Unfiltered Coffee & Cholesterol: How French Press and Espresso Affect Your Heart Health

 Here’s what happened. A while ago, while I was scrolling through short-form videos, I came across a piece of medical-related news about coffee. It said that drinking coffee made without a filtration step—such as coffee brewed with a moka pot or a French press—may raise cholesterol levels in the body, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

I don’t claim any authority when it comes to medical science, but this still made me curious enough to dig a little deeper and see what was really going on. So today, I’d like to talk about this topic with you.

The reason behind this has to do with two natural oils found in coffee: cafestol and kahweol. Cafestol is a diterpene compound extracted from coffee beans and is structurally similar to kahweol. Research suggests that cafestol may increase cholesterol levels. Kahweol, also a natural diterpene compound from coffee beans, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-cancer properties.

Both of these compounds are fat-soluble, meaning they can enter the coffee liquid during brewing. Unfiltered coffee—such as French press coffee, moka pot coffee, and espresso, all of which are commonly brewed without paper filters—tends to contain higher concentrations of cafestol and kahweol. With immersion brewing methods like the French press, hot water remains in contact with the coffee grounds for a longer period of time, and without paper filtration, these oily compounds are able to pass freely into the cup.

In contrast, paper-filtered coffee, such as pour-over coffee, contains almost none of these substances. That’s because paper filters effectively trap and absorb these oils, preventing them from passing through into the final brew.

So once we understand how these compounds exist in coffee and how they relate to different brewing methods, the next question is: how exactly do they raise cholesterol levels in the body?

One key reason is that they interfere with receptors in the liver that are responsible for regulating cholesterol levels. This reduces the liver’s ability to remove low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol—often referred to as “bad cholesterol”—from the bloodstream. At the same time, these compounds may stimulate the liver to produce more cholesterol on its own, while also reducing the excretion of bile acids (which are made from cholesterol). As a result, more cholesterol is reabsorbed back into the bloodstream.

Ultimately, this leads to higher levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Some studies suggest that long-term, heavy consumption of unfiltered coffee can raise LDL cholesterol levels by approximately 3%–10%, depending on the amount consumed and the type of coffee.

Medical research indicates that for healthy individuals, drinking one to two cups of espresso or milk-based espresso drinks per day has a relatively limited impact. However, the cumulative effect of long-term, heavy consumption of French press coffee should not be overlooked—especially for people who already have high cholesterol or cardiovascular risk. In these cases, the cholesterol-raising effect of cafestol can be quite significant.

Therefore, if you are particularly concerned about your cholesterol levels, it’s best to choose paper-filtered coffee as your daily option. Brewing methods such as French press, Turkish coffee, and boiled coffee tend to contain the highest levels of these coffee oils.

For healthy individuals with normal cholesterol levels, no cardiovascular disease risk, and moderate coffee consumption, the impact is usually minimal. There’s no need to completely give up your favorite type of coffee—the key lies in moderation and taking your personal health condition into account. For those who have already been diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia or have cardiovascular risk factors, in addition to controlling saturated and trans fat intake, switching from unfiltered coffee to filtered coffee can be a simple and effective supportive measure.

By this logic, it seems we’ve gained yet another reason to accept why American-style coffee filters out those oils. Well, I guess I really can’t stay away from this topic lately. No need to panic—just drink responsibly and within your limits. Wishing everyone many happy coffee moments ☕️