What Is Bulletproof Coffee?
If you’re new to my page, you’re probably wondering what the heck a Bulletproof coffee is. Well, in essence, the official bulletproof coffee recipe is a combination of quality black coffee, unsalted grass-fed butter and brain octane oil (MCT oil). When blended in a high speed blender the butter emulsifies, creating a creamy, frothy drink. I’ll be honest, my first reaction to Bulletproof coffee was - why would you ruin a perfectly good cup of black coffee with all that oil and fat!?!? But after trying it for myself and noticing the difference to my health and energy levels throughout the day, I was immediately convinced that bio-hacking coffee like this had to become part of my morning routine.
The benefits of bulletproof coffee are said to
Improve cognitive function (focus and memory)
Improve physical performance
Increase and longer lasting energy
Suppress food cravings (as the fats will keep you satisfied)
Fat loss (as you can use it to help you practice intermittent fasting)
Why Do You Add Fat To The Coffee?
By blending these good quality fats into coffee, you’ll find it keeps you satisfied and you won’t feel hungry for several hours after having a cup. It also provide a slower, more even release of caffeine so you don’t get the coffee jitters or a coffee crash mid-morning.
I recommend you use unsalted grass-fed butter or ghee (ghee is a great dairy free option as all the milk solids have been removed) as it’s much richer in Vitamin K2 which is incredibly important for calcium distribution in the body, but it's also rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids. But the most amazing thing about quality butter/ ghee is that its a fantastic source of butyrate - a short-chain fatty acid that provides food for the beneficial bacteria in our guts + it can both prevent and decrease inflammation. High levels of inflammation link to everything from depression to cancer, so the less inflammation the better! I personally prefer using butter over ghee in my Bulletproof coffees, as i find butter emulsifies better and has a milder taste and creamier end result.
What Is Brain Octane Oil?
Brain Octane is a purified form of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) derived from 100% pure coconut oil. The reason that brain octane oil is so beneficial, is because it doesn't need enzymes or bile to break it down, therefore its easily and quickly absorbed by the body. It helps to speed up the metabolism and travels directly to the liver where it can be converted to ketone bodies to be used for immediate energy instead of being stored as fat. Brain Octane also suppresses ghrelin, the hormone responsible for making you feel hungry and enhances CCK, the hormone that makes you feel full. The result is that you feel satisfied for hours on even a small amount of Brain Octane. It also helps to supercharge your brain function by giving you mental clarity and removing any brain fog. Yipeeeeee!
Why I Recommend Adding Gelatin To SUPERCHARGE Your Bulletproof Coffee
As a nutritionist I see so many people suffering from adrenal fatigue, who rely on coffee to make them feel and function as a human again. Yes it’s pretty essential to cut back on caffeine when you have adrenal issues, but if even the thought of giving up your trusted pick-me-up coffee has you falling in a heap of despair then that’s when I recommend to try a Bulletproof Coffee with gelatin. Gelatin is amazing, it will help to rejuvenate the thyroid and adrenals under stressful situations when the body requires more amino acids, nutrients and minerals, which gelatin can provide. It also acts as a mood booster, digestive aid, is incredibly beneficial for your skin, hair, teeth and nail health and also aids in liver detoxification. If you want read more about the health benefits of gelatin click here.
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERCHARGED BULLETPROOF COFFEE
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2 cups organic black coffee or upgraded black coffee
2 Tbsp brain octane oil (MCT oil) (please note if you have never had this before, start with 2 tsp and build up your tolerance to it as it's very powerful and can give you detox effects if you have too much, too quickly)
2 Tbsp unsalted grass-fed butter or ghee
1 Tbsp organic gelatin powder mixed with 2 Tbsp water or add 1-2 Tbsp collagen powder instead (add either of these in if you’re not fasting)
Optional Add Ins for Flavour
Cacao powder, your preferred sweetener to taste, maca powder, turmeric, cinnamon, 1/2 - 1 tsp adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, rhodiola, mucuna pruriens, reishi or he shou wu, cacao butter, or 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
NORMAL METHOD
Optional step if adding in the gelatin - mix the gelatin and 2 Tbso of water together, set this aside and allow it to bloom/ thicken for a minute. Please note you do NOT need to bloom collagen, only gelatin. So if you choose to add in collagen powder instead, you can add this to your blender with the other ingredients.
1. Add the bloomed gelatin, brain octane oil, butter or ghee and black coffee to a small saucepan and heat until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
2. Now pour the mix into a really high powered blender, if you’re adding in any of the optional extras, add them in now and blitz for 30 seconds – 1 minute, or until creamy and frothy.
3. Pour into 2 mugs and enjoy immediately.
THERMOMIX METHOD
Optional step if adding in the gelatin - add the gelatin and 2 Tbso of water together, set this aside and allow it to bloom/ thicken for a minute. Please note you do NOT need to bloom collagen, only gelatin. So if you choose to add in collagen powder instead, you can add this to your blender with the other ingredients.
1. Add all of your ingredients and any optional extras to the thermomix bowl and heat the mix up to 70-80C on speed 2.
2. Once it’s reached the temperature, blitz for 30 seconds on speed 8, or until frothy and creamy.
3. Pour into 2 mugs and enjoy immediately.
Q&A
Q - How Does Fasting & Drinking Bulletproof Coffee Work?
A - Many people drink 1-2 Bulletproof coffees instead of eating their breakfast because it’s a handy alternative fuel source that can be used for convenience during a busy morning. Or you can drink it if you’re practicing intermittent fasting. However, adding in either collagen or gelatin powder will break the fast (see more detailed information below).
Q - Does A Bulletproof Coffee Break A Fast?
A - It will if you add either collagen or gelatin to it. As much as I love and recommend adding in either collagen or gelatin to your morning bulletproof coffee or matcha, it is pure protein so it will break the fast. According to Mark’s Daily Apple, protein inhibits autophagy. This means that collagen/ gelatin in your coffee during a fast is probably fine for fat-burning (and may suppress appetite, helping you fast for longer) but it will reduce the benefits of autophagy which plays a key role in your body’s ability to detoxify, repair, regenerate itself, dampen inflammation, slow down the aging process + more - the easiest way to do activate autophagy is by practicing intermittent fasting. So on the day you’re not fasting, by all means add collagen and/ or gelatin into your morning BPC.
Q - What Brands Of Gelatin Do You Recommend To Use In A BPC?
A - I personally love and use the following brand;
Organic Porcine Gelatin
Q - Is It Important To 'BLOOM' and Dissolve The Gelatin Before Using It?
A - Yes it is. If you add gelatin powder straight into your hot coffee and blend immediately, I often find that the gelatin doesn't dissolve properly and it can stick to the sides of the blender making it a big pain in the butt to clean later on.
Q - Do Collagen & Gelatin Provide The Same Results (aka FROTHINESS) In Hot Drinks?
In my experience no. As you can see in the below photo, the bulletproof coffee on the left contains hardly any froth because it doesn't contain any gelatin or collagen (just grass-fed butter and brain octane oil). The coffee in the middle contains collagen and has a medium amount of froth and the coffee on the right contains gelatin, it has the most froth. So if you like lots of froth and creaminess in your bulletproof coffees or hot drinks, just add 1Tbsp of bloomed gelatin to your hot coffee/ drink and blend it up to get the below results. However if you don't like frothy/ super creamy drinks, you can omit collagen/ gelatin entirely.
If you have any more questions about either collagen or gelatin, please read my blog ‘Collagen Vs. Gelatin - What’s the Difference?
Q - How Do You Blend The Coffee In The Blender Without It Exploding?
A - You have to make sure the lid is tightly closed. If you’re worried about any liquid escaping, you can put a tea towel on top of the lid/ blender and place your hand on top of that to ensure the lid is closed properly and the tea towel will mop up any spills. However, I’ve never had any explosions or spills in my experience of making BPC. I would also recommend you don’t overfill your blender, make sure there is enough room for any pressure to escape.
Q - Coffee Gives Me Acid Reflux. What Should I Do?
A - There are many different causes for acid reflux which I would highly recommend you investigate further into with the help and support of your chosen health care practitioner. Some of the underlying causes can include; high stress, gut issues such as an H.Pylori infection, food intolerance’s, digestive issues and medication to name but a few. But if you experience acid reflux immediately after drinking coffee, I suggest you take a break from it until you sort out the underlying root cause of the issue.
Q - Why Do You Recommend Mould Free Coffee?
A - Not all coffee is created equal, and the wrong coffee can often carry naturally-occurring mould toxins — these can be carcinogenic and impair the immune system. Mouldy coffee also gives you the jitters, increases brain fog, saps your energy, triggers cravings, and leaves you feeling flat and irritable. Bulletproof puts a lot of effort into making sure the coffee beans they sell are free of mould toxins, so you’re getting all the benefits of Bulletproof Coffee without the harmful side effects.
Q - If You Can’t Afford To Buy the Bulletproof Coffee Grounds Or Beans, Is There Another Coffee You Can Recommend?
A - My preferred brand of coffee is definitely the Bulletproof coffee beans or grounds, however when I run out, I turn to the Macro Organic Coffee which is found in Woolworths around Australia. This coffee is organic and mould free. They have both ground coffee and coffee beans.
Q - Why Do I Get Migraine Auras When I Drink BPC?
A - Are you drinking a high quality, mould-free coffee such as Bulletproof coffee or Macro Organic Coffee? The wrong coffee can sap you of your energy and actually make your brain slower, you can experience brain fog, and perhaps in your situation, migraine auras too. I have written an extensive blog post on what I personally do to avoid and manage headaches or migraines so I would recommend you read that for extra tips and advice. I would also suggest chatting to your chosen health practitioner for personalised support and advice on this.
Q - Do You Advise Drinking Bulletproof Coffee Anytime Of The Day, Or Only In The Morning?
A - It depends on how your individual body handles and processes caffeine. I normally don’t recommend consuming coffee after lunch time as it may affect your sleep. However, I know some people can consume coffee around 2pm and sleep perfectly fine. So just do what works best for you.
Q - Is It Actually Good To Drink Coffee Or Is It Just A Way To Get In Fat, Gelatin and Other Goodies Like Adaptogenic Herbs?
A - Coffee is the number one source of polyphenols in the Western diet. Polyphenols are basically brain boosting antioxidants. Coffee not only promotes a healthy gut as 1 cup contains 1.5g of prebiotic fibre, the polyphenols also protect your gut from dangerous pathogens such as salmonella and staphylococcus. Coffee contains a specific polyphenol called ‘chlorogenic acid’, this actually helps to decrease chronic inflammation, particularly in the brain. Coffee lowers your risk of heart and lung disease as well as Alzheimers and Parkinson’s, infections and diabetes. It also encourages autophagy, improves cognitive function and performance and extends your longevity. And yes it is a great way to incorporate gelatin, quality fats and adaptogenic herbs (if they’re your thing).
Q - I’ve Never Had Brain Octane Oil Before, How Is It Different To MCT Oil? And Why Do You Recommend Starting On Such A Small Dose?
A - You can read the differences between most MCT oils and the Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil here and here in much more detail.
MCT oils can loosen your bowels, and it can sometimes take a little bit of time for your digestive system to get used to them. This is why it’s best to start slowly with just 1 tsp of Brain Octane Oil in your coffee, and gradually increase it from there. The good thing is that most people adjust pretty quickly, within a week or two. I usually recommend to increase your tolerance to roughly 1 Tbsp of Brain Octane Oil a day in your BPC.
Q - Will Bulletproof Coffee Make Me Poo A Lot?
A - You should be aiming to poop 1-2 poops a day, on a fairly regular schedule, this a sign that your digestion is strong. Your poo should also generally resemble a brown banana and feel “complete” like you’ve evacuated everything, and there isn’t more to come out. So if you’re going more than that I would recommend you chat to your chosen health care practitioner as that is not normal. If you need to run to the toilet after a few sips of your coffee then I would recommend you scale back the brain octane oil a bit. It can sometimes take a little bit of time for your digestive system to get used to having fat first thing in the morning + the coffee actually stimulates the colon.
Q- I Can’t Tolerate Either Butter Or Ghee. Do You Have Any Other Suggestions On What I Could Substitute Them With?
A - You can use 1 Tbsp melted cacao butter if you want to practice intermittent fasting. Or you can also try cashew nut butter or coconut butter, however you won’t be in a fasted state with either of those 2 options. I would also recommend you play around with the flavour by adding in a little cinnamon, vanilla and cacao powder to taste. This will make it a delicious mocha flavour which pairs perfectly with the cacao butter which has rich chocolatey notes.
Q - I Just Don’t Like Coffee, What Could I Replace It With?
A - That’s okay, not everyone likes coffee. And not everyone feels great drinking it. We’re all individuals, and what works for one person, may not work for the next. So if you’re looking for a few alternatives, here are my top picks;
If you have anymore questions about Bulletproof Coffee, please comment below, I’d be happy to answer them for you.
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This post isn't a sponsored post. However, I only recommend products when I’ve used them personally with great results. I have provided a few affiliate links to the products i love as it helps to keep 'Life of Pie' up and running.