That’s the way the world works, isn’t it? As soon as we start to feel relatively clued up about one thing there’s a whooole other thing to get our heads around. We’ve just about swapped our cow’s milk for almond milk and now, apparently, we’re supposed to be putting butter in our coffee… what!?
Yeah, we’re just as confused as you, but over three million people are allegedly doing it (!), so there must be something to it, right? Here’s a need to know on Bulletproof Coffee because we’re still at the ‘Woah, what do you mean put butter in my coffee’ stage of getting our heads around this.
What is it?
It’s basically high-grade coffee made out of coffee beans (the un-toxic stuff), grass-fed, unsalted butter (meaning the cows are left to graze on their natural diets of pesticide-free grass) and Brain Octane Oil (like coconut oil but way stronger).
Who thought this up?
It was invented by a tech entrepreneur named Dave Asprey, who tried the Tibetan’s version of it (Yak Butter Tea) and proceeded to spend two decades and over $300,000 on making his own.
But why would you drink it?
Apparently, it boosts your metabolism, makes you lose weight, keeps you awake, alert and full for longer and is packed with antioxidants.
While the caffeine in normal coffee gives you an initial buzz followed by a crash, Asprey says that his Bulletproof Coffee will keep you going for hours. ‘With normal coffee, you get a food craving and get tired two hours later. [Bulletproof Coffee] doesn’t… It gives you a huge boost,’ he said in an interview.
How does it work?
The good fat, butter and coconut oil, alongside a double shot of metabolism-speeding coffee, slows the digestive system and releases a more gentle and longer lasting coffee hit. Plus, as caffeine is a suppressant to food and raises your heart rate, and butter and oil break down the bad fats it’s a ‘win-win’ says personal trainer Mark Bailey.
Nutrionist Lana Almulla of atablefor1 adds: ‘It puts your body into “ketosis” (burning fat instead of sugar for energy) which results in less body fat and more muscle.’
Does it actually work though?
‘In certain quantities, pre-workout, yes’ says Mark. Plus, you never know, but we’re hoping three million people aren’t just swirling butter into their coffee for no reason.
A representative from the School Of Weight Loss agrees: ‘As long as the butter and coconut oil are of a good quality it can reduce the waistline as part of a healthy diet.’
As for the awakeness factor? According to Bulletproof Coffee aficionado Yasmine, it definitely keeps you more awake: ‘I’m no expert but I personally love it and whether it’s a placebo effect or not, I’m definitely more alert.’
What’s the catch?
Weeell for starters, it’s like 400 calories. Personal trainer and nutrionist Tarek Shuhaiber says he’d much rather use up those calories on eating more food (yeah, we’re kind of with him on that one!). Apparently it tastes quite weird, too – a bit of a waste of those 400 calories, we think, much better suited on saaay three Mars bars or something.
Nutrionist and author Pollyana Hale suggests thats although yes fats can be good for you, there’s no need to get them through your coffee, or all in one go!
‘While fat is important you only need so much in a day, and this is a lot in one go. All that fat in one sitting can be difficult to digest for many people and can lead to some unpleasant nausea and urgent loo trips,’ she says. ‘Also by having it for breakfast you may be missing out on other great foods like eggs, berries, oats and all the other highly nutritious foods that set you up for a good day ahead.’
Should I drink it?
Weeell, there don’t really appear to be any negative side effects other than that its high calories and maybe tastes a little funky, so it’s up to you, really!
Lana says: ‘It holds some nutrient value due to the quality of the ingredients and the essential fats and vitamins from the grass-fed butter and MCT oil. I’ve only really recommended it to clients who want to burn fat while training, but it isn’t really something I’d recommend to a client who’s just trying to get healthier or someone who has low blood sugar levels. Against the options of normal coffee though, it is of much better quality.’
When do I drink it?
It’s advised first thing in the morning in place of breakfast and right before a workout as it’s a whopping 400 calories! If you’ve got low blood sugar levels, it’s best not to skip a meal for this, though.
OK I wanna try! How do I make it?
You’ll need:
1 cup of filtered water
2.5 tablespoons of freshly ground low-toxin coffee beans
1 teaspoon Brain Octane or MCT Oil
1 tablespoon grass-fed, unsalted butter or ghee
Then:
Brew your coffee how you like it, with water just off the boil
Add unsalted butter
Add MCT Oil
Mix in a blender for at least 20 seconds until it’s frothy and kind of looks like a creamy latte.
Like this? You may be interested in:
Here’s A Healthy Meal You Can Make Every Night This Week In Three Minutes Flat
Follow Alya on Twitter @moorizZLA
Picture: Twitter/@bpnutrition
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.