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Are you into coffee and excited about the idea of losing weight? Have you been wondering what the heck bulletproof coffee is and why you would want to drink it? Today, we’re going to be sharing how to make this upgraded coffee for yourself each morning. This particular coffee is made to help your body burn fat, eliminate crashes, gain muscle, and stay energized for hours on end. Sound good? Read on for more information about how it all works.
Bulletproof coffee isn’t anything new. In fact, the original Bulletproof Coffee was created by a man named Dave Asprey. This coffee is creamy, rich, and tasty. It also happens to be filled with healthy fats. The coffee is a combination of high-quality coffee, MCT oil, and grass-fed butter. It is very popular in paleo and keto diet circles and has many extra health benefits over black coffee. It’s also great for aiding in weight loss.
Basics of Bulletproof Coffee
Coffee with butter is tasty and creamy while infusing you with plenty of energy. If you are looking for a keto-friendly coffee option or just want to try something new, this is the recipe that is perfect for you. It’s simple to make and many people prefer it to traditional coffee. It consists of freshly ground coffee with MCT oil and grass-fed, unsalted butter. There are other spices and ingredients you can add to enhance the flavor of the drink.
What makes this bulletproof coffee recipe so much better than other coffee? First, it’s keto-friendly. Second, it gives you a boost of energy that lasts instead of making you deal with a caffeine crash. It also happens to be packed with healthy fats. Unlike traditional coffee, it gets rid of the hunger pains common with coffee. Many people also believe that it tastes better than coffee with creamer or milk added.
Whether you are on a diet or not, keto coffee is a beverage you should try at least once. We’ll share the basic recipe below, along with some other recipes if you want to mix things up a little bit. You’ll have the perfect way to start your morning and keep yourself going through a long day.
What Keto Coffee Is
For bulletproof coffee, you’re consuming brewed coffee that is blended with MCT oil and grass-fed butter. This coffee is considered one that helps you lose weight while offering additional energy for your day. The recipe is popular among those who are on keto or paleo diets because it includes healthy fats. It’s a rich, delicious, creamy beverage perfect for the morning.
Bulletproof coffee is based on science and focuses on health and wellness to offer you something more than traditional coffee. All you have to do is put together the right ingredients, add in additional items as you like, and you can start your day off in the right way.
Benefits of Bulletproof Coffee
You might wonder why butter and coffee was such a great combination and that’s a valid question. In fact, you might think it sounds downright strange or odd to put those two things together. However, bulletproof coffee is pretty popular and seeing talk of it may have made you curious about what it is all about. You might figure that if so many people are trying this coffee, it has to have something going for it and you would be right.
Caffeine is Released More Slowly
When your morning coffee is blended with butter and oil, the body has a different way of using it than it otherwise would. The fats that are in the ingredients make the coffee creamy, much like a latte, which makes many people slowly sip the beverage rather than just drinking it down all at once. It takes a bit more time to finish a cup, but it’s more satisfying to do so. This also means that the initial huge jolt of caffeine doesn’t happen.
Something else to be aware of is that fats break down over a longer period of time, which means the caffeine in the coffee releases in a slower manner. If you normally drink black coffee or coffee with a dash of milk, the caffeine is all released at once. This is what causes some people to get jittery. When the coffee is blended with coffee, the droplets bind to the caffeine. At that point, everything is broken down at the same rate as the fats.
Effect on Bacteria in the Gut
First, let’s look at the basics of gut bacteria. Science has determined that people who weight more have a larger number of the bacteria called firmicutes, while those who are thinner have less and instead have a larger amount of the bacteroidetes bacteria type. It might sound strange, but it’s 100% true.
You might think that all that means is you need a probiotic with bacterodietes. The problem is that you can’t get these in a pill or capsule form. Instead, you have to nourish the bacteroidetes that you already have in your stomach, which will encourage them to reproduce and exist in larger amounts. How you do that is by eating foods and drinking beverages that contain polyphenol.
Polyphenols are great for the body since they are antioxidants which protect the cells of your body. However, there’s another reason you should consume them as often as possible. They also are a food source for bacteroidetes. You can find polyphenols in vegetables that are bright colors, but one of the easiest ways to consume them is through coffee. What might brighten your day is that chocolate is another great source of polyphenols.
Boosting Gut Bacteria Through Butter
When your body is in perfect shape, it controls fat storage and burning in a manner that helps to optimize your energy but without storing an overly large amount of energy for later on. One of the proteins made by the liver is called fasting-induced adipose factor (FIAF), which blocks off the enzymes that store fat. Everyone’s stomach has FIAF regulation, which can contribute to why you gain weight or tend to stay thin based on other outside factors.
If you are like many and eat a diet high in sugar and fat, the bacteria in your gut suppresses FIAF. That means your body might grab onto fat and keep it rather than burning it as you prefer. When there are no carbs or sugars available, the bacteria have to find something else to eat. When bacteria need food, they escalate FIAF and you burn a larger amount of fat.
Those who are consuming healthy sources of fats and introducing intermittent fasting push the live and gut bacteria to create more FIAF and burn off your fat as an energy source. And if your fat is included in your coffee each morning? You get polyphenols to feed bacteroidetes. Those then reproduce and can speed up the fat-burning processes of your body.
Butter is a Better Option than Milk
Most people like to add cream or milk to their coffee, while butter is seen as a bit abnormal. However, be aware that fake creamers have next to nothing in common with milk. These products include thickeners, sugar, and hydrogenated oils that aren’t great for your body. If you have to choose milk or creamer, choose the former over the latter.
Choosing butter instead of milk offers many benefits to the human body. One of the things to keep in mind is that milk proteins having binding properties. That means they connect to the polyphenols that are good for you and cause your body to absorb less of them. In addition, butyric acid is found in the butter. It has been shown to lower brain inflammation and health the gut.
Easier Ketosis Early in the Day
As we’ve mentioned, the body is typically going to turn to carbohydrates to burn as a fuel for the body. When there are no carbs present, the body starts to burn fat instead. When fat is burned, the liver also produces ketones. These are a brain and body energy source. Those who eat many healthy fats along with moderate protein and low carbs go into ketosis. However, those who are new to the process sometimes may not get enough fat in their diet.
If you want your body to immediately go into ketosis through burning plenty of fat, coffee blended with butter is an excellent option. Bulletproof coffee is one of the best options to jumpstart mild ketosis. You are going to have fewer food cravings while the increased mental focus is apparent. This happens no matter how high or low carb your dinner has the day before.
Healthy Levels of Vitamins
Another perk of bulletproof coffee is that it contains many of the fat-soluble vitamins your body needs to support your vision, immune system, cardiovascular system, and bones. Beyond that, when there is enough fat in your body, it’s easier to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K from the foods you eat. When you begin your day with healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins, you begin your day on the right foot.
Related Content:
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Step by Step Instructions to Make Bulletproof Coffee
Bulletproof coffee is a very easy coffee beverage to make. You don’t need to mess around with a lot of weird gadgets or add a lot of extra ingredients (although other ingredients can be used to spice things up!). The whole process is simple enough that you can do it every morning without much trouble. All you need to do is make sure you have coffee, MCT oil, and grass-fed butter on hand to make it.
Step One: Brew a cup of coffee. You don’t need to do anything special here. Just brew it up the same way you would any other day of the week.
Step Two: Add the coffee, MCT oil, and butter to a blender and turn that bad boy on. Go ahead and blend until the whole thing is smooth and then serve hot and enjoy. That’s literally all there is to it.
What MCT Oil is and Why it’s Used
When we say MCT, that refers to medium-chain triglycerides or medium-chain fatty acids. This is a great form of far for the body and it typically comes from palm oil or coconut oil. The oil itself has no scent, no color, and remains liquid at room temperature. This makes it ideal for blending into smoothies, drinks, and all sorts of other recipes. It offers a sharper brain and extra energy. It also suppresses hunger, helps you lose fat, and is positive for the health of your immune system.
Tips for Making the Best Butter Coffee
As with any new health trend, adoption happens and can lead to new variations of the original. Sometimes this offers new and successful options while other times, it defeats the purpose of the traditional method. There are a few things you should know when experimenting with bulletproof coffee to ensure you get all the health benefits you want from it.
Choose the Right Butter
When people add butter to coffee, it is crucial that this is grass-fed butter. This is an energy source that is anti-inflammatory. Butter from non-organic grain-fed cows can be full of GMOs, hormones, and pesticides which are fed to the cows. It also contributes to factory farming, which many people choose not to support. You also should never use margarine in place of butter. Margarine is not a healthy food and is unneeded in coffee or in other foods you eat.
Not All Oil is the Same
If you have access to plain coconut oil, you can use it, but you won’t get the same health benefits from it. MCT oil is extremely concentrated palm and coconut oil. Those who prefer to use coconut oil should choose an organic, raw, and unrefined version but eventually switch off to MCT oil over the course of a few weeks. MCT oil is better at burning fat, is more anti-inflammatory, and less of it offers the same benefits as other oil.
Step Away from the Milk
The idea beyond bulletproof coffee is that fat is burned as fuel. Carbohydrates are going to burn before fat, which means adding carbs to a drink with lots of fats leads the body to burn the carbs and store the fat. Rather than moving into a fat-burning mode, the body will use the fat second. Adding in canned coconut milk, fresh dairy milk, or boxed nondairy milk defeats the purpose of using butter in your coffee.
Don’t Drink with a Meal
The idea behind bulletproof coffee is that it contains a lot of fat and is meant to be consumed as a replacement for breakfast instead of a compliment for one. Having this kind of coffee along with a meal adds a ton of fat to a meal and can defeat the purpose of burning fat for body fuel. This is a beverage meant to be consumed alone. If you are adding it to food, especially food with lots of carbs, it may make you gain weight instead of losing it.
Sugar is a No-No
Just like milk, you do not want to add sugar to your bulletproof coffee. Below we’ll share some other ideas for additions to this sort of coffee, but in the meantime, sugar shouldn’t be part of these beverages. Whether you use white sugar, brown sugar, honey, or agave, it adds a lot of sugar and will reduce your ability to burn fat. Want your drink to have a bit of sweetness without causing problems? Try stevia or erythritol instead.
Type of Coffee Matters
The best coffee to use with bulletproof coffee is fair trade and organic without the chance of mycotoxins or mold. You can use any coffee you have on hand, but keep in mind that many of them have pesticides used on them which you may not want to introduce into your body.
Specialty Bulletproof Coffee Beverage Recipes
We’ve talked at length about why bulletproof coffee is such a great choice, but we’ve only looked at the simplest recipe for it so far. However, there are many additions and changes you can make to the recipe to create a morning beverage that is perfect for you. You can make the recipe that best fits your taste and enjoy every morning with a meal replacement coffee.
Bulletproof Almond Cappuccino
If you are someone who appreciates a good cappuccino, but you are attempting to avoid dairy, this recipe might be the one for you. It has less than a carb involved so it can be a go-to morning drink.
Ingredients:
- 1 double shot of espresso
- 1 tablespoon of MCT oil
- 1 tablespoon of grass-fed butter
- ¼ cup of unsweetened almond milk.
Directions:
- Take the coffee and place it in the blender.
- Add the MCT oil and butter and blend until smooth.
- Pour the combined beverage into a cappuccino cup.
- Heat the almond milk and skim the surface to create a layer of foam. Most of the milk should be foam with just a small amount of milk below.
- Pour the milk into the coffee, using a spoon to hold the foam back before spooning the foam on top.
Cinnamon Bulletproof Coffee
Are you someone that likes a bit of extra spice with your coffee? You can have that with bulletproof coffee and all it takes is a bit of cinnamon. The great thing about this recipe is that cinnamon helps control blood sugar and suppresses appetite.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of coffee
- 1 tablespoon of grass-fed butter
- 1 tablespoon of MCT oil
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of xylitol or erythritol to taste
- Extra cinnamon for dusting
Instructions:
- Take the coffee and pour into your blender.
- Add the cinnamon, MCT oil, and grass-fed butter to the blender.
- Blend the mixture until it is creamy and has a touch of froth on the top.
- Pour into a mug and add a touch of cinnamon to the top.
Cacao Butter Bulletproof Coffee
Those who are chocolate lovers on top of being coffee lovers will enjoy the inclusion of cacao butter in this coffee beverage. Chocolate is also great for the blood vessels and the heart. Keep in mind that the cacao butter is an additional ingredient in addition to the grass-fed butter you are used to.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of coffee
- 1 tablespoon of grass-fed butter
- 1 tablespoon of MCT oil
- 2 tablespoons of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon of raw cacao butter
Instructions:
- Make a pot of coffee in your French press or coffee machine.
- Take two cups from the coffee pot and add into your blender.
- Add in the coconut milk, oil, butter, and cacao butter.
- Turn the blender on high and blend until the mixture is creamy with a froth on top.
Vanilla Bulletproof Coffee
Love a vanilla taste in your coffee? You can still get that with bulletproof style coffee. The vanilla powder adds a bit of flavor that can make a huge difference in the beverage. Vanilla is also known for containing a compound called vanilloids, which is known for use to enhance cognitive abilities and is an anti-inflammatory.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of coffee
- 2 tablespoons of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon of MCT oil
- 1 tablespoon of grass-fed butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder
Instructions:
- Take your coffee and pour it into a blender.
- Add in the coconut milk, vanilla powder, oil, and butter.
- Blend the mix until it is nice and creamy with a large amount of froth on the top.
Green Tea Bulletproof Latte
Not everyone is a fan of coffee. It might seem crazy, but it is true. If you happen to be someone who prefers tea, you aren’t completely out of luck. This green tea can help increase your concentration and focus just like coffee. The protein powder included can be left out if you don’t need it.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of well-shaken canned coconut milk
- ½ cup of strong green tea
- 2 tablespoons of protein powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder
- 1 teaspoon of xylitol or erythritol to taste
Instructions:
- Heat the coconut milk to a boil over medium to high heat and then immediately remove.
- Brew one half of a cup of strong green tea.
- Place the vanilla powder, tea, and coconut milk into a blender and mix until the consistency is creamy with foam on top.
- If you desire an extra dose of protein, add the protein powder and blend on low.
- Add the desired amount of sweetener to taste.
No Coffee Bulletproof Vanilla Latte
Another alternative for those who do not like coffee is the no coffee latte. This can also be consumed by pregnant individuals who are avoiding or cutting down on the amount of caffeine that they are consuming.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of hot water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of MCT oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoon of grass-fed unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder
Instructions:
- Heat two cups of water on the stove until boiling before removing from heat.
- Add the water, butter, oil, and vanilla powder to the blend and mix.
- Turn off the blender when the mixture is creamy with a layer of foam on top.
Bulletproof Mocha
The addition of chocolate powder to your bulletproof coffee can turn it into an alternative for a mocha. Another plus of this beverage is that it adds even more polyphenols to your mug every morning to enjoy.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of strong coffee
- 1 tablespoon of grass-fed butter
- 1 tablespoon of MCT oil
- 1 teaspoon of organic, raw chocolate powder
- Touch of cinnamon
- Touch of nutmeg
Instructions:
- Take the coffee and add it into your blender.
- Add the butter, oil, chocolate powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon to the blender.
- Turn the blender to high and process until creamy with a froth on top.
- Pour into a mug and add chocolate powder to the top.
Butternut Latte Made Bulletproof
You might be looking at the title of this recipe questioning what it means. It’s exactly what you think, but it also tastes a lot better than you might expect. It combines bulletproof coffee with butternut squash. However, this does have more carbs than most bulletproof drinks, so it might not be right for every situation.
Ingredients:
- 2 cup of coffee
- 1 cup of cubed butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon of grass-fed butter
- 1 tablespoon of MCT oil
- ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to taste
- Xylitol or erythritol to taste
Instructions:
- Add the coffee to your high powered blender.
- Add in the butternut squash, oil, and butter.
- Process the mixture until creamy with foam on the top.
- Add in sweetener and cinnamon to your taste.
Things You Can Add to Bulletproof Butter Coffee
Maybe you don’t want an all-new recipe, but you do want to know what sort of things go well with bulletproof coffee. Don’t worry. There are many different options and you can choose what tastes best to you. Of course, bulletproof coffee is great on its own as well, but some of these options might be useful when you get tired of drinking the same thing every morning for breakfast.
Fair Trade Cocoa
Love mochas? A lot of people do and there’s nothing wrong with making one out of your bulletproof coffee. However, if you want to avoid ethical problems, it’s best only to purchase fair trade cocoa. It’s even better if you find a company that helps supposed the environment and its workers. You don’t need a ton of cocoa powder to liven up a coffee, add a tablespoon or so and you are good to go.
Peppermint or Lavender Essential Oil
Both of these essential oils make for a great taste in your coffee cup. What you should know about adding these oils to your coffee is that the fat serves as a carrier, which means that the power of the herb is distributed throughout the cup. For one to three cups of bulletproof coffee, all you need is a single drop of the oil. Add some cocoa and make a peppermint latte if you really want a tasty morning beverage.
Cinnamon
We mentioned earlier that cinnamon is a healthy spice and helps with the metabolism and blood sugar levels. This makes it a great choice for adding to a bulletproof coffee. It also does a lot of the same things as the coffee does in terms of making the burst of energy more gradual and aiding in weight loss. You only need about a teaspoon of cinnamon for each cup of coffee to add a little flavor to the day.
Collagen or Gelatin
Some people like to get a nice boost of protein with their coffee in the morning and gelatin or collagen is an easy way to get one. Either can be tossed in the blender with everything else and enjoyed with your cup. These ingredients help add protein but also work with setting your blood sugar where it should be. There are many benefits to gelatin for your hair, skin, gut, nails, and more. For every mug of coffee, add about one to two tablespoons of collagen or gelatin.
Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter is super tasty, but it also happens to be quite healthy, yet it seems most people don’t even realize it exists. This is going to add a creamy feel and chocolatey taste to your coffee in the morning. You only need about a tablespoon per cup, but if you have to guess since the butter is solid, that’s okay. If you end up adding a bit too much, it won’t cause any issues.
L-Theanine
This is one of the most popular supplements on the market and it also works in a synergistic way with caffeine. This is an amino acid which is found in tea that helps to increase the number of alpha waves found in the brain. It helps boost the great effects of caffeine while limiting those that aren’t so great like anxiety or decreased quality of sleep. This supplement is found in capsules but also can be blended right into your coffee.
Turmeric
Have you ever enjoyed a yellow Indian curry? It likely included a little spice called turmeric. This spice includes something called curcumin, which is a major anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. When you add it to your cup of coffee, you get all those health benefits, but it will knock down the coffee flavor in your cup. Those who aren’t coffee fans can add turmeric to get the coffee benefits without the taste. It absorbs best with fat, so it blends well with bulletproof coffee.
Ginger
Ginger is known for being an antioxidant as well as being anti-inflammatory. This little ingredient also helps with nausea and is full of gingerols. It also tends to remove some of the coffee flavor from your cup. If you add both turmeric and ginger to your mug, you can expect the coffee to lose the coffee taste completely. You also get a herbal blend that is tasty and good for your body.
Vanilla
Vanilla not only tastes great but also has been used for ages as a way to enhance cognitive ability. Make sure you are using real vanilla though, as a lot of what is on the store shelves is not. Adding vanilla to your coffee every morning gives you both a health boost and a flavor boost. It can be added to the coffee before or after you do the brewing.
Maca
This is also called Peruvian ginseng, which is an endocrine adaptogen which helps reverse hypothyroidism and can balance hormones. It also happens to be high in minerals and vitamins, including zinc, magnesium, and potassium. However, be aware that native who use this ingredient choose maca which is gelatinized not raw maca. This is because raw maca does not have the same nutritional value.
Wrapping Up
Bulletproof coffee is a great option for anyone who wants to lose weight and is interested in cutting carbs to do so. However, it can also be useful for those who just want to try a new type of coffee. It’s easy to make and has a unique taste that many people find they really enjoy. The inclusion of butter and oil makes the coffee creamy and offers a foam like a latte.
The good thing about this sort of coffee is that there are many versions and you can add all sorts of ingredients based on your own taste. We recommend giving the coffee a shot in traditional form first before deciding if you want to add other ingredients down the line. We’d love to hear about your experiences with bulletproof coffee and what you think about it compared to your regular cup!
Bonus Questions:
1. Is bulletproof coffee good for weight loss?
Bulletproof coffee is believed to be a great way to help you lose weight while increasing your energy levels at the same time. You should only consume bulletproof coffee if you are also keeping to a healthy diet.
2. What is bulletproof coffee made of?
Bulletproof coffee is made by combining brewed coffee with MCT oil and grass-fed butter. The coffee is very popular on keto and paleo diets because it has many healthy fats. It will not only get you going in the morning, but it can even help you lose weight.
3. Can I drink bulletproof coffee twice a day?
You can drink as much bulletproof coffee as you like as long as you don’t go over your caffeine tolerance. Some people drink it only once a day while others sip at it the entire day long.
4. Why should I drink bulletproof coffee?
There are many benefits to consuming bulletproof coffee. It helps boost cognitive function, cuts down on cravings, and helps create weight loss through putting the body in ketosis. That means the body has so few carbs in it that it begins to burn fat instead.
5. Does bulletproof coffee taste good?
The taste of bulletproof coffee is creamy, rich, and nuttier than a traditional coffee. It has a touch of buttery taste but is otherwise rick. The coffee tastes good to many people, but it might take some time for you to get used to it.
6. Can you drink bulletproof coffee after a workout?
If fasting during workouts is something you prefer not to do, but you don’t want a giant meal beforehand, bulletproof coffee is a fantastic option. It will fill you up without needing to take in a ton of carbs or calories.
7. Can I drink coffee on a keto diet?
As long as you are drinking plain black coffee without sugar, coffee is friendly to the keto diet. However, those who add milk to their coffee may be in trouble since a cup of milk has 13 grams of carbs.
8. Does bulletproof coffee break intermittent fasting?
Technically, taking in any calories from anything breaks intermittent fasting. That includes bulletproof coffee. However, consuming only fat rather than carbs or protein will have no effect on the fat burning of ketosis. That makes it a safe option during intermittent fasting.
9. Does bulletproof coffee spike insulin?
Carbs are responsible for bumping up your insulin levels and blood sugar when it is turned into glucose. Fats do not have an effect on your blood sugar level. This means eating fat, which includes bulletproof coffee, is a good choice for those who are avoiding carbs.
10. Does ketosis cause diarrhea?
Making certain mistakes with your low carb diet can lead to stomach upset. Eating too much protein, consuming excess sugar alcohol, and eating the wrong kind of fats often lead to this problem. With a well planned ketogenic diet, this should not be a problem.
Related Content:
What is Bulletproof Coffee? Learn More About How to Make it and its Benefits! (Video)
Coffee Making Methods for the Modern Age
Get Up Close and Personal With Your Coffee: Where Coffee is Produced
Is Coffee Actually Capable of Making You Smarter? (Video)
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