Cafestol is a
diterpenoidmolecule present in
coffee beans. It is one of the compounds that may be responsible for proposed biological and pharmacological effects of coffee.[1]
Sources
A typical bean of Coffea arabica contains about 0.4% to 0.7% cafestol by weight.[2] Cafestol is present in highest quantity in unfiltered coffee drinks such as
French press coffee,
Turkish coffee or
Greek coffee. In
paper-filtered coffee drinks such as
drip brewed coffee, it is present in only negligible amounts, as the paper filter in drip filtered coffee retains the diterpenes.[3]
Research into biological activity
Coffee consumption has been associated with a number of effects on health and cafestol has been proposed to produce these through a number of biological actions.[4] Studies have shown that regular consumption of boiled coffee increases
serum cholesterol whereas filtered coffee does not.[5] Cafestol may act as an
agonistligand for the
nuclear receptorfarnesoid X receptor and
pregnane X receptor, blocking cholesterol
homeostasis. Thus cafestol can increase cholesterol synthesis.[6]
^Ludwig, I. A.; Clifford, M. N.; Lean, M. E.; Ashihara, H.; Crozier, A. (August 2014). "Coffee: biochemistry and potential impact on health". Food & Function. 5 (8): 1695–1717.
doi:
10.1039/c4fo00042k.
PMID24671262.
S2CID29389074.
^Kitzberger, C.; Scholz, M.; Benassi, M. (2014). "Bioactive compounds content in roasted coffee from traditional and modern Coffea arabica cultivars grown under the same edapho-climatic conditions". Food Research International. 61: 61–66.
doi:
10.1016/j.foodres.2014.04.031.
^Higdon, J. V.; Frei, B. (2006). "Coffee and health: a review of recent human research". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 46 (2): 101–123.
doi:
10.1080/10408390500400009.
PMID16507475.