Hey guys… long time no blog. Life has been a little more than hectic. Sorry!

Anyway, lets get on with it….

Oh, how I love my french press. And, then, just like that a patient emailed me the following blog posted on lime.com…

Im going to be lame and do a bit of cutting and pasting here… but, in all honesty, this blogger, Su Avasthi, says it just as well as I could:

“A couple days ago, a friend emailed me an article in the New York Times about how various beverages affect our health.

I dutifully skimmed it, expecting to find the same old, same old. You know, water is good for us, soda is not, cut back on sugary drinks, and caffeine and alcohol are healthy in moderation.

But a few paragraphs down (and in parenthesis), I discovered a bombshell. Apparently, drinking coffee brewed in a French press — as well as espresso machines — raises cholesterol and harmful LDL levels.

A French press, also known as a press pot or coffee plunger, is my very favorite way to achieve the perfect cup of coffee. The flavor is yummier and the texture is thicker and more sediment-y (some of us appreciate this quality.) And apparently, the process leaves behind some essential oils.

And that is where the trouble starts. Unlike a drip machine, coffee made in a French press or espresso machine doesn't require a filter. As a result, chemical compounds, including Cafestol and Kahweol remain in the coffee, and seem to cause our cholesterol levels to spike. It seems that Cafestol is the most potent cholesterol-elevating compound known in the human diet.

The same loyalty sent me to Google the situation, just to see how dangerous this method really is. Unfortunately, what I found wasn't especially encouraging. Several sites, including MSNBC, Wikipedia, CoffeeGeek, and, of course, Lime.com note that the French press or European brewing methods are linked to higher cholesterol. Somehow, though, I'd never registered this information.”

After reading this, I am definitely inclined to do some fact-finding myself, but for now I've surrendered to the fact that I may need to go out and buy some filters for my beloved french press.

Filtered coffee, schmiltered coffee!