Unfiltered Coffee Can Raise Cholesterol

Further research on the effects ofcoffee on cholesterol levels has showndifferences between filtered and unfilteredcoffees. This is good news for themajority of Americans, who drink filteredcoffee and may have been concernedover reports that all coffees canraise their cholesterol levels. Researcherssay that filters seem toremove most of the cholesterol-boostingsubstances found in coffee.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins UniversitySchool of Medicine in Baltimore,Md, reviewed more than a dozen studiesthat looked at the relationship betweencoffee consumption and cholesterollevels. They found that drinking an averageof 6 cups a day was connected toan increase in total cholesterol andlow-density lipoprotein levels. Nearly allof these rises, however, were linked tounfiltered coffees.

Although most increases in cholesteroldue to coffee intake had been blamed oncaffeine, researchers now find no connectionbetween the stimulant and thehigher levels. Instead, they found that oilsin the coffee, called terpenes, are possiblythe culprit. These oils are usuallyremoved by coffee filters. Researcherssuggest that regular drinkers of unfilteredcoffees should have their cholesterol levelschecked on a regular basis.