I recently found out that my cholesterol was in the middle range of high. It was a bit surprising as I’d been working on trying to lower it.
Concerning coffee, I use a Bialettti 4 stovetop coffee maker daily. Depending on how strong I’d like it, I usually fill the basket anywhere from half full to around 2/3’s full. Usually 2 brews a day, sometimes 3.
Since utilising a paper filter per cup about 3 days ago, yes, it’s changed the mouthfeel and body of the coffee, but my stomach and digestive system is already much happier without the ultra-fines and oils apparently.
Adding one, also creates a better seal to create a heat closer to optimal, before/during the extraction process, as well as creating slightly more pressure during the extraction.
After tweaking the grind to compensate for the paper filter, all that’s left to do now is get used to this new flavour/way of drinking coffee. It’s also nice to feel a much cleaner caffeine kick without the ultra-fines/oils having an effect on the feeling.
Coupled with the additional changes, I’ll be interested to see how much lower I can get my ldl cholesterol in the next 6 weeks. I’ll add an update when I get the blood results. I don’t want to take any statins unless I absolutely have to.
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Where do you put the paper filter? I couldn’t find rounds the right size for mine, you lay it on top of the grounds?
On cholesterol - mine has always been high no matter the diet so the doctor sent me for a quick “calcium score” test which came back showing zero buildup in the arteries, so he advised against statins. Not sure if you are old enough for that to be relevant, but there are other tests that measure the size of LDL particles, etc. to see if they are a dangerous type. Statins are an old and safe drug, of course, no real reason to worry about them just wanted to point out cholesterol is more complicated than just high or low.
I have the most luck inserting the filter into the top, pressed right against the metal screen, and then screwing that all down on the base.
I just got a box of 300 x 56mm paper filters and I cut slightly less than 1cm of diameter off from its circumference. I then prepare the grind and get it level in the basket.
It’s surprised me how easy it was to cut the paper down to the right size (can’t be too large or the two pieces won’t seal against the rubber seal properly).
Just before screwing the bottom to the top, I wet the filter paper adequately and then stick it to the underside of the top half, making sure that the rubber seal will not be affected by it, then screw the two halves together and then it’s good to go.
Edit: you’re right, I do need to find out more about my high cholesterol… my old man doesn’t have high calcium, and he got that test, his arteries are fine. Hopefully, mine are also geared that way due to how my body processes calcium.
I do need to have some further testing done concerning the high ldl cholesterol, you’re right, thanks for the reminder to do so.
Aero press is another option. But coffee will have minimal effects on LDL/HDL unless you drink excessive amounts. Diet and exercise have much more profound effect.
Unfortunately, it appears that my body naturally is crap at processing ldl cholesterol (as some people find). I’m trying to pull out all the stops that I can to lower mine, before having to bite the bullet and start taking statins. Cheers for the tips of diet and exercise, I’m also focusing on these things at this time.
Statins should be a last resort.
This is what a registered nurse has told me, so I’m trying to get it down as far as possible, without having to resort to them, fingers crossed, cheers.
With the paper filter, are you grinding more fine or less fine?
Slightly less fine; I found that presumedly due to the slightly hotter brewing temperature caused by the paper filter, that my grinder was set a little too fine. The taste went from perfect for my tastes, to ever-so slightly acrid.
Edit: pressumedly it was the slightly hotter brewing temperature that caused it to taste a little acrid, as it was getting to brewing temp a little faster then it used to. The brewing time was slightly shorter, so it could only be the temp increase that caused it.
I made it a little coarser, then a little more and then realised that it was a little weak for my tastes, so put it back a little (but still finer than it was before I started using paper filters).
I drink my coffee with some skim milk due to digestive issues otherwise. Doing this, it does make it a little easier to see when it’s too weak or strong (but taste is always the best test).
6weeks might be a little soon to appreciate the difference. Don’t give up on filter quite yet if you aren’t impressed with the change.
Consider a treat every once and awhile with a coffee sock brew. No formal testing but it’s believed to be a lower cholesterol option (compared to mokapot / FP) that still lets just a bit of oil into the brew.
I’ve never heard of a coffee sock brew, sounds interesting, I’ll look into it, cheers. Yeah, 3 months is probably a better time frame to have bloods re-examined, my bad.
I honestly don’t mind using a paper filter with the stove-top, I’m enjoying it a lot! It’s just a very different drinking experience when one is used to going unfiltered is all.
I grew up using one in Costa Rica. Ours look like this and come in a few sizes:
I lived there for a while and the chorreador produced the best coffee I’ve ever had. Miss that thing.
It looks good… is that sock reusable, or is it a single use type of sock? Only because my cholesterol is so high right now, I’ll probably keep to just filtering stovetop brews, but I will look into this sort of brewing, as soon as my cholesterol has lowered a bit. It looks like it’d make a tasty brew indeed.
Yes they’re reusable
Excellent, thank you 🙂
On the topic of cholesterol, my parents (>60yo) greatly improved their situation by increasing physical exercise: walking, cycling, daily squats. This is on top of the treatment prescribed by their doctor. Still, the doctor was impressed by the improvement in their tests at their last follow-up.
Cheers for the tips; I’m living with chronic fatigue which sucks, because whenever I start walking, even at little more than a stroll, after 4 days of this, I get severe “post exertion malaise” for days.
I’ve resorted to a calorie deficit diet and have lost a lot of weight just doing that. As a 5"11 male at about 88kgs now, I’ve made a lot of progress, but exercise continues to be a persistent source of frustration, so I’m just doing it when I can.
All great tips, though, cheers. Hopefully I can keep up somewhat consistent walking at a minimum.
https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000217363
This one proposes a mechanism for how it works
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8313851/
Low-Dose Naltrexone is cheap and there is evidence it helps some people a lot with CFS, maybe ask about that? It is naltrexone, but taken at very small dose it has what the researchers call a ‘novel effect’ that is sort of the opposite. I don’t know that anything cures it but don’t lose hope or think nothing can help. People are studying it.
Thank you; I’ve done a reasonable amount of reading up about ldn, I’m not sure that it’s right for me. I’ll keep it in mind, though. I’ve just not been debilitated enough to feel that it’s worth trying (yet, hopefully not).
Congratulations on your weight loss! Enjoy great coffee and take care of yourself.
Recently, I’ve been using a moka pot as well. The Aeropress filter sits between the rubber seal and the grinds, and it definitely works. I’ve also been thinking of replacing it by pouring regular muddy moka pot coffee through a V60 filter. I think that might actually be easier. I just need to get a ceramic V60 funnel as I don’t really like the plastic one I have.
Anyway, about that fill level. Have you noticed any channelling even though the basket isn’t entirely full?
Pour-over coffee is fine, it’s a great way to brew coffee, I’ve just found that that way does tend to expose a coffee’s less than endearing qualities, so average quality coffee for example, wouldn’t taste the best via that method, at least not to me.
I’ve never noticed channeling when using a paper filter in a stove-top basket less than half-filled, maybe because of spending some time to level the grind flat and then dropping it on the counter from a height to compact the grind just a little (hopefully this has answered your question).
im considering getting a french press with filter, likely will be a metal and 34oz.
I support getting a metal French press. This week I had an accident: glass French press broke in my hands, I subsequently had to go and wait 6 hours at the ER to get stitches :( luckily nothing serious.
Broken glass is super dangerous: get good quality tempered glass or chose other materials 👍
Metal filter won’t grab the oils afaik. Just fyi
No, but a standard basket filter will fit in most French presses and will work wonders for oils and fines. Just wrap the paper filter over the metal filter.
Sounds good, I didn’t know that they made French press makers with filters for the oils/ultra-fines… I love French press coffee, it’s an art in and of itself, making decent French press coffee, isn’t it.
