BULLETPROOF COFFEE

health hack or health hype?

Health hack or hype? We find out…

Wonder drink bulletproof coffee – a blend of quality filtered coffee, butter and MCT oil – is a meal-replacement drink that keto and low-carb enthusiasts are downing first thing in the morning. But is there any scientific merit to this ‘meal in a glass’, and should you buy into the coffee craze?

There’s nothing really new about the concept of bulletproof coffee (BPC), a latte-like high-fat breakfast substitute that many claim has energy-boosting and weightloss benefits. Drinking coffee or tea with butter or yak’s milk is an ageold culinary tradition that helps with warmth and energy for those living at high altitudes and in very cold climates, such as in Ethiopia and Tibet.

American entrepreneur and biohacker Dave Asprey was introduced to the concept while hiking in Tibet and saw the potential benefits of developing his version of the drink. Asprey, author of The New York Times bestseller The Bulletproof Diet, recommends a concoction of his special brand of mould- and mycotoxin-free coffee beans, his ‘brain octane’ medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, and unsalted butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows. We don’t all have easy access to Asprey’s bulletproof products, but BPC can also be made with regular coffee, normal unsalted butter and basic MCT oil. BPC gives you energy and keeps you feeling full for hours, says Asprey, who also suggests it could assist with weight loss, largely due to the MCT oil.

MCT oil is most commonly extracted from coconut oil and has been shown to increase the release of peptide YY and leptin, hormones that promote a feeling of fullness. MCT oil bypasses normal fat digestion and goes right to the liver where it supports the production of ketone bodies. By increasing ketones, and therefore energy production in

the cells, MCTs can boost metabolism. Apart from facilitating weight loss, MCT oil can help to optimise the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

BPC FOR BREAKFAST

There are pros and cons, as with most ‘miracle’ products, to making BPC your morning ‘meal’. If your mornings are rushed and you need breakfast to go, a bulletproof coffee sipped on the way to work is better than a muffin or doughnut. And if it keeps you feeling full and energised until lunchtime, then perhaps it’s a good option. But BPC contains about 450 calories, so it must be viewed as a complete meal replacement – if you’re drinking BPC and having bacon and eggs an hour or two later because you’re hungry again, you won’t drop the kilos.

Some who follow an LCHF lifestyle struggle to eat fats – either they don’t like the texture of fatty cuts of meat or aren’t fond of the taste of high-fat foods such as olives, avocados, nuts or coconut oil. In such cases, taking in a good quantity of fats in a creamy coffee can ensure that an adequate amount of fat is consumed. For those practising intermittent fasting (IF), BPC could be helpful in extending the fasting window. ‘Insulin is what turns autophagy [the body’s process of removing damaged cells] on and off,’ says Asprey on his Bulletproof blog. ‘Since fats don’t impact blood sugar and insulin levels, you can stay in a fasted state as long as you’re eating only fat, which is why BPC is such a good complement to IF.’ Some fasting purists might disagree, though Asprey has studies to back up his statement.

IS BPC NUTRITIOUS?

Not particularly. Sure, there is some nutrition in the butter (especially if it’s the grass-fed variety) and coffee does contain antioxidants, but BPC’s high-fat content essentially makes it an empty-calorie bomb. When made with the original recipe’s quantities, one drink contains anywhere between 400 to 500 calories! This is the same number of calories as a meal that consists of three large eggs cooked in a teaspoon of butter, four rashers of back bacon, a cup of cooked spinach and half a cup of fresh blueberries – which breakfast would you find more satisfying? I suspect most people prefer to bite, chew and swallow rather than sip their meals.

A real-food LCHF breakfast consisting of animal protein, veggie carbs, fibre and healthy fats packs a hefty nutritional punch. This is in stark contrast to the low-nutrient profile of BPC. You could make up the nutritional deficit with your other meals for the day, but will it be enough to experience optimum health and vitality?

Something else to consider is that the combination of caffeine and MCT oil on an empty stomach in the morning doesn’t agree with everyone. It can leave you jittery and nauseous, especially if you are new to a high-fat diet and/or you no longer have a gall bladder. Those without a gall bladder will struggle to digest a large quantity of fat in one sitting because there is a lack of adequate bile. You may be able to combat these symptoms by using decaf coffee and/ or reducing the amount of butter and MCT oil, but it might not have the same benefits especially in terms of energy, concentration and keeping you feeling full until your next meal. You could also try to build up your fat intake slowly, especially of MCT oil.

If you still prefer to have breakfast in a glass for the sake of convenience, rather consider a smoothie with frozen berries, coconut or almond milk, fresh spinach, pure whey protein or collagen, a couple of egg yolks, raw cacao powder and xylitol or stevia for a little sweetness. You could even add some nut butter. This liquid meal would be far more nutritious and just as filling as a bulletproof coffee. If your goal is weight loss, BPC may help but it could just as easily sabotage your efforts.

Ultimately, you need to experiment to see what works for you. But don’t get caught up in the hype – you don’t need to be consuming bulletproof coffee if you’re following an LCHF lifestyle. It is simply a breakfast option that has both pros and cons.

Bear in mind that BPC contains about 450 calories, so it must be viewed as a complete meal replacement.