Everything you need to know about butter coffee (2024)

USA TODAY 10Best

By Kevin Farrell

Nestlé is lending its big brand expertise to ketogenic creamer brand Know Brainer to help bring butter coffee to market in a big way. The partnership grew out of the Terra Food + Ag Tech Accelerator program, and while Nestlé hasn’t made a financial investment in the company, the food giant is said to be lending critical support to help bring new butter coffee products to market.

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OK great, but what on earth is butter coffee?

Butter coffee, or Bulletproof coffee, is two parts exactly as it sounds and one part twist. A basic butter coffee recipe calls for a tablespoon of grass-fed butter to be added to a cup of black coffee, along with one tablespoon of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. Specialty MCT oil brands have sprung up around the butter coffee diet trend, but since coconut oil is largely MCT in composition, most people just use a tablespoon of high quality coconut oil in their butter coffee triumvirate.

Why are people drinking this?

Butter coffee is said to slow the spike in energy levels associated with normal coffee-drinking, and to make drinkers feel full for as long as six hours. Fans of the drink claim it’s a brain food, improving mental acuity and focus. It supposedly curbs appetites, assists in weight loss, and can even improve skin tone and complexion. Nestlé – not exactly known for its health products –considers it to be a “functional food,” something consumers already drink and enjoy with an added halo of health and wellness benefits.

Wait, how does drinking butter every morning help people lose weight?

It reportedly has something to do with the role of your liver in digestion. The butter and MCT oil kick your liver into gear, where it gets to work slowly breaking down those medium-chain triglycerides.

Because it takes your body longer to process the coffee in your system, the caffeine gives you a longer, smoother lift. Butter coffee drinkers say their feeling of fullness is uncanny – no hunger creeping up on you until lunch time. Because of this, butter coffee drinkers say they desire to eat smaller meals later in the day. The habit of consuming two tablespoons of fat for breakfast apparently forces people to be more aware of the fats and oils they ingest throughout the rest of the day. Plus, coconut oil supports your body’s production of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) – the so-called good cholesterol.

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So what does it taste like?

If you blend it instead of stirring (which you should), it’s like drinking a rich, frothy latte. But even butter coffee fanatics warn not to look down into the mug once you’ve sipped all of the froth off the top. Butter coffee is not meant to be tasted first with your eyes. If you do look, try not to be put off by all those tiny droplets of fat floating throughout your mug. They’re called micelles. Blending the coffee, butter and oil together at high speeds creates them, allowing your body to digest the rich beverage more easily.

Do I know anyone drinking it?

If you have to ask, then probably not. Butter coffee is the beverage world’s Burning Man and Crossfit wrapped up into one. If your friends or coworkers are drinking butter coffee before work, trust me, they’ll let you know.

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How do I get started?

When you’re already walking this fine of a line in the name of better health, you want to make sure you’re only using the best ingredients. Kerrygold unsalted butter is the gold standard in the butter coffee community, both because of the grass-fed cows that produce it, and for its high butterfat content. As for the coffee itself, there’s an actual Bulletproof brand now. If you don’t want to shell out for specialty beans just to get your toes wet with this food trend, any premium, low-mycotoxin brand at your local coffee shop ought to do. If cardiovascular health is an issue for you, you’ll likely want to check with your doctor beforehand to get a baseline measurement of your cholesterol levels. After that, get blending. Cheers!

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About Kevin Farrell

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Everything you need to know about butter coffee (2024)

FAQs

What does putting butter in your coffee do for you? ›

Energy. Butter coffee is believed to provide steady, long-lasting energy without a blood sugar crash. In theory, since fat slows digestion, the caffeine in the coffee is absorbed slower and provides longer-lasting energy.

Is there any evidence for butter coffee? ›

Although butter coffee may benefit people on a ketogenic diet, no evidence suggests that drinking it offers benefits beyond those associated with simply consuming its individual components as part of your regular diet.

Is Bulletproof Coffee better with ghee or grass-fed butter? ›

Ghee is the perfect butter substitute for any recipe. From Bulletproof Coffee to your favorite cookie recipe, ghee is a great 1:1 butter replacement.

Does coffee with ghee reduce belly fat? ›

Health Benefits Of Adding Ghee To Coffee

Weight loss- This healthy fat assists in cutting the stubborn fat stored in your body. Ghee helps in losing weight by boosting your digestion. Coffee and ghee together reduce hunger and lessen food intake, resulting in weight loss. Add this combo to your diet and lose inches.

What are the side effects of adding butter to coffee? ›

But some people who try butter coffee report experiencing unpleasant side effects like bloating, diarrhea and an upset stomach after drinking it. Heart problems: People with high cholesterol and other heart issues are often advised to scale back on butter, due to its high amounts of saturated fat.

What are the side effects of MCT oil in coffee? ›

Even in lower amounts, consuming too much MCT oil can lead to digestive side effects for some people. These include abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and bloating. To reduce side effects, some people may need to start with smaller amounts and slowly increase MCT intake over time (64).

What are the benefits of MCT? ›

Here's what the science says about MCT oil:
  • Improves Blood Sugar Levels. ...
  • Supports Brain Health. ...
  • Helps with Cardiovascular Health. ...
  • Provides Energy to Support Exercise Performance. ...
  • Promotes Gastrointestinal Health. ...
  • Reduces Inflammation. ...
  • Aids in Weight Loss.
Sep 11, 2023

Why put MCT oil in coffee? ›

Many proponents of coffee with MCT oil in it love not only the taste and texture, but also the boost of energy that lasts for hours, the lack of caffeine and energy crashes, the improved focus and clarity, and the significant reduction in sugar and carbohydrate cravings they get from making it their coffee of choice.

What happens if we drink coffee with ghee every day? ›

Ghee contains healthy fats that can help improve heart health by reducing inflammation and lowering cholesterol levels. Consuming ghee in coffee can support cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart disease.

When should you not drink bulletproof coffee? ›

If the fat content of bulletproof coffee reduces blood sugar fluctuation, it may help weight loss, but studies are needed. Be mindful not to drink coffee too close to bedtime, as poor sleep is associated with weight gain. Stopping caffeine intake by 12-1 p.m. is recommended for optimal sleep.

Is ghee better than MCT oil? ›

Goals: Choose based on your health goals; ghee's benefits are diverse, while MCT oil's focus is often on energy, ketogenic support, and brain health. Diet: Ghee can be incorporated into various diets. MCT oil is favored by those following low-carb, high-fat diets like keto.

What are the disadvantages of ghee coffee? ›

The richness of fat in ghee coffee may pose digestion challenges, causing discomfort like bloating, gas, nausea, and diarrhea-especially for those unaccustomed to consuming substantial fat in their morning routine.

What is the best time to have ghee coffee? ›

Many often experience acidity after having coffee first thing in the morning. Adding ghee to your coffee could be the ultimate solution. The healthy fats can make it easy for the digestive system to handle coffee on an empty stomach.

How much ghee do I put in a cup of coffee? ›

Start with a cup of coffee made to your liking. Add one or two teaspoons of ghee, depending on the amount of coffee you want to drink and how buttery you want it. Add coconut oil if desired (MCT coconut oil is preferred by many), one teaspoon up to one tablespoon, depending on the taste you want.

What do you put in your coffee to lose weight? ›

Black Coffee With Cinnamon

Thanks to its high fiber content, this spice is prized for its medicinal and weight-loss properties. It can also help speed up metabolism. To enjoy the fat-burning effects of cinnamon black coffee, add a small cinnamon stick or one teaspoon of cinnamon powder to your black coffee.

Why is it called bulletproof coffee? ›

Bulletproof coffee is named after the coffee company that developed the drink. It is also called butter coffee or keto coffee. Designed as a liquid breakfast, this simple mix of freshly brewed coffee, butter, and MCT oil is a popular option for people who fat-fast or follow a paleo or keto diet.

Why is butter better than milk in coffee? ›

One study found that adding milk to coffee reduced bioavailability of the antioxidants by 28%. It's the proteins in milk that binds to the antioxidants, rendering them useless, not the fat. Butter only has trace amounts of milk protein, meaning that it won't interfere with your antioxidant absorption.

Is butter inflammatory? ›

If people can't clear the fat from their blood after eating butter within 6–8 hours, this may start a chain of reactions in the body that leads to inflammation.

References

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