Forget the Toast, Put that Butter in my Coffee!

Coffee + Butter + Oil

I’d consider myself the “Lorelai Gilmore of coffee”. I dare you to spot me without a cup of coffee in my hand!

Over winter break, my friends and I decided to take the train into downtown Chicago and spend the day in the city. We started our trip at the Ogilvie Train Station and continued our day at the hot spots in downtown Chicago. We explored the Art Institute of Chicago like Ferris Bueller, ate lunch at The Hampton Social, and acted like tourists at The Bean!

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A still life by: Gino Severini, 1916

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@ The Hampton Social

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After walking all around the city in the bitter Chicago winter, I was shaking from the cold ( and coffee withdrawal ) .

See, it all comes back to coffee…  ¯\_()_/¯

My friends and I shuffled like penguins from The Bean to a trendy coffee shop on Wabash Ave. This coffee shop, Goddess and the Baker, started as a grocery store and is now a coffee shop that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner ( and dessert ALL day ) ! They serve cold brew & espresso and showcase their coffee from around world; this is a dream come true for a coffee lover!

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This coffee shop has a unique menu. The menu has: vegan treats, acai bowls, mayan mocha, beer, wine, and just about everything in between. What else does it include?

Bulletproof coffee!

After realizing that my college student wallet lacked enough cash ( or any cash ) to buy a drink, I was inspired by this shop to investigate and create this concoction on my own! If Goddess and the Baker was serving this drink, there must be something special about it.

Bulletproof coffee is a popularized coffee concoction. Invented by Dave Asprey, this breakfast replacement was created to “supercharge your brain function and create effortless fat loss with no cravings”. This concoction includes coffee, butter ( ideally grass-fed unsalted butter, or Grass fed ghee) and MCT oil ( or coconut oil ). YES – you read that right, there is butter blended in this concoction!

Bulletproof coffee is meant to trigger weight loss by ketosis. Ketosis is when fat molecules are converted into “ketones” in your liver to be used as energy instead of your body’s primary preference of energy, carbohydrates.  ( non scientific explanation: low carb, high fat diet –> burn fat for energy ). Additionally, bulletproof is drank to kill cravings, and boosts cognitive function. Overall, the coffee is made to be a way to replace carbohydrates with fats and provide lasting energy.

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After seeing this drink at Goddess and the Baker, I knew I would have to try to make it on my own. I created my recipe based off of The Balanced Blonde’s bulletproof recipe!

Heres what I blended up:

8 oz coffee

1 T coconut oil

1 T cocoa powder

1/2 T unsalted butter

1/4 cup almond milk

a few shakes of cinnamon!

Directions:

Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend!

Thoughts of Bulletproof:

I was skeptical about blending butter into my coffee… I got over it by convincing myself that it was just like a whole milk cappuccino.

Positive:

The mixture was extremely smooth! I usually enjoy stevia and a splash of skim milk in my coffee but didn’t feel the need to add anything else; the fats cover the bitter taste!  I also  enjoyed the flavor of the blend – think cappuccino meets coconut. I didn’t have a crazy spike in energy but maybe that should be a negative…

Negative:

While the concepts of lasting energy and fat burning are appealing, I would not have this everyday for breakfast. I enjoy a hardy, ~carb-ey~ oatmeal breakfast. Also, by replacing my breakfast with just coffee and fats, I would be missing out of the fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals I could be getting from other breakfast options. After starving my body for 8 hours ( sleeping ), my body CRAVES solid & hardy food!!

Like many other diets, this trend is controversial. There are many concerns over the amount of saturated fat in this drink. Fat is healthy in reasonable amounts. Humans are not evolved to eat excessive amounts saturated fat.  Like anything else, moderation is key!

Takeaway:

I will enjoy a cup of Bulletproof coffee occasionally. The smooth blend was great tasting – especially with a little cocoa in it! However, I will not replace my everyday oatmeal with Bulletproof. This gal enjoys her carbs in the morning!

is butter a carb

What are your thoughts on Bulletproof?

http://www.thebalancedblonde.com/2016/10/13/choco-bulletproof-hormone-balancing-coffee-recipe-life-lately/