Health - Wellness
Should You Be Adding Butter To Your Morning Coffee?
By ANDRA PICINCU
Butter coffee, also called "bulletproof" coffee, is taking the world by storm, and proponents say it burns fat, improves mental focus, and boosts athletic performance, among other benefits. The original recipe, created by entrepreneur and author Dave Asprey, calls for brewed coffee, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, and grass-fed butter or ghee.
The caffeine in coffee may help reduce body weight and fat mass, while grass-fed butter contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid that may increase fat burning and improve lipid metabolism. MCT oil, a dietary supplement rich in triglycerides, may suppress appetite, boost energy levels, and facilitate weight loss.
However, even with all these ingredients, there's not enough evidence to confirm that butter coffee promotes weight loss. This heavy-feeling beverage may increase satiety, or the feeling of being full, but it doesn't seem to improve cognitive function to a greater extent than regular coffee, and it packs more fat and calories than your standard cup of joe.
Overall, the purported health benefits of bulletproof coffee are mostly marketing hype, says the American Council on Science and Health; in fact, this beverage may raise cholesterol levels and cause indigestion because of its high fat content. Eating a balanced breakfast plus plain black coffee is recommended from a nutritional perspective.