I heard rumblings about hot buttered coffee, also known as Bulletproof Coffee, last year, and ignored what I figured was another crazy food trend. I mean, butter in coffee? If that doesn't scream the new bacon, I don't know what does. It turns out, though, that the buttered coffee trend is growing, with converts claiming serious health benefits.
So is this a miracle drink or just greasy java? Here's some info and a basic buttered coffee recipe to help you find out.
Buttered coffee is brewed coffee blended with butter and either coconut oil or MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglyceride), a nutritional oil supplement you can find in health food stores or places like GNC. This ingredient combination isn't about creating a new flavor sensation--it's said to taste like, well, buttery coffee--but rather starting your day with healthy fats, and providing a morning health boost that's said to enhance mental clarity, sustain energy, increase focus and even aid in weight loss.
Butter and weight loss? Hmm.
I can't help but wonder how starting the day with two tablespoons of butter and oil can be good for you. There are a whole lot of theories, some sound and others not so much, as well as plenty of doctors who simply say that it's not. A St. Luke's-Roosevelt researcher told Women's Health Magazine that you exceed your recommended daily levels of fat just from the butter and MCT oil. And still the buttered coffee trend keeps growing. And fast.
What is Buttered Coffee?
Buttered coffee is brewed coffee blended with butter and either coconut oil or MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglyceride), a nutritional oil supplement you can find in health food stores or places like GNC. This ingredient combination isn't about creating a new flavor sensation--it's said to taste like, well, buttery coffee--but rather starting your day with healthy fats, and providing a morning health boost that's said to enhance mental clarity, sustain energy, increase focus and even aid in weight loss.
Butter and weight loss? Hmm.
I can't help but wonder how starting the day with two tablespoons of butter and oil can be good for you. There are a whole lot of theories, some sound and others not so much, as well as plenty of doctors who simply say that it's not. A St. Luke's-Roosevelt researcher told Women's Health Magazine that you exceed your recommended daily levels of fat just from the butter and MCT oil. And still the buttered coffee trend keeps growing. And fast.
How to Make It
If you're curious, I found this overview and buttered coffee recipe at Jezebel comprehensive and clear. Mainly it's about blending all the ingredients in the right proportions until frothy. Die-hards claim that you can't use just any coffee or just any butter. To reap the healthy benefits of buttered coffee, you're supposed to use high-quality coffee that is single origin and organic. And apparently only grass-fed butter, like Kerrygold, has the right kind of fats to give buttered coffee its powers. So, yeah, even making this stuff at home starts to add up to that pricey coffee house latte. Definitely don't look at this as a DIY money-saver.So...
I have yet to try it myself, but I admit that I'm curious and maybe, just maybe, happen to have MCT oil in my shopping cart. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the idea of healthy fats. I'll probably hit buy at some point soon because no matter how hard I try to resist, I always end up exploring every last food trend. For you, of course. Have you tried buttered coffee? If you have, let us know what you think: worth it or not? [coffee beans photo adapted from eyeore2710 via Compfight cc]
