Here’s Why People Are Putting Butter In Their Coffee
Who needs creamer and sugar? Many folks are now starting the morning with a thick pat of butter melted in a cup of Joe. Yes, putting butter in coffee! Even some of our favorite coffee spots now offer this mysterious concoction called “Bulletproof” coffee. Call us late to the game, but we finally decided to reconsider this buttery blend after discovering that Bulletproof beverages are now making their way to grocery-store shelves.
So what exactly is in this indestructible beverage? Why put butter in coffee? Aside from grass-fed butter, (note, grass-fed is super important) these drinks are whirled with medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil. Our first Bulletproof beverage went down easy – maybe a little too easy, considering the additional calories it contained. Think super creamy latte. We had to wonder, is this really something one should be consuming with regularity? Here’s what the experts say.
Why put butter in coffee? What Are the benefits of putting butter in coffee?
According to bio-hacker and entrepreneur Dave Asprey, who came up with this super elixir, grass-fed butter is health gold. Yes, really. Ever notice how grass-fed butter is a little more yellow than the kind that’s not from grass-fed cows? That’s because of a higher presence of Butyrate, a short chain fatty acid, once thought to be bad for you and now increasingly shown to be just the opposite.
Butyrate has been linked to preventing cognitive decline and shown to support sustained energy levels — both good things to start your day with. Butyrate is also anti-inflammatory and may help prevent heart disease. Yes, that’s right. Eating butter can make your ticker stronger.
What about MCT Oil?
But it’s not just about the butter coffee benefits. MCT oil is also an important ingredient in this brew. That’s because there’s some evidence that consuming MCTs can induce fat loss over time as well as help regulate cholesterol levels. What’s more, MCT Oil, which is derived from coconuts, is rich in caprylic fatty acids — shown to support immunity and fight candida.
What do the experts say?
“Bulletproof Coffee is a great way to get healthy fats first thing in the morning,” says Kerry Bajaj a Be Well Health Coach at Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City to Women’s Health. “Starting the day with healthy fats provides energy, is good for cognitive function and supports your hormonal system.”
Still, while MCT’s may support fat loss, “the types of coconut oils and things from which people typically try to get MCTs often contain dangerous amounts of trans and saturated fats,” Christopher Ochner, Ph.D., research associate at The New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospitals, tells Women’s Health.
And, if you’re consuming bulletproof coffee and make no other dietary changes, there’s a chance you may gain weight since you are ingesting an extra 200-300 calories.
The bottom line of putting butter in your morning coffee:
“If you’re trying to cut calories or saturated fat, Bulletproof probably isn’t the brew for you,” writes Women’s Health. “But it does have a whole lot more health benefits than many of the other blended whipped cream-on-top coffee monstrosities you could be sipping.”
Want to bulletproof your morning? Here’s a recipe for putting butter in your coffee.
If you are still curious, read more about the Bulletproof diet.
