Coffee’s health impact depends on how you brew it. Filtered coffee is linked to a lower cancer risk, while unfiltered methods—like French press or boiled coffee—let oily compounds called diterpenes sneak into your cup. These compounds, particularly cafestol and kahweol, can raise LDL cholesterol by 10–30 mg/dL in just a few weeks. Long-term exposure to high levels of these diterpenes has been associated with a modest uptick in the risk for certain cancers, including pancreatic and respiratory tract cancers, as well as a higher risk of dementia (generally observed with very high levels of boiled coffee consumption in particular). What’s going on here? Diterpenes are fat-soluble, so they slip through metal filters or stay suspended in boiled brews. Filtered coffee contains undetectable levels of cholesterol-raising diterpenes. Polyphenols, on the other hand (like chlorogenic acids) are water-soluble antioxidants that pass through paper filters and deliver cellular benefits. If you’re drinking multiple cups per day, consider switching to filtered coffee. It preserves the antioxidants while minimizing cholesterol-raising compounds.

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