MAKE IT A BULLETPROOF
Bulletproof coffee - if you haven’t tried it then I bet you have definitely heard of it. Like many things in the nutrition world, it became quite the buzz very quickly. BP’s are a rich, creamy coffee drink filled with healthy fats.
Dave Asprey founded and trademarked this concoction (it is thought that butter in coffees was used as early as in the 6th century) that is hyped to be great for weight loss, intermittent fasting, reaching ketosis and more.
What it is?
Essentially BP coffee is black coffee with butter (organic, grass fed where possible) and MCT oil which is a highly concentrated source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). MCT oil is man-made through a process called fractionation which involves extracting and isolating the MCTs - mainly from coconut oil. You can do BP’s two ways - with the ‘fractionated’ type - marketed as MCT oil which is pretty scentless and tasteless or use straight coconut oil (which many cafe’s do). If you use plain coconut oil it still does the trick but it also leaves a distinct flavour, so if you are personally not a fan of that it may be best to try your first BP at home and use MCT oil. With the butter - organic, grassfed, unsalted is best. Again, table butter is still butter right? So it will do the trick, BUT for optimal health benefits go for the good stuff as mentioned above.
What’s the hype?
There is a lot of it, and for good reason. BP coffee can be a great addition to your healthy lifestyle but as with all things nutrition - it is very individual based and depends on a range of factors. It compliments those on high fat, low carb or keto diets due to its high fat content.
MCT oil converts to energy very quickly so it is less likely to store as body fat. BP’s are said to fuel mental and physical performance, support fat burning and help you get into and stay in ketosis (if this is your goal). MCT’s are easily absorbed and converted in the liver to ketones which help fuel the brain and body for mental and physical performance. Ketones allow the body to produce energy from good fats rather than from sugar and carbohydrates.
Other benefits include improved metabolism, regulated appetite, minimise cravings, support weight loss, stabilised gut health, increased mood and strength.
However, MCT oil’s rapid and unusual digestion also means your body can’t handle too much of it at one time. Excess MCT oil causes sudden digestive distress - it’s nothing dangerous, but it can be unpleasant, so if you haven’t incorporated MCT oil into your diet before, start small (1tsp and then work up).
Should you try it?
Many people drink BP coffee in place of breakfast. If you are performing intermittent fasting - some will choose to have a coffee & still claim they are fasted, when in actual fact they are not. As soon as your body consumes something that needs to work to metabolise (anything apart from water essentially) then you are no longer in a fasted state. If you’re getting 200-300 calories from a coffee its no different to getting those calories from a smoothie. Energy is energy. IF you choose to have plain black coffee and claim you’re fasted then I’ll support this a little more.
You DO need to be mindful that this caffeinated concoction is high in energy - depending on the amount of butter and oil that you use. Fat yields 9 calories for every 1 gram of fat, so if you add 1 tbsp of each to your coffee that could be about 250 calories. You also need to be mindful of your fat intake throughout the course of your day.
Personally - I love it. I’ve been enjoying bulletproof coffee for the last two years or so and will have one most mornings. I don’t drink it to get into or remain in ketosis. Why do I drink it? I enjoy the taste, follow a higher fat diet and support the health benefits. I was never a big coffee drinker and would have maybe one a week up until about 4-5 years ago, when it increased to one a day. Enter motherhood - and 1-2 a day is the norm.
When it comes to coffee I have only ever been a long black drinker, or a long black with a dash of coconut milk so making the transition to bulletproofs was not hard. In fact, I much prefer them now to a long black #SoCreamy. If you are a milky coffee lover you might need to give BP’s a couple of goes for it to really win you over. There is no need to make the switch, but if you haven’t given them a go - why not?
How do I make it?
It is very simple, yet you’ll also see a range of quantities on the net. This all essentially comes down to personal taste and nutrition preferences (personally I use 1 tbsp MCT & 1/2 - 1 tbsp butter).
You’ll need:
Shot of coffee
1 tsp - 1 tbsp MCT oil
1tsp - 1tbsp organic, grassfed butter
Thermomix, handheld milk frother or coffee machine milk thingy
Then…
Pour your shot of coffee as you normally would
Add your desired amount of butter and MCT oil to the coffee shot
Mix for 20-30 seconds until it is smooth and creamy
Top up with hot water to desired level
The above is for using a milk frother on a coffee machine. If you are using a thermomix - make a black coffee, add MCT oil and butter and then mix together. Don’t use a nutribullet or any plastic blender.
Enjoy!
Have you tried bullet proof coffees? I’d love to know if you love them or could easily go without. Again, they can be great in supporting a healthy diet but also hinder it depending on your overall fat intake, activity levels and individual goals,
Brooke x
P.s Personally I use the True Protein MCT oil which is 100% derived from coconut's sourced from the Pacific Islands. You can get 10% off all TRUE products by using the code BROOKE at checkout.