key Points

Sugary Drinks Increase Triglycerides: Beverages high in added sugar, like soda and fruit punch, cause the liver to produce more triglycerides and negatively impact HDL cholesterol.
Heavy Alcohol Intake is Harmful: Excessive alcohol consumption raises triglycerides and LDL cholesterol while impairing liver function, increasing heart disease risk.
Unfiltered Coffee Contains Diterpenes: Brewing methods like French press and espresso do not filter out cholesterol-raising oils called diterpenes, whereas paper filters do.
High-Fat Additives Raise LDL: Adding heavy cream, whole milk, or fatty creamers to drinks increases saturated fat and, consequently, LDL ('bad') cholesterol.
Healthier Alternatives Exist: Swapping unhealthy drinks for options like water, green tea, oat milk, or soy milk can help lower cholesterol levels.
Moderation is Key for Alcohol: If you choose to drink alcohol, doing so in moderation is less harmful to cholesterol than heavy drinking, but risks still exist.
Check Your Coffee Brewing Method: Individuals concerned about cholesterol should consider switching to filtered coffee instead of unfiltered preparations like French press.

The Hidden Dangers of Sugary Beverages

One of the most significant culprits behind unhealthy cholesterol levels is the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). These include regular soda, fruit punch, sports drinks, and sweetened teas. High sugar intake is linked to unfavorable lipid profiles because the liver converts excess calories into triglycerides. Elevated triglycerides are associated with lower HDL ('good') cholesterol and higher LDL ('bad') cholesterol. A study found daily consumption of sugary beverages increased the risk for abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels in middle-aged and older adults.

Examples of high-sugar drinks to limit:

Regular soda and cola
Sweetened fruit juices and fruit drinks
Flavored sports drinks
Energy drinks
Sweetened coffee and tea beverages

How Alcohol Impacts Your Cholesterol

Heavy alcohol intake is detrimental to heart health. The liver converts alcohol into triglycerides and cholesterol, increasing their levels in the blood. Excessive alcohol can also contribute to fatty liver disease, hindering the liver's ability to clear cholesterol. This combination of high triglycerides and low HDL raises the risk of heart disease. While some older research hinted at benefits from moderate red wine, experts now emphasize that heavy drinking risks outweigh any potential gains.

The Unfiltered Coffee Connection

Coffee itself contains no cholesterol, but certain brewing methods can increase blood cholesterol levels due to natural oils called diterpenes (cafestol and kahweol). Paper filters remove these oils, while unfiltered methods do not.

Brewing methods that increase cholesterol:

French Press (Cafetière): Diterpenes remain in the brew.
Espresso: High in diterpenes due to no paper filter.
Boiled/Turkish Coffee: Results in high diterpene content.
Scandinavian Boiled Coffee: Another unfiltered method with the same effect.

Filtered coffee, like drip or instant, contains very low levels of these oils. Switching to filtered or moderating unfiltered intake is recommended for those with high cholesterol.

The Problem with High-Fat Additives

Additions to drinks like cream, whole milk, and flavored creamers significantly contribute saturated fat and sugar, increasing LDL cholesterol.

Drinks with fatty additions:

Coffee with heavy cream or whole milk
Milkshakes and thick blended coffee drinks
Cream-based cocktails like White Russians

Comparison of Drinks and Their Cholesterol Impact


Drink Type	Primary Mechanism for Impact	Effect on Cholesterol	Healthier Alternatives
Sugary Drinks	Added sugars converted to triglycerides in the liver.	Increases triglycerides, lowers HDL (good) cholesterol, and can increase LDL (bad) cholesterol.	Water, unsweetened sparkling water, homemade infused water.
Heavy Alcohol Use	Liver converts alcohol into triglycerides and cholesterol.	Increases triglycerides and LDL, impairs liver function.	Abstain or consume moderately, based on doctor's advice.
Unfiltered Coffee	Diterpenes (oils) like cafestol and kahweol remain in the brew.	Can increase total and LDL cholesterol.	Filtered coffee (drip, instant), tea, herbal infusions.
High-Fat Additives	Adds saturated fat from cream, whole milk, or sweetened creamers.	Increases LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.	Skim or low-fat milk, oat milk, or soy milk.

Making Healthier Drink Choices

Replacing harmful beverages with heart-healthy options is an effective way to manage cholesterol. Many offer benefits beyond being low in fat and sugar, providing antioxidants and fiber that help lower cholesterol.

A list of cholesterol-friendly beverages:

Water: Essential for hydration.
Green Tea: Contains catechins that help lower LDL and total cholesterol.
Oat Milk: Beta-glucan soluble fiber helps remove cholesterol.
Soy Milk: Soy protein may reduce LDL.
Tomato Juice: Lycopene can improve lipid profiles.
Herbal Tea: Unsweetened, diterpene-free, and rich in antioxidants.

Choose unsweetened options and avoid high-fat, sugary creams. Harvard Health provides a resource on the negative impacts of sugary drinks on lipids.

Conclusion

Making conscious beverage choices is a simple yet impactful way to manage cholesterol and support heart health. Limiting high-sugar drinks, heavy alcohol, and unfiltered coffee is beneficial. Replacing these with healthy alternatives like water, green tea, or oat milk can positively affect your lipid profile. Be mindful of your drinking habits to help control cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Always consult a healthcare professional for personalized dietary advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary mechanism is that excessive sugar intake prompts your liver to convert the extra calories into triglycerides. High triglycerides are associated with higher LDL ('bad') cholesterol and lower HDL ('good') cholesterol.

For most people, simply quitting coffee will not significantly lower cholesterol. The effect is mostly tied to unfiltered coffee. Switching to a filtered method, cutting back on volume, or consuming unsweetened varieties is more effective.

Diet sodas do not contain sugar and therefore do not impact cholesterol via the triglyceride mechanism. However, they offer no nutritional value, and some studies suggest potential links to other health issues, so water remains the best option.

Heavy alcohol consumption, defined as more than one to two drinks per day depending on gender, is linked to higher triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Any amount can potentially affect cholesterol, and the safest approach for heart health is moderation or abstinence.

Diterpenes are natural oils (cafestol and kahweol) found in coffee beans. In unfiltered coffee, these oils can inhibit your body's cholesterol regulation, leading to increased total and LDL cholesterol.

The impact of alcohol on cholesterol is primarily related to the ethanol content and quantity consumed, not the specific type. Heavy consumption of any alcoholic beverage—beer, wine, or spirits—will negatively affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

A small, occasional amount is unlikely to cause a major issue. However, consistently adding high-fat cream, whole milk, and sugar contributes to overall intake of saturated fat and calories, which can build up over time and negatively impact cholesterol levels.