Popping a blob of butter into your coffee. It might sound a bit, well, odd but it’s been trending for much of 2016. It’s called bulletproof coffee, and some say it helps them maintain a healthy weight. But is it really healthy?
What is bulletproof coffee?
Grab a cup of coffee. Add two tablespoons of butter (grass-fed, preferably) and a tablespoon of medium chain triglyceride oil (a man-made saturated fatty acid). Then simply blend, drink, forget about breakfast, lose weight.
At least that’s what all the hype would have you believe.
Bulletproof coffee was invented by Dave Asprey, an entrepreneur who reportedly swapped breakfast for buttery coffee and lost a stack of weight.
The concept of butter coffee, however, isn’t so new. Many people around the world have been drinking it for eons – such as Tibetans with their yak butter blend, which they say gives them energy in a challenging high-altitude climate. In fact, it was after drinking the Tibetan brew that Asprey was inspired to make his own.
Is bulletproof coffee healthy?
Here’s the thing. So far, there’s little scientific evidence to back up Asprey’s claims that bulletproof coffee burns fat, suppresses appetite, and helps drinkers lose weight.
Anecdotal evidence from people who have tried it suggests he could be onto something, health experts are divided, however. Why? Because saturated fat is still a controversial topic. Some say it’s unhealthy and clogs arteries. Others point to research that suggests it’s sugar and not saturated fat that we need to worry about.
So, it’s a case of making up your own mind. Give it a try and see if you like it. It’s also important to speak with a dietician or health professional about adding saturated fats to your diet.
