So what’s so awesome about bulletproof (BP) coffee? And why would butter and other fats in there be good for me?! Yeah, I know it’s weird but there may be some value to you. So go along for the ride a bit and see. Pretty cool mug though…

I have been using bulletproof coffee on a regular basis especially when dieting to help with some of that brain fog you encounter on diets. Lowering your calories affects both your physical state (tired, crabby) and mental state (brain fog). I felt that using bulletproof (BP) coffee was able to help in both of these areas especially during the beginning weeks of transitioning to a lower-carb diet.

Unfortunately, there’s so much stuff out there about what’s right, what’s wrong. There’s never a black and white answer, but I’ll share my take on the whole saga. I hope it helps you!

Why not a regular breakfast?

First off, there are a ton of articles on the web that explain in great detail the benefits of bulletproof coffee so I won’t go through all that here. But is it really better than eating a normal low carb/keto breakfast? In my opinion, the simple answer is no (assuming you eat a healthy breakfast – no cinnamon rolls here). You’ll get more nutrients and it will be more filling than bulletproof coffee.

But there are days when I simply cannot handle breakfast. The thought of eggs makes my stomach do flip-flops. Or I have days like today – I tend to get up much earlier than the rest of my family and have a good 3 hours before everyone’s up and we’re making breakfast (more like brunch). It’s a good pre-breakfast item for me.

So I do make bulletproof coffee, but it is not an everyday staple. I find it’s better to mix it up with normal breakfasts throughout the week.

Ghee… not a fan

First off, one of the main ingredients in bulletproof coffee is either ghee or grass-fed butter. I always wondered how they get butter to eat grass, but I digress... If you’re not familiar, ghee is basically clarified butter.

Pros of Ghee:

• Less dairy content so for those with dairy allergies (not 0, though)
• Doesn’t burn as easily as butter when frying – less smoke alarms!
• Doesn’t have to be refrigerated

I was excited when I found ghee at our local Aldi’s so I bought a jar. I will say I’m a big butter fan, so when I tried this I immediately missed the creaminess of real butter. I did try a few other times but ultimately gave up on using it in my coffee.

Cons of Ghee:

• Didn’t care for the taste

Instead, I use regular salted butter. Don’t shun me – I know it’s better to use grass-fed butter but that’s not always available. I just don’t get too hung up on it, and you shouldn’t either.

MCT oil vs coconut oil

This seems to be another huge conversation topic everywhere you google bulletproof coffee, so feel free to read endless sites on both of these topics (zzzzz). I bought MCT oil on Amazon and tried it during the first month doing BP coffee.

Benefits of MCT oil:

• Allegedly improves mental and physical energy
• Allegedy turns into keytones quickly
• Didn’t have a coconut-ey flavor (for all of you coconut haters)

I did get an increase in mental clarity during that first month. I was working with a very low calorie diet which usually caused significant brain fog and this really helped during that time. I decided to try using only coconut oil the 2nd month and really didn’t notice a difference (in comparison to the MCT oil).

Cons of MCT Oil:

• Cost
• Availability (not in stores)
• Didn’t seem to perform better than regular coconut oil (for me)

Bottom line, I didn’t feel that MCT oil added enough value to my diet to pay for it regularly. Coconut oil seemed to be a common and cheaper option (which I again get at Aldi’s). And even my husband, who is not a fan of coconut seemed to be ok with the taste in the coffee. Again, this is something you’ll have to try for yourself.

Ah, the Coffee…

This again I believe is personal preference. I will typically use organic coffee as long as it’s reasonably priced and I can get it. However, I will buy coffee that’s not organic for other reasons (availability, cost, when Dunkin Donut’s Pumpkin Spice coffee is out…).

Too much of a good thing?

One strong recommendation I have is to not go too crazy on the butter and coconut oil.

My goal of having bulletproof coffee is to 1) occasionally replace breakfasts and 2) to help keep the mental fog at bay. At the same time, I don’t want to drink a lot of my daily calories.

1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil adds up to 220 calories and 24 grams of fat. That’s also a lot of fat for your stomach to digest.

Too much bulletproof coffee can lead to:

• Stomach pains
• Loose stools, diarrhea (yeah lovely, right?)
• Lots of extra calories

So while this is great for you to try, I do recommend starting at a much smaller amount of fats – perhaps try 1 teaspoon of each the first day and maybe work up to 1/2 tablespoon of each. If you feel your brain fog and/or hunger is reduced with a smaller amount, then BONUS!

Many recipes will call out 1-2 tablespoons of both the butter and the coconut oil. I really don’t see where that’s necessary. I think the sweet spot is more in the 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of each. Play around to figure out what’s best for you.

So, get to the recipe already!

Alright!