When did you first start drinking coffee? As a kid, I loved coffee ice cream and my dad would occasionally give me a little of his coffee to drink as a treat, after adding a considerable amount of milk. But I made it all the way through high school and college barely touching real coffee. Then, once I entered the workforce and had to get up early and sit at a desk all day, it was hard not to take advantage of the free, if not particularly delicious, coffee that was available. I’ve been hooked ever since and now coffee is a crucial part of my morning routine.
Maybe it’s because I started at a later age, but I have extremely simple coffee tastes—just a little skim milk, no sweetener, and that’s it. Maybe I’m boring! There are countless ways to enjoy your java, and one particularly trendy one is bulletproof coffee. But what is bulletproof coffee? How do you make it? And is it as healthy as people claim? Let’s shoot straight to it.
What is Bulletproof coffee?
Also known as butter coffee or keto coffee, Bulletproof coffee is a concoction that combines coffee, butter, and MCT oil for a more filling coffee that can be used as a liquid breakfast. Though it’s now used as a generic name for any coffee enhanced with butter and oil, it did begin as a brand. Bulletproof was founded by biohacker Dave Asprey who first came up with the formula after tasting yak butter tea in Tibet in 2004. According to Eater, Asprey was in a remote village in Tibet where a woman offered him a cup of the buttery tea. Asprey was instantly cooked. Upon returning home, he invented his own version—Bulletproof coffee.
What is in Bulletproof Coffee?
Bulletproof coffee includes high-quality coffee beans, unsalted, grass-fed butter, and MCT oil such as coconut oil. To make Bulletproof coffee, you roast and brew your beans normally, then add the butter and oil. If you want it really frothy, you can blend everything together in a blender.
What is MCT oil?
MCT oil is oil made from medium-chain triglycerides. MCTs can be absorbed more quickly in your bloodstream than LCTs (long-chain triglycerides). This turns into energy that you can use. Typically, MCT oil is made from coconuts or palm kernel oil.
What are the benefits of Bulletproof coffee (purportedly)?
As with most purported health benefits, it’s best to take Bulletproof coffee’s claims with a grain of (non-literal) salt. There have been some studies to suggest that there are benefits to Bulletproof coffee, but more research is needed. The research we currently have suggests that drinking Bulletproof coffee in the morning may help make you feel more full. As BBC Good Food notes, “Key components of Bulletproof coffee include fats from butter and MCT oil, these appear to quash appetite, stabilize hunger, and provide calories to fuel your morning.”
The biggest potential downside to drinking Bulletproof coffee in the morning is that you’re missing out on nutrients you’d get from a full breakfast. Keep in mind that this coffee won’t provide you with all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutritive value you get from something more substantive.
Is Bulletproof coffee keto?
Yes, Bulletproof coffee is high fat and low carb, making it totally acceptable on a keto diet, In fact, keto is probably one of the big reasons this coffee has become so popular, and Bulletproof coffee is sometimes even referred to as keto coffee.
Now that your knowledge on Bulletproof coffee is bulletproof, go out there and try it for yourself. What do you think? Will it ever replace regular coffee?
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!