Coffee and Cholesterol

More than 50% of adult Americans, especially women have a total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or higher, which is above the recommended limit. although several early studies indicated that coffee raises serum cholesterol concentrations, it was later found that method of brewing has a direct effect on coffee's cholesterol and tryglyceride-raising properties. Two sustances ( diterpenes) in coffee, cafestol, and kahweol, are thought to be responsible. These chemicals are release by hot water but are caught by paper filters. Those of us watching our cholesterol should avoid unfilered coffees, such as Turkish, Scandinavian "boiled" and French press (cafetière) coffees, but we still can enjoy filtered, instant or percolated coffees.