Bulletproof Coffee
ShannonKirton
Posts: 304 Member
Forgive my ignorance please, but can anyone tell me a bit more about bulletproof coffee? I've seen in some diaries that is is consumed just for breakfast, and it can involve butter, MCT oil, coconut oil, cream, cocoa or almost anything else. I've also just read an article on Mark's Daily Apple about his version containing egg yolks.
Can anyone enlighten me as to the benefits of it, or maybe a reason you drink it, and a simple recipe? I live in Barbados and cannot get MCT oil (that I am aware of) and coconut oil cost me $32 US dollars per 8oz so I don't buy it.
Can anyone enlighten me as to the benefits of it, or maybe a reason you drink it, and a simple recipe? I live in Barbados and cannot get MCT oil (that I am aware of) and coconut oil cost me $32 US dollars per 8oz so I don't buy it.
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The best I can tell, Bulletproof Coffee is a product sold by the Bulletproof Executive. It is organic and he sells it at a premium price. He recommends having the coffee with grass fed butter and MCT Oil. The premise is that a shot of fat in the morning helps address cortisol and energy issues (particularly with intermittent fasting).
I've added coconut oil to my coffee. Its pretty good, but I wouldn't want it in every cup. But then, I drink my coffee black otherwise, so I'm not trying to replace cream or sugar.
http://www.bulletproofexec.com/0 -
Hi Shannon, we have a very extensive discussion of Bulletproof coffee in the Low Carber Daily Forum group (which you probably would get a lot of value out of joining):
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/862742-bulletproof-coffee
Basically, bulletproof coffee is a cup of high quality coffee, 1-2 tbsp coconut oil, 1-2 tbsp grassfed butter, 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa.
Can you get Amazon deliveries to Barbados? You can buy MCT and/or Coconut oil on Amazon for decent prices.
Benefits? If you are a keto/paleo/LCHF eater, it gives you a ton of healthy fat calories and essentially no carbs/protein. It's all body fuel.0 -
Upgraded coffee is a product sold by Dave Asprey aka The Bulletproof Exec. Bulletproof coffee does not have to be made with Dave's products (I don't buy his products). I use high quality shade grown coffee, Costco's coconut oil and Organic Valley's grassfed butter.The best I can tell, Bulletproof Coffee is a product sold by the Bulletproof Executive.0 -
Thanks for the link Eric. I could order from Amazon as they do deliver to Barbados, but duties here on food products are out of this world! So my question is, could I just double up on the butter, or do 2 tbsp of butter and some heavy cream?
And should I only be having this on a workout day? I noticed in the other forum you were saying you had it after your morning workout, but I do all of my working out on an evening after work. Would this affect me negatively as a morning "breakfast"?0 -
Oh, and can you give me a brand of a good coffee to use? I'll see if I can find it down here to use. Otherwise I might just have to wait until I visit the US in October and get some.0
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I personally like Kilambe Medium Roast - here's a link to Amazon, no idea what it will cost you, though
http://www.amazon.com/Kilamb%C3%A9-Coffee-Organic-Mountain-Special/dp/B008TGYWUG/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1374691128&sr=1-1&keywords=shade+grown+coffee
Also, here's a link to the Low Carber Daily Forum, definitely something to join:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/411-low-carber-daily-forum-the-group-
As noted, a very high fat "meal" like BPC will increase cortisol and directly affect energy levels. Also helpful for those of us who eat low carb to remain very low carb. I had my BPC around 7:30 AM and I have not yet gotten hungry .... it's now 11:45 AM. I don't think having BPC for breakfast is an issue with working out at night. The value to Intermittent Fasting, higher cortisol, higher levels of healthy fats is going to be the same. The only real difference is whether you are working out in a fasted state, or not. I do, but not everyone does.
Hope that helps.0 -
I can't praise pure MCT oil enough. The majority of people just use coconut oil, which has a relatively low % of MCT oils in it. I used to make my bulletproof coffee w/ coconut oil and butter, and it was good, but didn't find it did a lot for me. After I bought pure MCT oil, I put a TBS in my coffee, and I felt AWESOME!! It gave me so much energy, and I still love it, plus it's completely tasteless. I actually put it in other things now besides just my coffee.
As for the coffee beans, I can't afford to buy Dave's branded bulletproof coffee, which he has tested in a lab to make sure there are no mycotoxins in it (from what I understand, a by-product of a mold that grows on most coffee that is toxic to the human body?). I believe Dave does say that the coffee beans with the least chance for mycotoxins are those that are wet-processed, from a single origin (i.e. - not blended coffees), and grown at a high altitude.
Personally, I buy Cafe Altura organic colombian dark, because it meets the criteria above (high-altitiude, single origin, wet-washed), so I believe it to be fairly low in mycotoxins, though you can't be certain (which I suppose one would fork over the premium for Dave's Bulletproof coffee for the certainty)
Coffee on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KSRTM4/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
MCT oil I use: http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-100%-32-Fluid-Ounces/dp/B0019LRY8A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374691444&sr=8-1&keywords=NOW+MCT+oil0 -
Thanks Eric. That coffee looks good, but it would probably cost me about $30 US to land that in Barbados and then I would have to pay duty as well. So for one bag of that good stuff I would probably be looking at around $50 US which is $100 BDS.
I think I'll just have to wait a get it when I'm up there.
But thanks everyone for your links. It's good to know what stuff I would be looking to buy if I decided to go that route.
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Hi asoeung, are you buying Dave Asprey's MCT Oil? It seems overpriced to me. If not, what are you buying?
Shannon, here's how I would define high quality coffee: shade grown, organic, high elevation, sun dried, wet washed. If you can find coffee beans like that in Barbados, that's the ticket. The problem with low end coffee is mycotoxins, yes, but also that they are not shade grown. Shade grown is about more than just feeling good about not burning down the rainforest. Once the rainforest is cut down, the topsoil washes away and all the really good mineral deposits are gone. So, your coffee is now missing those minerals that it had when it was shade grown.
My two cents on the topic ;-)0 -
I always appreciate your two cents! I'll see what I can find down here. Highly unlikely, but I have a few gourmet shops I can try and see if they have. I guess right now for me it's not a must have but I was generally curious about it. I LOVE coffee but I gave it up a long time ago because I usually like my coffee with milk and sugar. I can go without the sugar, but definitely not the milk/cream.
Would it be pointless to do this without the MCT oil? I'll see if my local health stores stock this as well but I've never seen it before. Who knows though, my luck might have changed
But again, will this not benefit me if I'm not working out in the morning? Or does it not really matter?0 -
High quality coffee and heavy cream is a great choice as an alternative. At 60 calories of fat per tablespoon, you could easily get 180 - 240 cals of fat in you in a single cup. Add a tablespoon of cocoa (unsweetened) for the anti-oxidants .... go for it, see what happens.
Also, if you can bring your coffee up to organic, at least, you will be doing better than average.
Also, see my comments about the value of high fat meals on cortisol, energy, and fat burning. You get this value from a very high fat meal no matter what. It's just the coffee, MCT oil and grassfed butter make it even better.0 -
Hi asoeung, are you buying Dave Asprey's MCT Oil? It seems overpriced to me. If not, what are you buying?
Try Dr. Bernd Friendlander's MCT oil. It's pharmaceutical grade and can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/MCT-Oil-Pharmaceutical-Grade-fl/dp/B0019LWIOU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374693741&sr=8-1&keywords=dr.+friedlander+mct.0 -
Haven't made "bulletproof" coffee yet (and won't until my Whole30 is over), but I was doing a tablespoon of coconut oil in my coffee and some coconut milk and it tasted amazing and kept me full for a long time.0
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I love my BPC!!!!!
1 tbl of cocoa (if ya can find a good quality without alkali the better)
1 tbl of unrefined organic virgin coconut oil
1 tbl of pasture fed organic butter
1 tbl of full fat coconut milk
Sweetner to taste (I use xylitol and pure stevia powder).
10 oz of brewed coffee
I just put everything into my contigo spillproof coffee cup and shake the bajesus out of it and enjoy it while driving to work.0 -
I love my BPC!!!!!
1 tbl of cocoa (if ya can find a good quality without alkali the better)
1 tbl of unrefined organic virgin coconut oil
1 tbl of pasture fed organic butter
1 tbl of full fat coconut milk
Sweetner to taste (I use xylitol and pure stevia powder).
10 oz of brewed coffee
I just put everything into my contigo spillproof coffee cup and shake the bajesus out of it and enjoy it while driving to work.
Is there any reason you don't use the MCT oil? And do you need to prepare your coffee in a french press, or does the good stuff come in "instant" form? 0 -
One of the thing that Asprey is pushing is coffee free of mycotoxins, and he's claiming his product is free of these. More info on how to select coffee that is mycotoxin free here: http://www.naturalnews.com/034063_mycotoxins_coffee.html
From that article -
How Can You Find Mycotoxin-Free Coffee?
By following these tips, you can enjoy your cup of joe without having it ruin your health.
1. Drink coffee that has been made via wet processing. Because mycotoxins often form during the drying process, wet beans are much less likely to contain them than dry beans.
2. Do not drink decaffeinated coffee. Caffeine actually protects coffee beans from the growth of mold and can prevent large amounts of mycotoxins from growing.
3. Choose arabica beans over robusta beans. Though robusta varieties do have higher levels of caffeine, they also contain more mycotoxins.
4. Consider the environment in which your beans are grown. Because mold is less apt to grow at higher elevations, buying beans that have been harvested in the mountains of Central America is a great way to decrease the amount of toxins in your coffee.
5. Stay away from blends. Though blended coffees may taste good, there really is no way of telling where the different bean varieties have come from. Try to stick to single estate products rather than the major brand names.
6. Steam is an agent that can help break down toxins, so if all else fails, order an Americano.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034063_mycotoxins_coffee.html#ixzz2ZzoZBLKM0 -
I love my BPC!!!!!
1 tbl of cocoa (if ya can find a good quality without alkali the better)
1 tbl of unrefined organic virgin coconut oil
1 tbl of pasture fed organic butter
1 tbl of full fat coconut milk
Sweetner to taste (I use xylitol and pure stevia powder).
10 oz of brewed coffee
I just put everything into my contigo spillproof coffee cup and shake the bajesus out of it and enjoy it while driving to work.
Is there any reason you don't use the MCT oil? And do you need to prepare your coffee in a french press, or does the good stuff come in "instant" form?
I've never tried the MCT, so I can't give ya any insights on that. I just use a good quality organic VCO. The one I get is from Whole Foods and it's the best I ever tried. And all I do is brew the coffee from my Keurig brewer and throw everything into my spillproof mug and shake away.0 -
I use a Keurig too, grind my own beans, then stick 'em in the Keurig's cup intended for your own grounds. I am way too lazy to use a french press0
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I always appreciate your two cents! I'll see what I can find down here. Highly unlikely, but I have a few gourmet shops I can try and see if they have. I guess right now for me it's not a must have but I was generally curious about it. I LOVE coffee but I gave it up a long time ago because I usually like my coffee with milk and sugar. I can go without the sugar, but definitely not the milk/cream.
Would it be pointless to do this without the MCT oil? I'll see if my local health stores stock this as well but I've never seen it before. Who knows though, my luck might have changed
But again, will this not benefit me if I'm not working out in the morning? Or does it not really matter?
MCT oil is essentially pure energy. The human body doesn't need to do as much work to use it as it does to use short and long chain. However, in a pinch, coconut oil is the next best thing, due to being a good source of MCTs (MCTs are rather rare in the food world, so while it's not "rich" in it, it's about as good as you can get without getting the distilled stuff), and being almost entirely saturated fat.
As for whether it will still be of use to you, yes it can be. It's not just post workout fuel. You can use it for regular breakfast, as well, even disregarding the whole IF/cortisol thing. It's a 5-hour energy, without the questionable chemicals, and with the awesome antioxidants of cocoa and coffee, and the pure fuel and vitamins in the fats.0 -
I really love cream in my coffee, but with butter and coconut oil I found that I can actually skip it. I do use a hand blender to get some froth. Also, for whatever reason I do still seem to get hungry unless I add protein to it. I tried adding two eggs, but even that didn't hold me, so I ended up using protein powder (although alas, it's clearly not a real food). That did keep me full for some time!0
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Thanks for the suggestions everyone I guess I'll have to experiment and see what works for me.
It also calls for some investment as I do not own a Keurig or any other type of coffee maker. Usually life in the tropics calls for instant! LOL
It'll be interesting to try one day, just not as soon as I might have liked.0 -
I love my BPC!!!!!
1 tbl of cocoa (if ya can find a good quality without alkali the better)
1 tbl of unrefined organic virgin coconut oil
1 tbl of pasture fed organic butter
1 tbl of full fat coconut milk
Sweetner to taste (I use xylitol and pure stevia powder).
10 oz of brewed coffee
I just put everything into my contigo spillproof coffee cup and shake the bajesus out of it and enjoy it while driving to work.
I forgot that I also add a splush of SF pure vanilla (about 1 tsp)
ShannonKirton- If instant coffee is all that you have then by all means use it. I'm all about not being driven crazy by trying to be 100% perfect (I'm definitely not), so I go by the 80/20 rule. Just do the best that you can do!!!0 -
I think the 80/20 rule is really important. What we have listed out is the ideal, but getting 80% of ideal is way better than getting 0% of ideal, right?ShannonKirton- If instant coffee is all that you have then by all means use it. I'm all about not being driven crazy by trying to be 100% perfect (I'm definitely not), so I go by the 80/20 rule. Just do the best that you can do!!!
Virgin coconut oil is about 65% MCT's, best source of MCT's in nature that can be found. Agreed on how hard it is to find MCT's generally in nature. Grass fed butter is another fantastic fat source. Not the MCT source that coconut oil is, but a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids and saturated fats and quite heart healthy, too. I cannot recommend these two sources of fats highly enough.MCT oil is essentially pure energy. The human body doesn't need to do as much work to use it as it does to use short and long chain. However, in a pinch, coconut oil is the next best thing, due to being a good source of MCTs (MCTs are rather rare in the food world, so while it's not "rich" in it, it's about as good as you can get without getting the distilled stuff), and being almost entirely saturated fat.0 -
Thanks for the suggestions everyone I guess I'll have to experiment and see what works for me.
It also calls for some investment as I do not own a Keurig or any other type of coffee maker. Usually life in the tropics calls for instant! LOL
It'll be interesting to try one day, just not as soon as I might have liked.
I have a Keurig, French press, etc. BUT second best to the French press is using a cone filter holder (mine's silicon and folds-meant for camping) that sits over a cup and you just boil the water and pour it through. Can't get easier/cheaper than that. The Keurig is killing me financially, not to mention throwing out the plasic pods, and even though I have the fillable cup, I can't get enough grounds in for a strong enough coffee.
Edit: I've tried MCT oil and I like it, however, it is my opinion that virgin, minimally refined coconut oil is the best way to get it.0 -
Sheesh, if we had this conversation on the other BPC thread, we would have gotten that one over 200 posts.0
