In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy Does Bulletproof Coffee Include MCT Oil?What about Grass-Fed Butter?Is It Healthy to Have That Much Saturated Fat in Coffee?Can Bulletproof Coffee Improve Your Metabolism, Your Mood or Your Health?Is Bulletproof Coffee a Nutritious Breakfast Choice?The Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why Does Bulletproof Coffee Include MCT Oil?
What about Grass-Fed Butter?
Is It Healthy to Have That Much Saturated Fat in Coffee?
Can Bulletproof Coffee Improve Your Metabolism, Your Mood or Your Health?
Is Bulletproof Coffee a Nutritious Breakfast Choice?
The Bottom Line
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So, what’s special about this particular type of fat? “MCTs are saturated fats that are made up of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, compared to long-chain triglycerides, which have 13 to 21 carbon atoms,” McGrane says. No need to get too science-y here, but because of this shorter chain length, she says, “MCTs are broken down more efficiently in the body and may be more likely to be used for immediate energy rather than stored as body fat.” Some people claim that MCT oil can boost brain function, energy and blood sugar control, but there’s not enough evidence to say that this is actually the case.
Compared to conventional grain-fed butter, grass-fed butter (made of milk from grass-fed cows) is typically higher in vitamins A and K, McGrane says. And it typically contains more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional butter.
Despite its slight nutrient edge, grass-fed butter is still high in saturated fat:1 tablespoondelivers 100 calories and 8 g of saturated fat. The amount ofomega-3salso doesn’t come close to that in, say, salmon.
8 Best Vegan Omega-3 Rich Foods
Suppose you make bulletproof coffee with 1 tablespoon each of MCT oil and grass-fed butter (the lower end of what Asprey’s recipe recommends). That cup of coffee would contain 22 g of saturated fat—14 g from MCT oil and 8 g from grass-fed butter. TheAmerican Heart Associationrecommends that someone eating 2,000 calories per day eat no more than 13 g of saturated fat per day, and theDietary Guidelines for Americansrecommend no more than 22 g per day. Either way, a single cup of bulletproof coffee puts you at or well above the limit.
Is that a good idea? “The short answer is no,” McGrane says. “While the relationship between saturated fats, especially MCTs, and heart health isn’t as straightforward as we once thought, research still shows a relationship between saturated fat intake and increased levels of LDL (bad cholesterol).”
Saturated fat aside, bulletproof coffee’s purported benefits include improved metabolism, mood, brain function and overall health. But are any of these evidence-based? Not really. “Currently, there aren’t any studies that have studied the health benefits of bulletproof coffee specifically,” McGrane says. “Most of the claims surrounding bulletproof coffee are due to the MCTs in it. And while there’s some research to suggest that MCTs may have benefits for health, such as weight loss and mood, more research is needed to prove its effectiveness in most healthy adults.”
Because it’s so high-calorie, bulletproof coffee is meant to be a breakfast substitute, not something you eat alongside a traditional breakfast. Part of the reason it’s so popular among keto dieters is that all of its calories come from fat, with no carbohydrates or protein. That alone should raise alarm bells for anyone who understands basic nutrition. “While bulletproof coffee provides fat and possibly vitamins A and K (if using grass-fed butter), [it lacks] essential nutrients like protein, fiber, and most vitamins and minerals,” McGrane says. “Plus, bulletproof coffee is very high in calories and saturated fat, which can be problematic.”
While fat is important for satiety and fullness, protein and fiber play a role in this as well. It’s possible that the high-calorie breakfast drink wouldn’t fill you up the waya more balanced breakfastmight.
Because of its high calorie and saturated fat content and its low protein and fiber content, bulletproof coffee just isn’t a healthy breakfast choice. If you’re curious about trying bulletproof coffee, or if you’ve already tried it and love the taste, it’s probably fine to drink a cup every once in a while, McGrane says. But as with other high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods, it’s best to drink bulletproof coffee in moderation and not as a substitute for nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and lean proteins.
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