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Bulletproof coffee is one of the coffee drinks that can be regarded as healthy and tasteful. Like fruit juice or some detox drinks, bulletproof or bullet coffee is both a drink that you can enjoy and that can change your life. Being made up of coffee, butter (sometimes ghee), and MCT oil (or coconut oil), this drink, which is the favorite drink of most coffee lovers, distinguishes itself from the other ordinary coffee drinks that you can find anywhere else. It is more than a simple caffeine boost by promising a number of mental and physical benefits. In this article, we will try to give you information about what is bulletproof coffee, why do people drink it, should you drink it, or is it related to the ketogenic diet. To find an answer to these questions, keep reading our article.
What Is Bulletproof Coffee?
Bulletproof coffee is invented by an American entrepreneur Dave Asprey, who describes himself as a “bio-hacker”. This butter coffee is designed to be a substitute for breakfast that can give you a dose of healthy fats and nutrients. This new coffee idea introduced in 2011 and the name of this coffee came from the products and supplements produced by Asprey. However, as the number of people who use this coffee as a breakfast beverage increases, the term “bulletproof coffee” is beginning to apply to any coffee that is roughly the same ratio as Asprey’s original recipe. We are going to give you some idea of the recipe later, but to give a piece of brief information about this recipe now, we can say it is a mixture of 8-12 ounces of brewed coffee, two tablespoons of coconut oil (or MCT oil), two tablespoons of grass-fed butter (or ghee).

This coconut oil coffee was designed to be an alternative to keto, low-carb, or a high-fat diet at first, therefore it can be regarded as a keto coffee diet. When it comes to its mental health benefits, thanks to the fat in the butter and coconut oil, it does not only provide the necessary fuel to the body but also minimizes your hunger cravings. This bulletproof coffee is popular among people who are on the keto diet because when you drink it at night, it can help you to burn fat rather than glucose.
Where Did Bulletproof Coffee Come From?
While Asprey is regarded as the inventor of this drink, the concept of mixing high-fat solids with coffee is not new. Asprey found this butter and coffee idea while he was trekking through the Himalayas. Tibetan hosts offered him some yak butter tea, which inspired him to invent this new type of drink. After returning home, he tried to create bulletproof coffee by adding coconut oil, grass-fed butter to the coffee.

To avoid some trademark infringement, bulletproof can sometimes be called butter coffee on a menu of some cafes or restaurants. While the standard recipe contains oil, butter, and coffee, sometimes it can be modified with other spices, supplements, or taste enhancers. These additions can contain collagen protein powder, chocolate powder, vanilla powder, and cinnamon to make bulletproof coffee keto
Your Health And Butterproof Coffee
Due to the high-fat content it contains, even the best bulletproof coffee can have some drawbacks according to the nutritionists. However, we can’t deny the other health benefits of this coffee. If you are unsure about consuming bulletproof coffee as a keto-type diet, you should speak with your doctor in advance just like you do so in any high-fat, low-carb diet. Although coconut oil and grass-fed butter in coffee can be healthy, they are high-saturated fats and can cause a spike in cholesterol.
How Many Calories Are In A Cup Of Bulletproof Coffee?
As for the question of “how many calories are in a cup of bulletproof coffee?”, we can say that it contains almost 500 in a 12-ounce cup. Almost all of these calories come from saturated fat. Although you may be happy to be skipping breakfast, remind yourself the fact that you are consuming almost 500 calories.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Grass-Fed Butter?
When it comes to the benefits of grass-fed butter, it is a good source of vitamin A, which helps to keep our immune system, skin, and eyes healthy. It also contains conjugated linoleic acid which helps to fat loss. Therefore, by consulting your doctor, you can consume bulletproof coffee for weight loss.

What Is Ghee? Ghee vs Butter
Ghee is clarified butter, that is, butter that is simmered and strained to remove all of the water it includes. Similar to butter, it is made from cow’s milk. Using ghee in coffee can be an alternative to butter but when it comes to butter vs ghee, there are some similarities and differences. Since ghee and butter are made from cow’s milk, their nutritional profiles and fat content are very similar. However, since ghee doesn’t contain as many dairy proteins as butter, it may be better than butter.

Coconut Oil In The Butterproof Coffee
This widely marketed oil can have a positive effect on your health such as heart health and brain function. It contains healthy fatty acids that can encourage your body to burn fat. Moreover, it may reduce hunger because of the ketones it includes that can reduce appetite. Because of these health benefits, coconut oil and coffee can be preferable if you are looking for some healthy combinations.

Butterproof Coffee and Keto
The keto diet is a low-carb and high-fat diet. Since keto means the body is consuming its carbohydrate stores, it can burn body fats in order to create energy. When it comes to the butter coffee keto diet, since pure fat such as MCT oil or ghee hardly stimulates insulin production, we can say bulletproof can be ideal for the keto diet. Furthermore, bulletproof coffee is ideal for fasting because it is based on the depletion of glycogen stores to burn fat for energy.
What is MCT Oil?
From the beginning of our article, we have used the term “MCT oil” a lot. Now, it is time to describe this term. MCT oil is a supplement that is made from a fat called medium-chain triglycerides. The molecules of the MCT Oil are smaller than most of the fats we eat, which makes it easier to digest. You can absorb MCT oil in your bloodstream quickly to turn it into energy. You can use it to help with weight loss, appetite control, extra energy, and inflammation.
Your Health And MCT Oil
When it comes to the health benefits of using MCT oil in coffee, we can say that you might take fewer calories if you use MCT oil instead of coconut oil. While there are promising results, there isn’t exact information on whether MCT oil can be used for weight loss or not. What’s more, you can use MCT oil to boost your strength if you are elderly and weak. However, you should always consult your doctor before consuming MCT oil.
What Are The Benefits Of The Bulletproof Coffee?
- Energy
This coffee provides constant and long-lasting energy without causing you a blood sugar crash. The caffeine in this coffee can be absorbed slower since fats slow down digestion. However, the main reason for this long-lasting energy is MCT oil. Due to its shorter chain length, MCT can be used by the body more quickly. - Weight Loss
Another health benefit of bulletproof coffee is that it can help you to lose weight because of the MCT oil it includes. Moreover, it can help you to alleviate side effects during the burning process of fats. - Nutrients
Black coffee includes some micronutrients like niacin and potassium. Moreover, grass-fed butter and ghee in bullet coffee keto diet have a number of nutrients such as A, D, E, and K vitamins, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids. - Reduces Appetite
One of the most important benefits of bulletproof coffee is it can reduce appetite dramatically. Since it contains a large amount of fat, it can naturally reduce appetite and you can feel full for much longer. - Helps You To Focus
Another important benefit of bulletproof coffee is it can help you to focus due to the caffeine and MCT oil it includes. Since ketones are a fundamental source of energy, drinking bulletproof coffee to focus can be a good idea.
What Are The Potential Downsides Of Bulletproof Coffee?
- High In Saturated Fat
Bulletproof coffee is very high in saturated fat and since drinking bulletproof coffee without butter is a little bit meaningless, this can be regarded as a downside. The health effects of saturated fats may be controversial but many health professionals think that consuming high amounts of saturated fats can be a major risk factor for several diseases. - It Can Raise Cholesterol Levels
Many foods and drinks that are often high in fat such as low-carb diets and ketogenic diets can raise cholesterol levels. Since bulletproof coffee includes fat, it can raise your cholesterol levels so if you have problems with your cholesterol levels, you should consult your doctor before consuming bulletproof coffee. - Low Nutrition Levels
Although many people prefer bulletproof coffee as an alternative to breakfast, it can be harmful in the long-term. Bulletproof contains plenty of fat which reduces your appetite and provides energy but it lacks several nutrients. By drinking bulletproof coffee, you should be aware that you are replacing your healthy breakfast with a poor alternative.
How To Make The Perfect Bulletproof Coffee
Now that you have learned almost everything about bulletproof coffee, it is time to give a recipe. Making bulletproof coffee at home is not as hard as you think, with the help of our instructions, we hope that you can achieve that perfect bulletproof coffee.
First of all, you need good coffee beans to get a perfect cup of bulletproof coffee, don’t choose the cheapest beans, instead, use the quality beans that you can find. The cheaper the beans, the worse the coffee you make.
When it comes to grass-fed butter or ghee, it is really important to choose the right butter. The best butter that works with bulletproof coffee is made from the only grass-fed cows.
You can make bulletproof coffee without mct oil by using coconut oil. However, in the original recipe, bulletproof coffee is made from MCT oil. Since coconut oil is not a good alternative to the MCT oil, if you make bulletproof coffee with coconut oil, you are simply getting a coconut oil coffee.

Variations Of Bulletproof Coffee
Although it may seem that there are limited variations of bulletproof coffee, it is wrong. There are plenty of variations of the bulletproof coffee that ranges from cold brew bulletproof coffee to pumpkin spice.
If you are looking for some modifications on your bulletproof coffee, you can try adding some cocoa, green tea, or even ice cream to your bulletproof coffee. Since it is a delicious drink, almost everything goes well with it.
The Original Bulletproof Coffee Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of strong and quality coffee
- 1-2 tbsp unsalted and grass-fed butter or ghee
- 1-2 tbsp MCT oil (or coconut oil)
Instructions
- Brew your coffee as you normally do.
- Mix coffee, butter or ghee, MCT oil or coconut oil into a blender.
- Blend until they become smooth and serve it hot.
Wrapping Up
Now that you have learned everything you needed to know about bulletproof coffee, it is time to finish our article. This delicious and nutritious coffee is a great example of the developing coffee industry. We definitely suggest you try this coffee at least once in your life but if you have some doubts, consult your doctor before trying it. And if you have some questions about this coffee, please let us know in the comment section! See you again in the next articles, bon appetit!
My world consists of guitar, music, and coffee. I spent years preparing coffees at home and learning more about coffee. As a result of this, I have learned so much about coffee, and in Coffee Magazine, I try my best to share my knowledge about coffee and its culture. Click here for detailed information about me.