Bulletproof coffee – Should you drink it?

Bulletproof coffee is simple a black coffee blended with any form of fat high in MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides). Commonly with butter/coconut oil/ghee.

Commonly used by dieters who believe that it helps in weight loss/fat loss.

Let me tell you one thing that a bulletproof coffee is nothing magical and has no effects on fat burning through any pathway. If anything , it will only add to your caloric intake due to its fat content (10-20gms of butter or coconut oil will up your caloric intake by 90-180Kcal straight away).

‘Caloric deficit’ is the number one factor for fat loss.
So it can never HELP in fat loss directly.

The next factor is the macro nutrient split which will decide the composition of the weight lost (fat or lean mass).

Bulletproof coffee is not a necessity but a personal choice.
There are 2 main reasons why a person may want to start his day with bulletproof coffee :

1) Insulin suppressing effect : Insulin levels are high in the morning due to overnight manufacturing of glucose by the liver through glycogenolysis (breakdown of glycogen to glucose) or gluconeogenesis (breakdown of fats/amino acids to glucose)

This insulin has a job of controlling the blood glucose and disposing it off in the different cells. As soon as the insulin does it’s job , glucose levels start going down. This fluctuation in insulin and glucose leads to hunger and cravings for high carb breakfast.

Fat has a insulin suppressing effects and hence control cravings allowing a person to either skip breakfast or stick to lower portions. This specially helps people with insulin resistance where insulin levels remain chronically high.

2) Gives instant energy : MCTs are directly absorbed by muscle cells as Intramuscular Triglycerides which can be used for energy through beta-oxidation or used by liver to get converted to ketones which can provide energy to different cells like skeletal muscle, heart and brain.

Caffeine also increases adrenaline & noradrenaline which helps in lipolysis & energy production through different means. Caffeine also stimulates the CNS (Central Nervous System) making you more alert or focussed.

3) Satiety : Dietary fat helps in satiety as it stimulates CCK (Cholecystokinin) hormone which is required for stimulating digestion of fats. CCK also acts as appetite suppressant as it inhibits gastric emptying process in small intestine.

If these 3 factors can help a person skip or reduce the portion of breakfast, then it can reduce the caloric input of a person provided you don’t overeat the rest of the meals or keep snacking all day.

If you can control your portions and calories/macros without the need of bulletproof coffee then it’s addition will do nothing for fat loss. There are no magical abilities in a bulletproof coffee to make you lose fat !!

However , a lot of early morning clients who are ketogenic diets prefer to have a bulletproof coffee just before the workout due to its instant energy effects which help them to have better workouts on a fasted (almost) state.