If you are new to the Keto Lifestyle, you’ve heard of Bulletproof coffee (“BPC”), but what is that exactly and what does it do for your body.
Bulletproof coffee is used by people who follow a high fat, high protein and low carb diet. It is meant to improve your metabolism, speed up the fat burning process, help with weight loss, improve your memory and energy levels, stabilize or help regulate your gut health and also increase your mood and strength.
I can only speak from personal experience that every morning, after I have my Bulletproof coffee, I feel more energized and if I drink it before hitting the gym, I feel like I’m “flying” without a crashing effect after.
The combination of well-sourced coffee, caffeine and healthy fats constitute the infemous Bulletproof coffee. But, let’s break it down to define each of the ingredients:
- Well-Sourced Coffee – it is organic coffee stripped out of any toxins. A lot of companies use organic toxin free coffee but depending on your budget, you can also use any type of brewed coffee. I personally lover very strong coffee (five shot of espresso) and I gravitate towards Vitacup espresso, vitamin infused coffee (www.vitacup.com) or Nespresso Arpeggio (www.nespresso.com). Pick your poison :)
- Healthy fats – there are two types of fats included in the bulletproof coffee
- MCT Oils – Medium-chain Triglyceride (MCT) helps to burn body fat (www.bulletproof.com)
- Ghee (I prefer 4th & Heart) or grass-fed butter (I prefer Kerrygold)
- Cream or half and half, if that’s something you like in your coffee but it’s not required
It is generally recommended to consume bulletproof coffee in the morning, instead of breakfast. By doing so, you are replacing 1 or 3 meals with something that is very low in carbohydrates. I often use half the dosage of BPC prior to a streneous workout or a long run as I feel it gives me an extra boost of energy.
How to make BPC- Brew your coffee as you normally do, whether in a regular coffee maker, french press, chemex or K-cups and espresso pods.
- Pour the coffee into a blender (You DO need to blend in order to break down the oils)
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of MCT oil. Start with the small dosage and work up to 2 tablespoons as it may impact your gut. MCT oil promotes gut health.
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of ghee or grass fed butter
- Blend on high for 30 seconds or until you see a froth forming
*** In my version, I brew my coffee and while that’s happening, I steam my cream, then add MCT and butter and use a frother to blend and break down the oils. I then pour the cream with the oils over my coffee and there you have it.
Using XCT Oil or Brain Octane Oil in your BPC
XCT Oil or Brain Octane Oil have powerful effects on your energy and cognitive function as they are both powerful brain boosting fats. Apart from using them in your BPC, you can use Brain Octane Oil on your food to raise fat burning, brain fueling molecules in your body, called Ketones.
Now you’ll ask, what’s the difference between the Brain Octane Oil, Coconut Oil or MCT. Let’s break it down.
MCT Oil
– As mentioned above, MCT stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides or Medium Chain Fatty Acids. They can often be derived from coconut oil or palm oil. They are colorless, odorless and stay liquid at room temperature (unlike pure coconut oil that hardens). Therefore, it is the perfect type of fat to add to food, smoothies, and coffee in this case for extra energy, with brain boosting benefits.
MCTs are absorbed quicker than other fatty acids and they easily converted into energy. Three out of the four strains of MCTs bypass your digestive tract and go straight to your liver where they are broken down into energy packed ketones, they are then “sent out” to the rest of your body via your bloodstream. This is the primary reason, the quick conversion into ketones, that people look for when they buy MCTs. The forth strain, goes into your stomach, breaks down into your small intestine, then absorbed into your blood and turns into energy.
Some of the benefits of MCTs are as follows:
- Help balancing your gut flora and support immune health due to their antibacterial and antiviral properties
- Easier to digest in comparison to other fats
- Suppress appetite
- Help improving insuline levels, especially when paired with a Ketogenic Diet
MCT Oil vs Coconut Oil
It is simply the difference in the strains of fatty acids in each oil. Coconut oil, contains only one of the strains in the MCTs therefore it is not as potent. It may be beneficial for the body and have other health benefits, but you may need to consume more than ten tablespoons of coconut oil (assuming you don’t get sick) to get the benefits of one tablespoon of MCTs. Coconut oil contains different strains of fats and not all of these strains are equally effective for energy and fat loss.
Brain Octane Oil & XCT Oil
Both of these oils are the purest, ultra distrilled form of MCTs.
Brain Octane provides the fastest rise in energy and focus. XCT is more affordable, equally good, but with a delayed rise in energy. You will still get the benefit but at a slower pace.
MCT, Brain Octane or XCT – Which one to pick?
There is no right or wrong answer. You will have to evaluate the cost/benefit effect and decide what works best for you, your body and your pocket.
Disclaimer:
The article above is based on my own research and represents my own opinion on BPC. I am not a doctor or nutritionist and I am simply stating my views.