Coffee is more than just a beverage. Coffee is culture, art, economy, science, history and passion all rolled into one! Whether you are someone who just can't function without your daily morning fix or someone who loves to catch up with friends over a cup of coffee in the evenings, there's always room for another cup. 

If you're already a coffee person, chances are that you have at least heard mention of bulletproof coffee. Bulletproof coffee is a type of keto drink that incorporates fats rather than carbs in your favourite pick me up. It is becoming increasingly popular with people following the keto diet plan and is popping up as a regular offering on menus all around the world. 

What is Bulletproof Coffee? 

In case you are one of the few people who have not heard of bulletproof coffee before and have no idea what it is, let me tell you what this coffee is all about. Bulletproof coffee is a coffee-based drink made from brewed coffee, MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) coconut oil, and unsalted grass-fed butter. Owing to its unique ingredients and keto-centric nutritional content, bulletproof coffee is extremely popular with people who follow a low carb, a high fat diet like the ketogenic diet. Many who have adopted the keto lifestyle swear by the effectiveness of bulletproof coffee for aiding weight loss in keto. 

Bulletproof coffee is meant to be a substitute for breakfast and should ideally be drunk on an empty stomach. The unusual blend of fat and calories makes bulletproof coffee an appropriate substitute for breakfast since the added kick of caffeine helps fuel your mornings. 

The nutritional value of bulletproof coffee varies depending on the recipe you use to prepare it, and there are many recipes available online. The standard bulletproof coffee can range from anywhere between 250-500 calories. So, if you are attempting to lose weight by counting calories, bulletproof coffee is probably not the best option for you. 

Benefits of Bulletproof Coffee 

At this point, you may be wondering about why anyone would put oil and butter into coffee and what on earth they could hope to achieve with such unorthodox a combination. To be able to understand the overall benefits of bulletproof coffee, let's look at the three main ingredients in isolation and determine what benefits can be derived from each.

1. Coffee 

It is universally acknowledged that coffee has a positive effect on your overall health even if it does stain the teeth. It plays an essential role in lifting your mood and spirits early in the morning making you less grumpy and grouchy. Here are some of the other advantages associated with coffee besides helping you get along with your family and colleagues early in the morning

• It helps reduce pain: Just two cups of coffee a day greatly help in relaxing muscles and reducing muscle pain after working out.

• It is a good source of fibre: One cup of coffee boasts almost 2 grams of fibre

• It protects your liver from cirrhosis 

• It lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes

• It reduces the risk of Alzheimer's

• It helps alleviate the risk of depression

• It may help protect you from developing Parkinson's

• It lowers the risk of heart disease

• It mitigates the risk of multiple sclerosis and colorectal cancer

• It minimizes the risk of gout and liver cancer

• It prevents the formation of cavities: but only if you have it black

• It protects you from developing retinal damage

• It protects against melanoma

• It lowers your risk of dying from cardiac arrest

The benefits of drinking coffee are extensive. However, it is necessary to mention here that these are benefits associated with caffeinated coffee. Decaf coffee will not give you these benefits, and adding sugar or milk to your coffee will also diminish the benefits. 

Additionally, you must also remember that caffeine doesn't suit everyone. People with heart issues, people who have caffeine sensitivities, or women who are currently pregnant, should exercise caution when drinking coffee as it may not be good for them. 

2. Medium Chain Triglyceride Oil (MCT)  

The other main ingredient in bulletproof coffee is the unusual addition of Medium Chain Triglyceride Oil or MCT oil for short. MCT oil is made by extracting the medium fatty acids from coconut or palm kernel oil. This is done with specialized machinery that splits the oil to separate the MCT from the rest of the oil. In essence, MCT oil is just a highly concentrated form of regular coconut oil. MCT oil has recently become a much talked about product in health food circles and here are the top benefits that make it so popular:

• It helps boost brain and memory functions

• It enhances energy levels and increases endurance

• It facilitates weight loss and weight management

• It helps lower cholesterol 

• It maintains and lowers blood sugar levels

However, it should be noted here that while MCT oil has numerous benefits, it is super high in fat and calories. You must moderate your use of MCT Oil if you are aiming to lose weight and ensure how much you consume. 

3. Grass-Fed Butter 

The final, and most unusual, ingredient for coffee is organic grass-fed butter. It is preferable to make bulletproof coffee with grass-fed butter rather than regular butter because:

• It has higher nutrients like beta-carotene, antioxidants, omega-3s, CLA, and vitamins A, D, E, and K.

• It has high levels of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that is excellent in preventing inflammation, increasing metabolism, protecting against mental illness, improving body composition, and improving gut health.

• It has higher levels of unsaturated (good) fats than regular butter.

Established that grass-fed butter is a much superior option to regular butter, the benefits associated with it are transferred to the bulletproof coffee. But as with all things, one must be careful to consume it in moderation as butter can also pile on the calories. 

Additional Benefits

In addition to the benefits that bulletproof coffee boasts of by its super ingredients, many regular users of this concoction claim that the energy boost provided by bulletproof coffee lasts for many hours more than regular coffee. It also helps you feel satisfied, focused and alert. 

The same people also claim that they love the fact that bulletproof coffee does not have the typical post-caffeine crash associated with other caffeinated beverages. It has also been reported that people who have had bulletproof coffee have been able to remain productive for longer hours and that drinking bulletproof coffee helps curb their sugar cravings. 

Bulletproof Coffee is not your average coffee drink of choice. It is a potent proponent of ketogenic diets and an energizing coffee drink that has helped countless people do intermittent fasting more effectively.  This powerhouse beverage has helped people get the most out of their days, from driven corporate professionals to sports players and athletes, to harried mums and dads to get more done.

What are you waiting for, hit up the internet for a recipe, get brewing, and drink up?