The Bulletproof Coffee diet is a new way to lose weight and keep feeling great. This recipe for bulletproof coffee for weight loss contains all the necessary ingredients, with an explanation of how they work. Bulletproof coffee is an easy way to start your day, but it also helps with weight loss. How? Bulletproof coffee helps you to lose weight because it provides more energy while burning more fats, instead of sugars. In this article, you’ll learn what bulletproof coffee is and how you can use it effectively for weight loss without compromising your health.
What Is Bulletproof Coffee?
Bulletproof coffee is a coffee made by mixing coffee, butter, and MCT oil. It is the new and upgraded version of butter coffee or butter (yak butter) tea that is a popular energy drink in Tibet.
In fact, the practice of taking coffee with butter or any other source of fat was around even before coffee was consumed as a beverage. Somewhere around 575-850 CE, the nomadic mountain warriors of the Galla tribe, Ethiopia, combined crushed coffee beans with animal fat and consumed them as a snack and a source of energy during warfare and long treks. So, it is not really a new concept.
Small groups of people all around the world already knew about it, but now, the entire world is aware of the existence of this fatty drink that supposedly has many health benefits. Before we get into the benefits or side effects of bulletproof coffee, let me tell you how to prepare bulletproof coffee at home in 5 minutes.
Bulletproof Coffee Recipe
Here’s how you can make bulletproof coffee:
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
- 1 tablespoon MCT oil or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed, unsalted butter
How To Prepare
- Toss all the ingredients into a blender.
- Blend well until it becomes slightly frothy.
- Serve immediately.
It is super quick and easy to make and tastes delicious. But what makes bulletproof coffee such a magical addition to your diet? How does it work? Let’s find out!
How Bulletproof Coffee Works
Bulletproof coffee works by pushing the body into the fat burning mode. It does so by prompting the body to convert stored fat and dietary fat into ketones. This process is called ketosis.
It occurs when you have restricted consuming carbs long enough, and your carb or glucose reserves are empty . As a result, your body uses ketones as a source of fuel instead of glucose (sugar), and you start burning fat, and your hunger is reduced
Animal studies found that ketosis might increase longevity . Ketosis may also improve memory and cognitive abilities . But is it the butter or the MCT oil that’s helping in burning the fat? Let’s find out which magic ingredient is helping millions of dieters shed the pounds.
How Bulletproof Coffee Aids Weight Loss
Bulletproof coffee aids weight loss in many different ways. And the secret lies in the ingredients used to make the coffee. Let me break down how each ingredient works to aid weight loss:
- Coffee – Coffee is a storehouse of caffeine. And caffeine may aid weight loss by boosting energy and suppressing hunger . Scientists have found that caffeine may increase plasma ketones, which causes ketosis .
- MCT Oil – MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides. MCTs are absorbed quicker and converted into energy more efficiently as compared to long-chain triglycerides. This results in less fat gain, increased satiety, and increased production of ketones (8).Researchers also found evidence that ketones from MCT may help enhance memory in patients with Alzheimer’s disease .There are a few types of MCTs – C6, C8, C10, and C12 – named in terms of the chain length. The shorter the chain, the quicker it gets converted to ketones. For optimum ketosis without upsetting your stomach, consume MCTs with a mix of C8 and C10.
- Grass-Fed Butter – Grass-fed butter is a great source of vitamins A, K2, and E. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and contains the antioxidants glutathione and superoxide dismutase (10), (11).But even as we go on about how ketosis and bulletproof coffee are good for weight loss and treating diseases like epilepsy, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, there is another side to the story. Scroll down to know why bulletproof coffee might be a bad idea.
Potential Downsides of Bulletproof Coffee
Bulletproof coffee is a high calorie coffee drink intended to replace a carb-heavy breakfast
It consists of 2 cups (470 mL) of coffee, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of unsalted grass-fed butter, and 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 mL) of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil mixed in a blender.
It was originally promoted by Dave Asprey, the creator of the Bulletproof Diet. The coffee produced and marketed by Asprey’s company is supposedly free of mycotoxins, which are naturally occurring fungal toxins found in some improperly stored foods (2Trusted Source).
However, there’s no evidence that this is the case.
Bulletproof coffee has become increasingly popular, especially among paleo and low carb dieters.
Although drinking Bulletproof coffee on occasion is probably harmless, it’s not advisable to make it a routine.
Here are 3 potential downsides of Bulletproof coffee.
1. Low in nutrients
Asprey and other promoters recommend that you consume Bulletproof coffee in place of breakfast each morning.
Although Bulletproof coffee provides plenty of fat, which reduces your appetite and provides energy, it’s lacking in several nutrients.
By drinking Bulletproof coffee, you are replacing a nutritious meal with a poor substitute.
While grass-fed butter contains some conjugated linoleic acid, butyrate, and vitamins A and K2, MCT oil is a refined and processed fat with no essential nutrients.
If you eat three meals per day, replacing breakfast with Bulletproof coffee will likely reduce your total nutrient intake by about one-third.
SUMMARY
Promoters of Bulletproof coffee recommend that you drink it instead of eating breakfast. However, doing so will significantly reduce the total nutrient load of your diet.
2. High in saturated fat
Bulletproof coffee is very high in saturated fat.
While the health effects of saturated fats are controversial, many health professionals believe that high intake is a major risk factor for several diseases and should be avoided
Although some studies associate a high intake of saturated fat with an increased risk of heart disease, others have found no significant links
Nevertheless, most official dietary guidelines and health authorities advise limiting your intake.
While saturated fat can be part of a healthy diet when consumed in reasonable amounts, it may be harmful in massive doses.
If you’re worried about saturated fat or high cholesterol levels, consider limiting your intake of Bulletproof coffee or avoiding it altogether.
SUMMARY
Bulletproof coffee is high in saturated fat. Although its health effects are highly controversial and not firmly established, official guidelines still recommend limiting saturated fat intake.
3. May raise your cholesterol levels
Many studies have been conducted on low carb and ketogenic diets, which are often high in fat and may include Bulletproof coffee.
Most of this research indicates that these diets do not increase your levels of total and LDL (bad) cholesterol — at least on average
Among other potential benefits, your triglycerides and weight will likely drop, while your HDL (good) cholesterol will likely rise
However, butter seems to be particularly effective at raising LDL cholesterol levels. One study in 94 British adults showed that eating 50 grams of butter daily for 4 weeks increased LDL cholesterol levels more than consuming an equal amount of coconut oil or olive oil
Another 8-week study in Swedish men and women with excess weight found that butter increased LDL cholesterol by 13% when compared with whipping cream. The researchers hypothesized that this could have something to do with butter’s fat structure
Also, keep in mind that not everyone responds the same way to a high fat diet. Some people see dramatic increases in total and LDL cholesterol, as well as other markers of heart disease risk
For those who have cholesterol problems while on a low carb or ketogenic diet, one of the first things to do is avoid excessive intake of fat (such as butter). This includes Bulletproof coffee.
SUMMARY
Butter and ketogenic diets high in saturated fat may increase cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors in some people. If you have elevated levels, you may want to consider avoiding Bulletproof coffee.
The research to support Bulletproof Coffee’s benefits is limited
Bulletproof Coffee’s main claim to fame is that it can increase energy and productivity by combining the active ingredients in coffee, butter, and MCT oil for a supercharged brew.
Coffee itself is one of the most well-studied performance enhancing drugs, with documented benefits for both mental and physical health in moderate doses.
And rich sources of dietary fat have increasingly been shown to be healthier than previously thought and could have benefits for managing insulin levels and appetite in conjunction with an overall healthy diet.
However, there’s not much research on the drink itself, particularly compared to plain coffee, a healthy diet, or both.
There’s also no evidence that drinking buttery coffee can help offset other poor health decisions, such as eating fast food, as Asprey has previously claimed.
It may regulate appetite and metabolism, but it’s high in calories
There are some studies suggesting that MCT oil can help boost metabolism and calorie burning. This has made it a popular addition to weight loss diets, particularly low carb or ketogenic diets that include lots of fat to help regulate appetite. It may also help stave off hunger during periods of intermittent fasting without interfering with some of the health benefits linked to fasting.
However, a good breakfast can also help with weight loss and metabolism, thanks to the thermogenic effect of food, or the energy it takes to digest the protein, fat, and carbohydrates in food.
Adding butter to your coffee may also make it hard to maintain a calorie deficit on a weight loss diet, since one serving of Bulletproof Coffee can have up to 500 calories and 50 grams of saturated fat.
Nutritionists also caution that swapping out breakfast for buttery coffee may cause you to miss out on the nutrients in whole foods, including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Drink it sparingly to avoid side effects
If you enjoy Bulletproof Coffee or similar drinks, there’s no reason to worry about drinking it in moderation, according to the Cleveland Clinic. However, you may want to keep an eye on how much saturated fat and cholesterol you’re getting overall — coconut oil and butter are high in both, which some evidence suggests can be a risk factor for heart disease. And too much MCT oil can lead to digestive issues, such as cramping, bloating, and diarrhea.
Also be mindful of your caffeine intake. While harmless and even beneficial in small doses, too much coffee (more than 400 mg a day of caffeine) can have side effects, including digestive distress, heart palpitations, anxiety, and insomnia.
Should anyone drink Bulletproof coffee?
All things considered, Bulletproof coffee can work for some people — especially those following a ketogenic diet who don’t have elevated cholesterol levels.
When consumed alongside a healthy diet, Bulletproof coffee may help you lose weight and increase your energy levels
If you find that this morning drink improves your well-being and quality of life, it may be worth the decreased nutrient load.
Just to be on the safe side, if you drink Bulletproof coffee regularly, you should have your blood markers measured to make sure you’re not increasing your risk of heart disease and other conditions.
SUMMARY
Bulletproof coffee may be healthy for some people, as long as you consume it as part of a balanced diet and don’t have elevated cholesterol levels. It may be especially appealing for those on ketogenic diets.