Cafestol
What is cafestol in coffee?
Cafestol is a natural oil compound (a diterpene) found in coffee beans that can raise LDL cholesterol when consumed regularly in large amounts. Paper filters trap most of it, so unfiltered coffees such as French press, Turkish and boiled coffee contain far more than filter coffee.
Cafestol and its close relative kahweol live in the oily part of the coffee bean. A metal mesh lets them through into the cup, while a paper filter holds most of them back. In a six-month trial published in the BMJ in 1996, drinking about 0.9 litres a day of unfiltered cafetière coffee raised LDL cholesterol by roughly 9–14% compared with filtered coffee, and the effect reversed when people stopped. Found in: French press, Turkish coffee.