What Is Bulletproof Coffee? (Solved & Explained!)

Bulletproof coffee was first shared with the world by David Asprey in 2009 and was inspired by Tibetan yak-butter tea. Asprey developed a high-fat, high-caffeine beverage to boost his mornings which he coined ‘bulletproof coffee’.

What is bulletproof coffee? Well, simply put it’s a blend of freshly brewed black coffee, unsalted grass-fed butter, and medium-chain triglyceride, or MCT, oil. Bulletproof coffee has taken the biohacking world by storm for its weight management, brain-boosting, and energy-giving properties.

Who invented bulletproof coffee?

Computer scientist David Asprey first encountered yak-butter tea during a trip to Tibet in 2004. He found the concoction alleviated his altitude sickness, gave him an energy boost, and helped him concentrate during his meditation practice.

Back home in Silicon Valley he made his own version – swapping the yak-butter for grass-fed cow butter and upgrading the tea to coffee. His final creation was something like “a Frappuccino without the milk and sugar”. He eventually posted his recipe to a blog in 2009 and the rest is history.

Why is it called bulletproof coffee?

Bulletproof Coffee is the most well-known export from the Bulletproof lifestyle brand which encompasses several lifestyle and biohacking products. Founder David Asprey says that the name was a suggestion from someone sitting beside him on a transatlantic flight.

Bulletproof Coffee is a brand name, but the term is now applied to any coffee drink supplemented with fat. The name is fitting with the product, according to Asprey the coffee bulletproofs you against weight gain, stress, fatigue, and brain fog.

How do you make bulletproof coffee?

You can either buy a $38 bulletproof coffee starter set from Bulletproof themselves, or you can make your own.

The official recipe calls for 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee, 1-2 tablespoons of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil, and 1-2 tablespoons or grass-fed unsalted butter, or ghee (a type of purified butter). Simply blend it all together and voila!

You can always make your own with your choice of black coffee, unsalted butter, and some kind of MCT oil or coconut oil. Make sure it’s well-blended because the butter will try to separate from the coffee.

Why do people drink bulletproof coffee?

People on keto diets use bulletproof coffee as a quick, calorie and fat-filled breakfast option. Total calorie intake on a keto diet is typically divided: 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbs. So bulletproof coffee is a great way to start your day of keto eating off and stay on track.

Bulletproof coffee is also popular with people who don’t follow a keto diet. It keeps you full and energized, and the lack of carbohydrates can reduce cravings later in the day which helps with weight management.

Is bulletproof coffee for weight loss?

During a keto diet, the body’s energy supply is switched over from glucose to fat. You are in a state of ketosis when your body is burning fat for energy rather than carbs. To maintain this, most of your calories need to come from fat which bulletproof coffee helps with by removing carbs and protein entirely.

For people who aren’t looking to be in ketosis, or who are just wanting to shift some extra pounds, bulletproof coffee can replace your breakfast and see you through until lunchtime, while also reducing your carb and sugar cravings throughout the day.

Be careful though, one cup of bulletproof coffee can contain almost 500 calories so proceed with caution if weight loss is your goal.

Can you drink bulletproof coffee while fasting?

Bulletproof coffee does technically break a traditional fast because it contains calories. Some fasting programs allow certain food groups during fasting windows, including healthy fats. Bulletproof coffee may therefore be permitted as an energy boost when fasting. It really depends on what type of fast you are doing and what health goals you have.

The best use of bulletproof coffee in conjunction with fasting is to break your fast. The absence of carbs will help smooth the transition from your fasting to eating windows without triggering overindulgence.

When is the best time to drink bulletproof coffee?

The best time to drink your bulletproof coffee is first thing in the morning as a breakfast alternative.  At around 400+ calories a cup it can be seen as a meal replacement that gives you the caffeine lift and brain-boosting fats that get your day off to a great start.

Because it contains a lot of caffeine, try to avoid bulletproof coffee later in the day as it can disrupt sleep – which we all know is just as essential to our health as our nutrition.

Is bulletproof coffee good for you?

This depends on who you ask. While fats are necessary to brain function, the brain uses a lot of energy which is primarily obtained from carbohydrates. It’s possible that without a switch over to ketosis, the brain will struggle to maintain performance in the absence of carbs.

A healthy diet is a balanced diet, and although bulletproof coffee contains healthy fats, it misses out on protein, carbs, and fiber. Make sure you’re making up for this with your meals later in the day.

Another consideration is the high caffeine and saturated fat content of bulletproof coffee. These two things together can be particularly bad news for people with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease, so always talk to your doctor before taking up a new dietary habit.

What does bulletproof coffee taste like?

It tastes a lot like a rich, creamy latte. If you choose coconut oil over other MCT oils, then you will also notice a slightly tropical flavor that some people really enjoy. Despite the heaps of butter, you won’t taste it as much as you’d think – the whole thing blends together really well.

Do you have to use butter in bulletproof coffee?

According to the official guidance from the aficionados over at Bulletproof HQ – yes. But some people don’t eat dairy, or are vegan, or maybe just don’t like butter.

Instead, you can get the same benefits of the high caffeine, high fat beverage by swapping out the butter or ghee with coconut oil, coconut butter, or extra MCT oils.