We can wholeheartedly agree that pressed coffee has gained quite a bit of popularity over the last couple of years. And it’s easy to see why. The so-called French press coffee offers convenience, practicality and it doesn’t require any electricity. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows when it comes to coffee brewing techniques. Thus – why French press coffee is bad for you?
The coffee made by using a French press might be bad for you as it may potentially increase your cholesterol, according to evidence-based data (1).
Apparently, the potential cholesterol-raising effects of unfiltered coffee are caused by a coffee diterpene compound called cafestol.
Subsequently, large amounts of cafestol are found in unfiltered drinks e.g. French press, Greek and Turkish coffee.
In contrast, the quantity of cafestol in filtered coffee i.e. drip coffee is minuscule since the filter holds most of this diterpene.
Now, this doesn’t mean that drinking French press coffee will lead to your ultimate demise.
It’s just that people with high cholesterol issues (especially increased LDL) need to be aware that unfiltered coffee might not be optimal for them.
Personally, If I had high cholesterol, I’d just stay away from any kind of unfiltered coffee including French press.
Table of Contents
Is A French Press Coffee Bad For You?
It can potentially be detrimental to your health by increasing your bad cholesterol (LDL) over time.
Data courtesy of the American Journal of Epidemiology shows that drinking unfiltered coffee increases both total and LDL cholesterol levels (2).
This is in contrast to trials that used filtered coffee, where only a slight increase in cholesterol levels was observed.
It turns out that coffee oils (e.g. cafestol) are the reason for the cholesterol-raising effects of java.
Nonetheless, having excessive amounts of these lipoproteins might clog your arteries.
And bad cholesterol (LDLs) is connected to increasing the risk of heart disease (3).
The best to do if you’re a die-hard French press fan is to monitor your cholesterol levels over time to see whether or not your LDL raises!
Of course, there are many java lovers who can’t just turn their backs on the good old French press.
The simplicity and unfiltered coffee flavor that it offers is sometimes hard to beat. But that shouldn’t come at the cost of your health.
My personal advice to you is to do regular blood tests (e.g. every month) to check how your cholesterol is moving.
This way you can know with certainty if your affection to unfiltered coffee has a negative impact on your well-being or not.
Does French Press Coffee Raise Cholesterol?
Yes, French press coffee can indirectly raise VLDL (bad) cholesterol via a diterpene named cafestol.
As previously mentioned, academic work has shown that cafestol (found in large quantities in unfiltered coffee) can increase VLDL levels in humans (4).
This should come as a warning sign to everyone who’s dealing with high cholesterol, yet loves sipping on unfiltered java.
There’s a condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia. This is a genetically-inherited condition related to having excessive amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol in your system. So lowering your cholesterol through diet alone might not be easy if high cholesterol runs in your family!
But then again, don’t forget that most of the cholesterol in our bloodstream is produced by the liver.
That’s right – the liver is responsible for around 80% of all cholesterol in our bodies, while only 20% comes from what we consume.
For instance, the way your liver regulates cholesterol in your body is predetermined on a genetic level.
Thus, your diet only plays a supporting role when it comes to cholesterol.
How to Filter French Press Coffee?
If you want extra filtration, just get one of those disposable paper filters and you’re good to go.
However, you might find that most paper filters are actually too big.
If that’s the case, simply cut them so that you may wrap the paper filter around your French press’ default steel mesh.
As you’ve now probably realized, the steel mesh filter that you press the coffee beans (or grounds) with, doesn’t filter an awful lot.
That’s the exact idea of this brewing method – to drink unfiltered coffee!
But what if you’re using finely ground coffee?
Then you’ll probably need to add a paper filter on top of the steel mesh to filter out the micro-ground coffee.
What Are The Benefits Of French Press Coffee?
These are the main advantages of French press coffee:
You don’t need electricity to brew the coffee
Cleaning and using a French press is a breeze (you don’t need a coffee maker cleaner)
You can adjust the coffee to your individual taste
It tastes better than drip coffee
The coffee has a thicker, less watery texture
You don’t need a filter
A French press is way cheaper than a traditional coffee maker
Although most people use a French press for the improved taste, convenience is another vital factor.
On one hand, the small presser doesn’t take lots of space on your kitchen counter.
And on the other, you can take it with you no matter where you go.
In fact, to brew java all that you need is 3 things – coffee grounds, hot water and a French press, voila!
Why is French Press Coffee Better Than Drip?
Coffee made with a French press might be better than drip coffee for several reasons:
It retains larger amounts of coffee’s natural oils, giving you a more genuine cup of Joe
It lets you play with a bunch of variables like how hot the water is, how long to steep the coffee grounds etc.
It doesn’t require electricity to operate
Cleaning a French press is less of a hassle
So, the thing with making coffee via a French press is that the grounds are always in direct contact with the water.
This means that you get coffee with more body and sediment i.e. a stronger coffee.
Or in other words, you get a genuine, unfiltered and pure cup of Joe.
And while those advantages cannot be disputed, drip machines have a few tricks up their sleeve too.
Drip coffee makers do a better job of providing java for more than one person, especially in office environments, restaurants etc.
And a drip machine will generally give you a cup of Joe quicker than a French press.
Although this depends on how long you let the ground coffee steep for.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that French press coffee i.e. unfiltered coffee might not be optimal for people with high cholesterol.
That’s because as I already pointed out, studies claim that a compound named cafestol (found abundantly in unfiltered java) raises VLDL (bad) cholesterol in humans.
So if you have issues with your cholesterol levels, better check them on a regular basis if you’re a sucker for French press java.
Now, have you personally experienced an increase in your bad cholesterol as a result of drinking unfiltered coffee?
And if you did – what did your doctor say about it?
We’d love to know so make sure to drop a comment below!
Did somebody say coffee? Two shots of espresso for me, thanks. Oh, nevermind – I’m Simon, nice to e-meet you, dear CoffeeLifior! I like to write, drink coffee and I believe in Jesus. Highly-caffeinated drinks are my thing, but you can occasionally see me sip on decaf (my wife never finishes her coffee). Speaking of which, I’m off to grab another cup of caffeinated goodness now, laters!
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
So mushroom coffee would or wouldn’t raise cholesterol as well?
Hello there Jessica – welcome aboard!
When it comes to mushroom coffee, the Cordyceps kind is known to have cholesterol-lowering properties.
There are even studies that support the claims about cordyceps’ ability to lower total cholesterol (1).
Another great thing about mushroom coffee is that it’s virtually fat-free, which is good news for anyone looking to control their cholesterol levels.
Cheers and God bless,
— Simon