Uh… Is French Press Coffee Bad For You? Here’s What Research Shows

Let’s be honest—most of us aren’t drinking coffee for its array of health benefits (though the beverage is packed with antioxidants, in case you were wondering) (though the beverage is packed with antioxidants, in case you were wondering). If you’re a daily coffee consumer, you’re more likely after the much-needed energy boost or the delicious flavor.

However, if you’re serious about maximizing the health benefits of your morning brew, pay attention: On a recent episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, metabolic health expert Alexis Cowan, Ph.D., shared a tip that neither you nor we had heard before. Her advice? You should probably stick to a filtered brew.

Unfiltered coffee versus filtered coffee.
Typically, filtered coffee requires a paper filter. This could be a standard drip coffee machine or a Chemex, for example. Contrariwise, unfiltered coffee includes French press, percolators, and espresso.

So which one is healthier, you might wonder? Cowan mentions this 2020 investigational study 1that aimed to determine if coffee brewing techniques were associated with longevity and overall health. To summarize: Filtered coffee emerged victorious.

“Those who consumed unfiltered coffee had higher rates of mortality and incidences of cardiovascular disease compared to those who did not consume coffee or consumed filtered coffee,” Cowan says. This is due to the fact that the paper filter captures numerous potentially harmful molecules that, if consumed, can cause oxidative stress and inflammation. Researchers hypothesize that these can increase the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease over time.

Read more • mindbodygreen.com