The Lowdown on Bulletproof Coffee

Hands down my favourite way to drink cold drip coffee every morning is to use it to make a hot Bulletproof coffee.

In this blog I’ll explain what a Bulletproof coffee is, why so many people drink it, and the reasons why I personally start my day with one. I’ll also share my traditional recipe, as well as a great vegan version we developed.

What is a Bulletproof coffee?

A Bulletproof coffee (also known as butter coffee) is hot black coffee combined with butter and MCT oil – a refined coconut oil – and blended, resulting in a creamy smooth coffee. It’s generally consumed first thing in the morning to help fuel the start to the day. The name ‘Bulletproof’ comes from David Asprey who popularised it in 2009.

Adding fat to coffee isn’t such a new concept as you might think. Cultures including Ethiopians and Tibetans were drinking “buttered coffee” and “yak milk coffee” long before David Asprey came up with his Bulletproof coffee.

However, you don’t need expensive ingredients or supplements to be able to make your own at home, and below I’ll show you how easy it is.

Benefits of Bulletproof coffee

So, you ask, what’s the benefit of a Bulletproof coffee? Is it just the current trendy drink?

Well, ever get that rapid rush of energy when you’ve had a coffee and then feel that crash and the need for another cup pronto? You don’t get the same caffeine high and crash with a Bulletproof coffee since the added fats cause your body to metabolise the caffeine more slowly. So, you not only get to enjoy increased energy for longer, the slower release of caffeine can result in needing to drink less coffee.

The first ingredient in a Bulletproof coffee is butter. It’s always recommended to source grass fed butter as it has a better ratio of omega 3 than non-grass fed butter.

The second ingredient in a Bulletproof coffee is MCT oil. MCT stands for ‘medium chain triglyceride’ and is typically refined coconut oil. MCT oil can help with metal clarity and cognitive function and is used instead of simple coconut oil as it’s flavourless, more concentrated and easily digestible.

Our third ingredient is of course coffee! But not just any coffee will do; it needs to be a high-quality Arabica bean. The benefit of choosing Dark City Foundry cold drip coffee is the brewing process doesn’t extract the bitter and acidic compounds from the coffee bean, so you won’t need to add any sweetener to mask those flavours.

What I drink it every morning

I personally drink a mug of Bulletproof coffee every morning and have been doing this for a few years. I find that this helps with satiety as I train most days in the morning, but just cannot stomach eating anything before a session. A Bulletproof coffee keeps me full and I can still train fasted so I call that a win/win.

I also really enjoy the flavour, plus the ritual of taking time in the morning to sit and enjoy my coffee before starting the day.

While I’m unable to tolerate milk or soy (both make me really sick) I can tolerate a small amount of butter, so I usually make my Bulletproof with butter and MCT, see recipe below.

Bulletproof coffee Recipes

Traditional Bulletproof Coffee

100ml Dark City Foundry cold drip coffee (heated).
100ml filtered water (heated).
1 tsp MCT oil.
1 tsp grass fed butter.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Blend and enjoy. This serves one and contains two shots of cold drip coffee.

Vegan Bulletproof Coffee

100ml Dark City Foundry cold drip coffee (heated).
100ml filtered water (heated).
1 tsp MCT oil.
1/2 tsp cacao butter.
1/4 tsp soy lecithin (helps stop the oil and butter from splitting).

Blend and enjoy. This serves one and contains two shots of cold drip coffee. You can omit the soy lecithin if you wish, it’s there to stop the oil and butter separating from the coffee.

Other options: You can always replace the butter with ghee for a lower dairy version and also substitute coconut oil for the MCT oil if you don’t have any on hand. I also sometimes add a scoop of collagen and sprinkle some cinnamon on top just to make it more fancy 😊

Disclaimer: The information above is based on my own research and represents my opinions about Bulletproof coffee. I am not a doctor or a nutritionist!

I have provided some links below as sources if you’re interested in some additional reading.

https://wellnessmama.com/98671/mct-oil/

https://www.fix.com/blog/the-benefits-of-bulletproof-coffee/

https://www.greecefullyketo.com/the-benefits-of-bulletproof-coffee

https://blog.biotrust.com/3-bulletproof-coffee-benefits/

https://corpina.com/fat-coffee-science-behind-bulletproof-coffee/