More than staying up-to-date on the latest fitness trends (like the hard hitting workouts found on the Aaptiv fitness app), staying healthy can also have its share of popularized food and beverage trends.
From scanning our social media feeds, to aisles in the grocery store, the term Bulletproof coffee has become very popular in the modern health and nutrition world. Becoming an in-demand beverage because of the ketogenic diet, Bulletproof coffee is made as an easy way to ingest fat and match keto required macronutrients. Making up a Bulletproof coffee is: coffee (primarily hot) with the mixture of either butter, heavy cream, coconut oil, or MCT oil (medium-chain triglyceride mostly extracted from coconuts).
While nutrition magazines and our favorite bloggers may go on and on about the many health benefits of Bulletproof coffee, it may not be a beverage meant for everyone. Depending upon many aspects of your lifestyle, such as diet, blood work, and cognitive functions, Bulletproof coffee may or may not be for you. Below, we’ve broken down four reasons why you should or should not be incorporating Bulletproof coffee into your diet.
When You Should
You’re Trying to Get Your Body into Ketosis
For those starting out the ketogenic diet, it may seem almost impossible to hit the macronutrient fat count, with consuming 75 percent of calories of fat. In order to hit ketosis and start reaping the benefits of the ketogenic diet, it’s essential to eat anywhere from 80 to 125 grams of fat (all depending upon your height and weight). Bulletproof coffee is used as a tool to consume extra fat…even with the delicious addition of avocado. According to Lisa Richards, nutritionist and gut health expert, “Consuming Bulletproof coffee will up the fat content in your diet, helping you to reach ketosis more quickly.”
You’re Intermittent Fasting
Many celebrities and popular nutritionists have expressed their liking to practices like intermittent fasting. By giving yourself only a six to eight hour window to ingest your calories, you’re giving the body a chance to lower insulin levels to help promote fat burning. However, for some, intermittent fasting can be a challenge. If looking for a way to keep your body full throughout the day, try consuming a Bulletproof coffee in the morning, using grass-fed butter. According to the National Institute of Health, butter has only a small change in insulin index response when ingested.
Your Diet is Low in Healthy Fat
Even for those not on the ketogenic diet, making sure that you’re providing your body with healthy fat is extremely important, especially for brain health. For those that aren’t big fans of popular (healthy) fatty foods (such as avocados, fish, or nuts), a Bulletproof coffee may be the move for you. Caleb Backe, a nutrition expert from Maple Holistics, believes that fat should be added to your coffee instead of sugar to add a little sweetness—and this can be done with coconut or MCT oil. “Bulletproof coffee with coconut oil can have a much more positive impact on your health, due to the beneficial properties of coconut oil.”
You Experience Brain Fog Throughout the Day
For those who have brain fog throughout the day, you may be depleting your brain of an essential energy—fat. As the liver produces ketones after consuming fat-rich foods, your body is introduced to ketones like BHB, which can improve learning and memory. One of the miracle fatty foods that brain health experts have been raving about is coconut. A study from the University of Oxford has even found that coconut can temporarily increase short-term benefits of Alziemers and Dementia patients. By consuming Bulletproof coffee in the morning with coconut oil or MCT oil, you may see a decrease in the dreaded brain fog throughout the day.
When You Should Not
Your Body is in Ketosis
If on the ketogenic diet for a substantial amount of time (passed a week or so), your body may already be in ketosis and burning fat instead of sugar for energy. When this occurs, it’s ideal to have our bodies burning the existing fat from fuel versus burning more consumed fat. When ingesting a Bulletproof coffee, you’re consuming as much as 25 grams of fat per sitting. While your body will not have an issue digesting the extra fat, it will take away from the possibility of losing fat stored in the body (and prevent weight loss).
You Have an Intolerance to Caffeine
Not all bodies react the same to different ingredients, this includes caffeine’s stimulatory effect. If you’re someone who has an intolerance to caffeine, having the traditional Bulletproof coffee may not be for you. However, if you’re looking to incorporate this practice into your routine, try using decaf coffee or tea instead.
You’re Eating a High-Caloric Diet
“Even though butter (or other Bulletproof coffee ingredients) does not contain any carbs, it is quite high in both fat and calories per serving,” says Beverly Friedmann, rom My Food Subscriptions. While counting calories can be restrictive and sometimes unhealthy, it is important to make sure that we’re not consuming an excessive amount of calories (dependent upon our workouts, height, and weight). A cup of Bulletproof coffee, can range anywhere from 200 to 300 calories, so remember to factor these numbers in when deciding whether or not to consume.
You Have High Cholesterol
“For those suffering from high cholesterol, a Bulletproof coffee can do more harm than good,” says Backe. “A Bulletproof coffee can contain as much as two tablespoons of butter, which totals around 14 grams of saturated fatty acids.” While studies have indicated high cholesterol does not lead to heart disease, these saturated fat levels do exceed the AHA’s recommended daily intake in just one cup of coffee.
With every diet and lifestyle trend, it’s important to not only do your research, but also to talk to your health care professional to see if it’s right for you.
To live a healthy life, along with following a proper fitness routine (like the many programs found on the Aaptiv app) and consuming a well balanced diet, it’s recommended to seek out advice when incorporating new practices (like Bulletproof coffee) into your routine.