I did some reading on that a few months ago when a friend was trying to convince me to filter coffee using paper (apparently that remove cafestol and kahweol).
It seems like recent studies have shown more mixed results for these compounds. They can (mildly) increase cholesterol, but are also anti-carcinogenic in the lower intestine and may help to regulate blood sugar.
> Early studies confirmed that coffee diterpenes (especially cafestol), effectively increase human plasma triacylglycerol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), may be a potential risk of inducing some cardiovascular diseases [7,14]. However, from a more comprehensive perspective, cafestol and kahweol show a remarkable two-faced effect. In addition to the deleterious effects on serum lipid levels and liver enzymes in some cases, extensive studies have demonstrated that cafestol and kahweol exhibit a wide variety of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and anti-tumorigenic properties.
