Why is Pour Over Coffee Healthier? The Science Behind Your Filtered Cup

January 13, 2026 •

3 min read

According to a 2020 study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, people who drink filtered coffee have lower mortality rates compared to those who consume unfiltered brews. This compelling evidence helps to answer why is pour over coffee healthier and a superior choice for long-term well-being.

Quick Summary

Pour-over coffee is healthier because its paper filter effectively removes cholesterol-raising diterpenes present in unfiltered methods like French press and espresso. This filtering process results in a cleaner, heart-friendly beverage that still delivers the beneficial antioxidants found in coffee.

Key Points

Diterpene Filtering: Pour-over coffee uses a paper filter to remove cholesterol-raising diterpenes like cafestol and kahweol, protecting heart health.
Lower Mortality Risk: Research has linked filtered coffee consumption to lower rates of death from heart disease compared to unfiltered methods.
Rich in Antioxidants: The pour-over process retains coffee's beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols, which combat inflammation and support healthy aging.
Cleaner Flavor: By removing oily sediments, pour-over produces a cleaner, brighter, and more nuanced flavor profile that highlights the coffee beans' unique characteristics.
Control Over Your Brew: The manual process gives you complete control over water temperature, pour speed, and brew time, allowing for optimal extraction and flavor customization.
Mindful Ritual: The hands-on, slow process of brewing a pour-over can be a meditative and stress-reducing ritual to start your day.
Healthier Compared to Unfiltered Brews: Methods like French press and Turkish coffee, which lack a paper filter, contain significantly higher levels of cholesterol-raising compounds.

The global love affair with coffee is undeniable, but the health implications of our daily brew often depend on one critical factor: the brewing method. While coffee, in general, offers several health benefits from antioxidants and polyphenols, the manual pour-over method stands out as a significantly healthier option. Its primary advantage lies in the use of a simple paper filter, which plays a crucial role in removing certain compounds that can negatively impact your health.

The Scientific Role of the Paper Filter

At the heart of why pour-over coffee is healthier is the paper filter. Unfiltered coffee contains oily substances called diterpenes, specifically cafestol and kahweol. Research has demonstrated that these compounds can raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels in humans. The paper filter used in a pour-over setup acts as a barrier, trapping these diterpenes and preventing them from reaching your final cup. The result is a cleaner brew that is much kinder to your cardiovascular system. In fact, unfiltered coffee contains up to 30 times more diterpenes than filtered coffee, making the filtering step a simple yet powerful tool for health.

Pour Over vs. Other Popular Brewing Methods

Comparing the pour-over to other common brewing techniques highlights its unique health benefits. While French press, Turkish coffee, and even espresso have their fans, they all come with a cholesterol-raising caveat because they don't use a paper filter or have a much shorter contact time.

Brewing Method Health Comparison


Feature	Pour Over	French Press	Espresso	Auto Drip
Cholesterol Impact	Minimal (paper filter removes diterpenes)	High (no filter, grounds steep)	Moderate (unfiltered, pressurized extraction)	Minimal (paper filter removes diterpenes)
Antioxidant Levels	High (hot water extracts)	High (longer steep time)	High (hot water and pressure)	High (hot water extracts)
Flavor Profile	Clean, complex, nuanced	Full-bodied, richer, with sediment	Intense, concentrated, crema	Consistent, but less dynamic
Control	High (manual process)	High (steep time, grind)	High (equipment settings)	Low (machine-controlled)

Maximizing the Health Benefits of Your Coffee

To get the most out of your pour-over, consider these tips:

Use fresh, high-quality beans and a burr grinder. The freshness and even grind size allow for optimal extraction of beneficial compounds.
Choose unbleached paper filters. While some argue that it's a minor detail, it removes the potential for any chemical exposure from bleached filters.
Brew at the right temperature. Experts suggest controlling your water temperature to avoid bitterness from overheating while still extracting beneficial antioxidants.
Opt for light roasts. The roasting process can burn off some antioxidants, so lighter roasts tend to contain more of these beneficial compounds.
Use proper storage. Store your beans in an airtight container to maintain freshness and preserve their antioxidant properties.

The Mindful Ritual

Beyond the physical health advantages, the pour-over method offers mental wellness benefits as well. The act of slowly and deliberately pouring hot water over the coffee grounds can be a calming, meditative ritual. In a world of fast-paced automation, taking a few minutes to engage in a mindful process can reduce stress and set a peaceful tone for your day. This focus on the process rather than just the end product is a joy for many coffee enthusiasts.

Conclusion: Making the Healthier Choice

When you ask "why is pour over coffee healthier?", the answer extends beyond a simple health metric. It encompasses a careful brewing process that utilizes a paper filter to remove harmful compounds like diterpenes, leading to better heart health and a cleaner, more vibrant cup. While the pour-over method requires more attention than automated options, the resulting cup is not only cleaner from a health perspective but also offers a more nuanced and flavorful experience. By switching to pour-over, you're making a conscious choice for your long-term cardiovascular health while elevating your daily coffee ritual.

For more detailed information on coffee's health impact, consult this article from Harvard Health: Harvard Health on Filtered Coffee

Frequently Asked Questions

No, pour over coffee brewed with a paper filter does not increase cholesterol. The paper filter effectively traps the diterpenes (cafestol and kahweol) that are known to raise LDL cholesterol levels.

Yes, pour-over coffee is considered better for your heart than French press. This is because the French press method does not use a paper filter, allowing cholesterol-raising diterpenes to pass into your cup, whereas the pour-over filter removes them.

No, different brewing methods have varying health impacts. Filtered methods like pour-over and drip are generally healthier for your heart than unfiltered methods such as French press, Turkish, and boiled coffee, which contain higher levels of diterpenes.

No, pour-over coffee does not necessarily have fewer antioxidants. The paper filter removes the oily diterpenes but allows the beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols to pass through, resulting in a healthy brew.

The flavor of pour-over coffee is a direct result of its filtering process. By removing the oily diterpenes and sediment, you are left with a cleaner, brighter cup that highlights the nuanced flavor notes of the beans. This indicates a 'cleaner' cup from a health perspective as well.

While you can use a reusable metal filter, it will not offer the same cholesterol-reducing benefits as a paper filter. Metal filters allow more of the coffee's natural oils and diterpenes to pass into your cup.

Yes, to some extent. Lighter roasted coffee beans typically retain more antioxidants, as the longer roasting process for dark roasts can reduce these beneficial compounds. However, the filtering process is still the main determinant for removing diterpenes.