I’ve been hearing rumors about people putting butter in their coffee. Supposedly, this is called a Bulletproof Coffee. Why on earth would someone want to put butter in their coffee??? Well, if you have been around the “Paleo World” for long, you know that we aren’t scared of fat. In fact, we know that our bodies thrive on fat. And, butter is, essentially, cream all churned up, so why be scared?
I took the plunge! And I must say, IT IS UN-friggin-BELIEVABLE! It came out frothy, smooth, and filling! I love my coffee in the morning, in fact, it’s one thing I have always said I will never give up. I’ve given up enough in my life…my coffee is staying!
I used this recipe but I didn’t have any of the MCT Oil
Ingredients:
(at least) 2 TB of unsalted Kerrigold Butter or other unsalted, high quality butter.
1-2 TB of MCT oil
2 cups of High Quality Coffee
5 Steps:
1- Make coffee as you normally would.
2- Preheat your blender by putting hot water in it while you make the coffee. I didn’t do this because I used a stick blender.
3- Empty hot water from the now pre-heated blender and add the brewed coffee, butter, and MCT oil. Blend until there is a thick layer of foam on top like a latte. A Blend-tec or Vitamix blender will do it quickly, a normal countertop blender takes longer, and a handblender works ok if you don’t have a real blender.
4- (optional) Add cinnamon, vanilla, dark chocolate, or a sweetener like Stevia, erythritol, or xylitol (this is technically a sacrilege if you use awesome beans, but some people love their mocha…)
5- Put on a satisfied look and enjoy the high performance buzz from your creamy mug of Bulletproof Coffee as you watch your chubby, tired coworkers eat low-fat yogurt and twigs for breakfast. It’s almost unfair.
SOOOO delicious. I’m fresh out of Kerrygold, but I’m making mine with just coconut oil this morning. nom nom nom nom
Those poor dieters don’t know what they’re missing!
Ummm, yea, I’m hooked. I’ve had it every morning since this day. Even after a year of being Paleo, I still am counting the fat grams, so Im limiting myelf to only ONE Bulletproof coffee a day!
Hi-
Just wondering about the paleo aspect of using butter. On that note, I suppose I should also remind myself that ‘coffee isn’t paleo’ either, but like you, I can’t give up the coffee! And….man I miss butter! I’ve used coconut milk before, but you can’t leave it in the fridge for long, so I always worry about it going bad. Now I’m using almond milk. Trouble there is that if your coffee is super acidic, the almond milk curdles and it doesn’t look very palatable…tastes fine, but looks terrible! Aaaah….butter. I could go back there so easily with just a little nudge! Cheers!
I think that if you eliminate dairy for a month, then you can see how you feel. If you feel fine with dairy in your diet, then eat it. If you don’t feel good on dairy, then don’t. But I don’t think getting caught up on butter and other dairy products is a huge deal. YOu should focus on other more difficult things like getting rid of processed foods and such.
Do you practice intermittent fasting daily with this? I have not been fasting with the coffee, but still having my morning breakfast shake. As much as I love Bulletproof coffee, I cannot seem to get myself to a satisfied enough state to skip breakfast. Thoughts?
Hi,
I have been reading these posts and couldn’t help but reply. I have been experimenting lately with Bulletproof coffee (the past 3 months), and with intermittent fasting for the past year and a half.
With the intermittent fasting, I had good results, but had issues with plateauing a few months after I started. I also used xylitol as a sweetener and I think it messed with my insulin. It worked initially, but afterwards I think I became more insulin resistant, and did not lose any more weight on it. (Check out Dr. Mercola’s articles on eating breakfast and the insulin/cortisol rise some people get from that (cortisol is highest in the morning, so eating can start an insulin roller-coaster and cause you to eat MORE throughout the day, not less! That was very true for me, and always wondered WHY on earth I did what the doctors and nutritionists told us to do (eat a big breakfast) and still gain weight and have incredible cravings. NOT eating breakfast stopped that roller coaster of hunger and felt right for me.)
I used full-fat whipping cream, though, as I cannot use milk (lactose issues) and the cream was fine and caused me no problems. I also had blood work done before I started, and then 6 months later, and my cholesterol was better than when I started. My LDL went down, and my HDL (the good cholesterol) went up. 🙂 The butter is not going to harm you UNLESS you combine all that fat with sugar and carbs, such as having a traditional breakfast with toast and orange juice, cereal with milk, etc. All sugar, sugar, sugar. Bad for your insulin, your heart, and your waistline. It’s all about insulin! That is the precursor for everything, including INFLAMMATION which can happen anywhere in the body, and causes everything from cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, etc. I am not a doctor, but after having health issues after my first pregnancy, I embarked on a journey to health that has taken me 8 years and counting. I have read every natural health article I can get my hands on, started seeing a naturopath, homeopath, and eating paleo, gluten free, etc. I truly have tried EVERYTHING. Suzanne Somers’ way of eating, which was amazing and the beginning of the journey more than 8 years ago, was my baseline. I went off it and tried other things when that did not work, but I found that it was not working (melting the weight off as it should have) because I had adrenal burnout, thyroid issues (low), and hormonal imbalance. After dealing with all these things, now it is working! I know that eating gluten free is not the answer, because although wheat is highly inflammatory and causes MANY problems (read WheatBelly!!!), potato starch, corn starch, tapioca starch, etc. also have their issues (read The Plan, but Lyn-Genet Recitas: a miracle for me!). For me, what works is eating Paleo. I am not hungry, I get all the fat my body and brain needs and wants, and I can eat until I am full and not feel like I am depriving myself. My blood tests also attest to this fact.
I had been eating Paleo and doing fine, losing a little bit (but not as much as I wanted) but eating lots and not feeling like I was on a diet, BUT my inflammation levels on blood tests were very high. My doctor was scratching her head and couldn’t figure it out. I was also experiencing a lot of pain in my feet from my 3 pregnancies: plantar fascitis, which can be really debilitating for those who know what I am talking about. Going on The Plan (author mentioned above) was the answer for me. It taught me what foods were “poison” for my own body, and my inflammation levels went right down to nearly zero. It was a miracle. Plantar fascitis went away, hardly ever need to visit the chiropractor (used to go twice a week at times!), and sleep like a baby. Water retention went away, too, and I have struggled with that for more than 8 years since I had my son.
Long story short? There is no ONE answer, but it is a puzzle piece that each individual person must put together. No one book is going to be your answer, and no one way of eating is going to be, either. You may like and feel good eating Paleo, like me, but I found I was not losing as much because I was sensitive (not allergic) to eggs, which I was eating a lot of on the Paelo way of eating. That was an epiphany for me. I was fine with eggs years ago but we become more inflammatory as we age, and I am now 38. The way of eating (Paelo) that helped me lose weight after my second child did NOT work after my 3rd child. (Try Elana’s Pantry website for incredible recipes with almond flour to replace wheat! She has egg-free recipes!). It has been a long journey, and I found that I needed herbs to heal by body, like Reishi, support my thyroid and adrenal glands, get a lower-stress job (a huge part of the equation), and LISTEN to my body. If I feel bloated or go up on the scale more than half a pound the day after eating something, it is causing a histamine reaction (read The Plan regarding this) and it is not working for my body chemistry. Even though a food is touted as good for us (it could be coconut oil, coconut milk, rice, etc.) it may not work for YOU.
Bulletproof coffee seems to have been the last (so far) part of the equation. It eliminated the jitters (bad for your adrenals!) that a nice Americano (homemade, better than Starbucks and cheaper!) would cause, and tastes excellent and very smooth, eliminating the need to add sugar. I do like a bit of coconut sugar, but try to do that only on occasion. I feel like my body does not like the xylitol or insulin rush (even though these two sweeteners are supposed to be low glycemic index) that is caused by the insulin-producing caffeine. But going decaf is not the answer, since decaf coffee does not have the positive health effects of caffeinated coffee, and can contain mycotoxins, as well as other chemicals to make it decaffinated. I add lots of butter, which helps with the hunger, while last year I added heavy cream which I did not realize contains a bit of whey and I found out by doing The Plan that I am now highly sensitive to whey. (When they churn the cream to butter, the whey is eliminated –it’s the watery liquid left behind when you make butter). I am totally fine using lots of butter and MCT oil, and I am not hungry after an hour or so. I find I can go all day on a bulletproof coffee in the morning, and a small one at lunch. I only eat a Paleo dinner and feel FANTASTIC, sleep like a baby, and have NO (yup, you read right: ZERO!) cravings for anything, really. Bread? nope. Sugar? no! It’s amazing. I have lost about 8 pounds doing this, though I have about 60 or so more to lose, thanks to my last pregnancy (I gained that working out at the gym and eating Paleo; I am highly sensitive to hormones from pregnancy). I am going to try to do the Bulletproof Rapid Fat Loss Protocol starting next week. I have ordered( and am already using) Dave Asprey’s Upgraded (mycotoxin-free) coffee, and the supplements I need to detox safely.
Sorry for the long post, but wanted to share my experience with those that are interested. It is a long journey to health, but worth it all in the end.
When I look at my friends, who eat “crap”: the traditional north-American diet, eat white bread that starts with a capital “W” and has polka dots on the bag, eat cheap food that is “low-fat”, full of sugar, MSG, and other chemicals, and have many health problems and so do their kids (pooping out white or grey stool is NOT normal!!!! Neither is high blood pressure at 45, pre-diabetes, liver problems, kidney issues, major seasonal allergies that are debilitating, dry red eyes in kids, constant bladder and yeast infections in young girls, and a constant need for antibiotics.) What you feed your body matters more than most people think. We are going to have a very sick next generation (we already do!) and it is concerning.
Good luck to everyone out there reading this, and I hope I helped someone by sharing my story.
🙂 Nicole
I was hungry, but the coffee took the edge off and after an hour or two (I sip mine slowly, since as a teacher and mom of 2, I never get to drink a hot coffee in one sitting in the morning!) the hunger went away. By lunch I was hungry, though.
Sorry, the part after I signed my name at the very bottom (after being hungry around lunch and sipping my coffee slowly) should have been at the beginning of my post, about when I started doing intermittent fasting about a year and a half ago.
🙂 Nicole
Nicole, thatnks SOOOO much for all of the info—-sharing your story helps so much.
I am really struggling after my third child (cannot lose the weight…paleo worked so well before but it just isn’t working anymore). And I am having trouble figuring out how to personalize for myself (i am allergic to eggs now, and just can’t figure out all the other pieces).Thanks for the help!
Nicole, thanks for the post. I’ve been doing IF 20/4 for about 6 weeks now. I’m seeing a dramatic improvement in my RA and fibro symptoms, but the weight is so stubborn. Like you, IF feels right for my body. I have better energy during the day, and my cravings are controlled. I feel more satiated when I eat and don’t feel hungry when I go to bed. I’m eating a healthy plant-based mostly raw diet. I’ve eliminated all animal products, grains, sugars (except raw honey and stevia) and processed foods. I’m frustrated that the weight isn’t coming off, even though my main motivation is to improve my health/manage symptoms. I wonder if it’s because I’m earing too many nus and seeds which are high in fat? Also, I’m still battling fatigue, which I know is adrenal related (plus, I have Hashimotos thyroidiris). I’m not on pharmaceuticals and feel much better now than I ever did taking man-made drugs, but I just feel like something is missing. I can’t get over the hurdle. How did you deal with the adrenal burn out and thyroid issues? I’m tired of throwing good money after bad on supplements. I have supplement burn out syndrome!! I just want a simple, healthy routine that uses nature to heal as God intended. Thanks, Kim
Wow! Love this idea…will be trying this!
Sipping on my first attempt. This is DDEEEEEEEELICIOUS! Thanks!
Isn’t is awesome! I’m addicted!
I never knew anyone did this!! I was out of creamer and used butter once…thinking they are made out of the same stuff. I didn’t do the blending, though. That would improve things immensely. And now I can tell my family I’m not nuts!!
I am currently nursing a 7 week old and I am preparing for the jump to a modified-Paleo lifestyle. My husband came across Bulletproof Coffee and we started drinking it a few days ago. I just wondered if there might be any side effects of the MCT oil – for my son. I have always been a coffee drinker, so I am not concerned with the caffeine aspect. I am not using the Bulletproof Coffee for intermittent fasting for obvious reasons, I was just planning on it replacing my traditional cups of coffee with some added benefits. If you have any info that might be helpful to my situation I would really appreciate it. Thank you!
Brooke, I don’t use MCT oil. I take a Krill oil (1000mg) tablet every day. I actually don’t know much about MCT oil, other than it’s much like coconut oil. Maybe just add some coconut oil (if you like the taste) to your coffee or think about taking Krill oil. Krill oil is great for your breastfeeding bub and for you since you are nursing. The DHA in Krill oil will greatly benefit your baby!
MCT oil is a derivative of Coconut Oil. It has great benefits to all. If you look at some organic baby formulas for fussy babies you will see that they have MCT oil in them.
I’ve been doing this for a little over a week, and I’m losing weight for the first time in years! I am grain & refined sugar free, and even that didn’t make a difference. I started reading Eat Fat to Lose Fat, but couldn’t stomach the oily Hot drink in the morning – until I read this! Now, I have two cups of coffee in the morning, each with 1.5 Tbls. of butter & coconut oil, 2 teas. of coconut palm sugar, and a splash of vanilla. Delicious! I use salted grassfed butter, because its what’s available, but with the palm sugar, it tastes like a salted caramel latte. 🙂 Today, I blended the mix into Chai tea, and that was great too.
I have been putting a gigantic scoop of coconut oil in my coffee for over a month now, and I love it! I like your idea to blend it though; I may have to try that after I can have coffee again…my holistic doctor just took me off of it for a month. 🙁
I need to try the coconut oil again!
I don’t prefer my coffee with *just* coconut oil as it doesn’t emulsify as nicely, or froth on top so well. I am going to try the combination of coconut oil and butter, though! Costco just got Kerrygold butter again, so stocking up on enough to last the year LOL!!!
Mmmm, we love this coffee method!! My husband started following Dave a few months ago and I thought he was crazy–now he’s lost 19 pounds and gained muscle, and I switched from my vegan/vegetarian diets of the past 13 years and am eating grassfed butter and meat. So cool to see others trying BPC! I gotta post about it on my blog sometime… people will think I’m crazy… 😉
It’s official! I made and downed my first Bulletproof Coffee drink!
Maybe not an everyday thing, but it’s certainly a treat worth having every few weeks.
Sipping on this deliciousness-! Wow, this tastes so amazing! I made it with the 2 cups of coffee, 1 Tbsp butter, 1 tsp coconut oil, 2 tsp of coconut sugar, and a splash of half and half. Will be my go to every morning! 🙂
I’m interested in trying bulletproof coffee, but our house is completely dairy free due to serious allergies. What do you think I could put in instead of the butter to help the coconut oil emulsify?
ummmm…I’ve heard some people like coconut butter. Maybe try that!
just clarify the butter – put grass fed unsalted butter in a pan and use medium heat. wait til its a golden brown – not too dark. when done, sift out any impurities, save clarified butter in an air tight jar and use as required. its almost impossible to be allergic to butter in this state.
I make mine only using coconut oil. I don’t even use sweetener. I don’t preheat my counter top blender. I drink it every day and have been averaging 1-2 # loss per week. I also only use one cup of coffee with one tablespoon of the coconut oil. I have read the actual blog from the guy that developed the BPC and decided to try it. I have no problems w/ my blender blending that smooth frappe in less than a minute, pour in my cup and go. Super creamy and frothy. Yum.
try ghee…I love it
HI NICHOLE K,
JUST A THOUGHT……IS YOUR HOUSEHOLD ALLERGY TO DAIRY DISCOVERED WITH PASTURIZED MILK? OFTEN TIMES ALLERGIES PRESENT THEMSELVES WITH IT AND IT ACTUALLY A PASTURIZATION ALLERGY/INTOLERANCE. RAW DAIRY IF YOU HAVE NOT TRIED THIS COULD BE THE ANSWER TO THIS.
YOU CAN GOOGLE REAL MILK I THINK THE SITE IS REALMILK.COM. WE HAVE BEEN DRINKING RAW DAIRY IN MY HOUSE SINCE MY SON STARTED TO TRANSITION FROM MY BREASTMILK. THE WHOLE FAMILY, RAW MILK, CREAM, BUTTER, CHEESE. THE PASTURISED STUFF JUST DOESNT SIT WITH ANY OF US ANYMORE AND WE FOREGO WHEN IT ISNT AVAILABLE.
I HOPE IT HELPS IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.
This isn’t Paleo friendly because Butter is not Paleo. It is dairy, and dairy is not paleo.
When you have bulletproof coffee, do you need to skip breakfast?
yes. u need to skip breakfast. the fats are your brekky.
Ok, I didn’t realize it was OK to sweeten this. Would that undermine the positive effects of this drink? (Confused!!!)
No you can sweeten it if you have to. I use a few drops of liquid stevia in mine
ff you sweeten the coffee with natural or artificial sweeter you will stall weight loss.
This does taste extremely good and is a great way to break a creamer habit. To the person who commented it isn’t Paleo-like, you can certainly make Ghee from your Kerry Gold butter and go for it! Life is just too short to split hairs…
Just wondering if everyone who consumes this daily continues to lose weight?
Yup, yummers!!!! My husband’s lost more than 35 pounds in 6 months by switching to Paleo and doing this. He blogged about how we do it–basically Dave’s same recipe! https://www.grassfedgeek.com/2013/02/how-to-make-bulletproof-coffee.html Turns out you can’t truly substitute coconut oil for the MCT because it’s 6-8 times higher in MCTs than just coconut oil, so unless you use 6-8 times more… which would be really greasy… But, MCT oil is only like $16 for a big bottle on Amazon and totally worth it! Amazing stuff! So much energy, and it’s thermogenic!!
AWESOME! I just tried this. 9 oz coffee 1 tbsp salted butter (I never buy anything else) 1 tbsp coconut oil. I also added a little half and half and organic sugar. Can we say YUM!!!
Yay for adding some healthy fats to my afternoon cup!
Ok I thought you guys were crazy with this one…but someone put that it tastes like salted caramel, that convinced me….I tried it and OH MY WORD!! Sooooo good, don’t need creamer I love it!! Thanks
haha…welcome to the dark side!
“Put on a satisfied look and enjoy the high performance buzz from your creamy mug of Bulletproof Coffee as you watch your chubby, tired coworkers eat low-fat yogurt and twigs for breakfast. It’s almost unfair.”
Brilliant! I do love seeing people making such an effort to tuck in to low fat food!
Anyway, I’ve just discovered BPC and love it. Afraid I can’t find unsalted Kerry Gold so may need to try with an organic unsalted butter instead. Weighing up the pros and cons though!
I use organic unsalted when I can’t find Kerrygold! Glad you are loving it!
should I skip breakfast if I have the Bp coffee?
Salted isn’t that bad either. Sort of like a salted caramel latte, without the caramel!
Hi thanks for the post. I’ve been paleo for over a year, but looking into starting “upgraded paleo” with BP Coffee and diet. When you drink BPC do you drink it with breakfast or in lieu of? Also, if you’re doing IF, how many days a week do you do it? I have heard mixed reviews… only do IF x times a week vs. everyday. I’m confused on what to do on re-fuel days and what to have for dinner. Thanks so much!
I don’t drink it with breakfast. I just drink it in place of breakfast, especially on busy mornings or mornings I’m just not hungry. I think if you are doing IF, it depends on how strict you are…or what IF plan you are following. BUlletproof IF, you drink a bulletproof and it’s still considered IF’ing. With Lean Gains, you shouldn’t drink anything other than water…they would say a Bulletproof coffee would be breaking fast because it’s over 50 calories. So, it just depends on how strict you are and what plan you are following.
I add two tablespoons of fair trade organic unsweetened cocoa powder to the mix and DELICIOUS!
I LOVE Bulletproof Coffee! My husband and I have been drinking it for about 2 years now. We just recently starting using the actual Bulletproof Coffee Beans and they are amazing. Here is an electric drink mixer we found that works great to get it all mixed up that has very little cleanup (bonus, it’s super cheap!): https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Drink-and-Formula-Mixer/dp/B000FNH01E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395060282&sr=8-2&keywords=small+electric+drink+stir Enjoy your yummy coffee!!!
What about using Ghee??
Oh yes!!! I love Ghee in my coffee!!!
Has anyone tried this in tea?
So I use skerry gold butter but recently found out it can contain GMO’s…so still something I’m looking in to.
I was excited and tried this recipe today but was sadly disappointed.
It was bitter and tasted like coconut oil.
I used the right measurements.
What kind if coffees are you all using? And what kind if coconut oil? I’m definitely open to trying again soon.
Thank you!
Try using less of each until you get used to it! Make sure you froth it up really good too!
Has anyone experimented making BP tea? I’m not a coffee drinker. I’ve been putting coconut oil in my tea for a few weeks – for some reason I decided to give it a try – and then read about BPC. I’m wondering if tea has the same advantages as coffee in this drink.
Was that chubby comment really necessary?
Is there a brand of coffee that works better than others? I used my medium roast caribou coffee this morning. I’m running low on coffee so I thought I would ask before I buy more.
The last sentence of your post is the best!:))) I’m trying this for sure!
Wow! Thank you. I was so skeptical of this for months. I LOVE it. It tastes creamy and helps me really enjoy coffee again.
I’ve found that the MCT oil makes my throat itch, so I use coconut. I just tried adding some coconut milk, which is extra delicious.
If its meant to replace your breakfast,
I wonder if its ok to have a ‘breakfast’ meal around 2-3 hours after consumption?
E.g. today I had 1 cup of it at 8.30am, then at 10.30 am I had a bowl of bran cereal with a protein shake.
I also found that It didn’t give me a ‘buzz’ today 🙁
Maybe my butter or coffee isn’t high enough in quality
I’m ruined for life!! I enjoy one cup of coffee per day. It’s my indulgence. I’ve come to a point I only enjoy coffee if I made it myself. (such a snob
Hi everyone,
Thanks for the great post. I tried the coffee today and it was glorious. However I was starving by 10am(i followed the recipe exactly) So my questions is if I have the coffee around 7am, can I have a light breakfast such as protein shake or green juice around 10am?
Please give me opinion!! much appreciated!
take care everyone xxx
Of course. Everyone needs to do what works for them.
I just started Paleo about a week and a half ago (already down 5lbs, woohoo!) Coffee if a must for me to stay on the go, so went Black instead of with my usual flavored Coffemate but..Blehhhh, I could barely tolerate and finish my Black coffee. Trying to think of Paleo substitutes, I saw a stick of butter in my fridge which lead me to this page. I also had coconut oil around too so I did 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon coconut oil in my 12oz Magic Bullet cup (no preheating needed). Then I added the mixture back in with the other 4 ounces that did fit in the mixing cup back into my 16oz mug. I gotta say it makes the straight black coffee taste a whole lot better. I’d say this is my new go to even without much sweetness to it still, but that I can live with (still way better that straight Black). I’m also going to try and make some ghee and keep it handy instead of butter. I’ll repost the results if anyone is interested.
P.s. As I’m wrapping this up and reaching the bottom of the mug, I’m noticing it tastes even better at the bottom. If you don’t mind more butter I’d say do 2 tablespoons, I bet it would be even more rich had I used a french press.
I found your story fro a Google search. Delightful – informative, appropriately personal (“There is no ONE answer, but it is a puzzle piece that each individual person must put together”) – BINGO.
Many thanks for taking the time to share.
Can I make this with coffee, ghee and coconut oil only?
Sure
Yes, you could.
Hi Paleo Mama et al,
my lactose intolerant friend is looking for the dairy free version of this… any ideas?
THANKS
Ghee is both lactose-free and casein-free
Your friend can either buy it or make it 🙂
What can I use besides coconut oil in my coffee for weight loss I’m allergic to coconut
We make our bpc in a mr. coffee machine… grind the bean, put the butter and oil in the carafe and it drips right onto it… emersion blender when its done. voila!
I’ve tried coffee with KerryGold butter and Coconut oil, and it was so rich, I felt ill… any suggestions?
Thanks!
I often feel ill when adding coconut oil to my coffee. This can happen to many people. I use a ratio of more ghee to coconut butter or “manna”, a “whole coconut puree” (rather than coconut oil). Yes coconut manna seems to be perfect. I have no tummy problems with this. On occasion, I have made the mistake of using coconut oil and the ill feeling can last almost all day, so I take charcoal to remedy this and it really works!