What Is Bulletproof Coffee?

What is bulletproof coffee? 

Bulletproof coffee (or butter coffee) might just set you up for an entire busy morning of running about with its high caffeine and calorie combo. It’s an invention that can be credited to American entrepreneur and founder of the Bulletproof Diet, Dave Asprey. 

It consists of three main ingredients – coffee, (vegan) butter and coconut oil. 

What does a vegan bulletproof coffee taste like?

Plant-butter tastes great, but is it good enough to drink in the morning? When you blend butter and coconut oil with your freshly brewed coffee (feel free to percolate, filter or press as usual) you’ll be left with a rich, frothy latte. 

Photo credits: Running On Real Food

Best not to pay too much attention to what your vegan bulletproof coffee looks like after you’ve drunk the foamy top, a few micelles of good fat will probably be floating around somewhere. Avoid scooping them out, however; they’re what helps your body digest the drink.

What are the health benefits of adding (vegan) butter to my coffee?

Drinking bulletproof coffee at breakfast can help regulate energy spikes through the morning. Unlike high-carb cereals and even toast, the combination of fats in the butter and the medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) in the coconut oil kick the drinker’s liver into action. It breaks down down the MCT, taking longer to process the caffeine leaving your energy levels more stable.

There are other reported health and wellness benefits attached to the drink such as mental clarity, cognitive function, regulating appetite to avoid snacking and even clearer skin. These claims might be a slight reach at worst and nobody is labelling it as a superfood (just yet), but for now, we’re happy to settle by calling it a functional treat food/drink.

However, it is low-carb meaning it might be the perfect hot drink for people following a vegan keto diet.

How to make a vegan bulletproof coffee

So, now all that’s left to do is make your own plant-based bulletproof coffee at home and see what all the fuss is about. Here are a few great vegan recipes to get you started: 

• This is a great beginner’s vegan bulletproof coffee recipe from One Green Planet to get your buttery-caffeine day started  
• If you’d like to get straight in with an elevated version, then why not check out this recipe from Running On Real Food? It’s full of goodies like cacao paste, maca and  almond butter