In this post, I look at a very popular topic (or drink)which is bulletproof coffee and explore how versatile it is in terms of it being modified for people with dairy allergies.
Worldwide, dairy allergies vary massively from country to country. In the UK and other countries in Northern Europe, lactose intolerance is thought to affect 5% of all adults. In other European countries the levels are thought to be higher than 15%.
As part of this, I delve into the “history” of bulletproof coffee and find out exactly what a dairy allergy is and describe some of its most common symptoms.
If this is a topic which you want to know more about, join me for the ride.
What is bulletproof coffee?
Can’t wear that pretty blouse your mom bought for you on Christmas? Feeling insecure with a flabby body? A lot of people suffer from obesity. And right now, there are tons of slimming products sold everywhere! You’ve tried everything. Yoga, exercise, slimming medications, YOU. NAME. IT.
You might want to give this a shot, though: bulletproof coffee. Now, before I start telling you what bulletproof coffee is, let me tell you about the man behind it: Dave Asprey.
Sometimes, to survive a game, you have to follow the strategy of someone who has been there and finished it.
He was said to have reached 300 lbs in college. Yes, 300 lbs. At first, he followed the usual regime of losing weight: lesser calories and exercise. Like most people who are struggling with weight problems, those did not work on him. Tired of all the standard options, he decided to take matters in his own hands and started experimenting on himself.
He became a biohacker, people who introduce biochemicals into the body to enhance or change their bodies’ functionality. He started with a low-carb diet and lost 50 lbs, teaching us that what we eat really matters. He studied and continued to experiment on his mind and body, but not in a Frankenstein kind of way.
In 2013, this “lifestyle guru,” as described by Men’s Health, founded Bulletproof 360, and a year later, he founded Bulletproof Nutrition Inc. He started the Bulletproof brand after developing bulletproof coffee. He had a website where he posted the health benefits and even the recipe of his creation and started selling them there.
In 2014, he wrote the book, Bulletproof Diet. The following year, he opened a café in Santa Monica where he sold bulletproof coffee and high fat foods. He raised $9 million from Trinity Ventures to expand the company in 2015. Together with Ross Franklin, CEO and founder of Pure Green, he launched Bulletproof Coffee in New York in June 2017.
Amazing where the wheels of fate take you, huh?
So what is this bulletproof coffee that turned his life around anyway?
Well, bulletproof coffee is the foundation of the Bulletproof Diet, where eating foods high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbohydrate, and intermittent fasting, is recommended.
Bulletproof coffee is basically a drink consisting of brewed coffee, grass-fed unsalted butter and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) coconut oil. It is meant to be drunk in the morning, as a replacement for breakfast. It is also drank during an exercise to help give you an energy boost.
What is a non-dairy alternative to butter in bulletproof coffee?
The information above gives us a question: What about vegans and lactose-intolerant people? As I have mentioned, bulletproof coffee contains BUTTER.
Fear not, though. There are a lot of replacements for butter in your warm cup of bulletproof coffee.
- Coconut butter. A pureed and ground coconut meat that has the texture of regular butter for a creamier coffee. It is rich in MCT fats, fiber and a little protein.
- Organic, extra virgin coconut oil. I was a little specific on that one because other coconut oil has been processed with pesticides, bleaching agents, hexanes, and heated at high temps that destroy the natural nutrients. Bulletproof coffee can still be made using all organic, extra virgin coconut oil, instead of a mixture of coconut oil and butter.
- Non-dairy milk. One of the effects of butter in your average bulletproof coffee is its frothy texture. An unsweetened non-dairy milk is recommended if you want to avoid putting regular butter in your coffee.
What is a dairy allergy? What are the symptoms?
Dairy allergy and lactose intolerance are not the same. The problem in lactose intolerance is when the body does not have enough lactase, the enzyme needed to break down lactose. Lactose is found in milk. However, unlike dairy allergy, lactose intolerance does not involve the immune system and it is not an allergic reaction.
Dairy allergy or milk allergy is when the body’s immune system reacts to milk and triggers a variety of symptoms.
The following common symptoms can occur right away or hours after drinking milk:
- Stomach cramps
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Rash
- Hives
- Eczema
- Red and itchy skin
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Swelling of the eyes, face, lips and tongue
In some cases, it can be life-threatening. Infants who have milk allergy usually outgrow them by the age of three.
What is grass fed dairy? Is it inflammatory?
Grass-fed dairy are produced by cows that has a diet of grass and hay instead of corn and grains. Sometimes, they are also fed with baleage, fermented and high-moisture grass, when there is snow and no grass.
Grass-fed dairy is ANTI-inflammatory. When a dairy is 100% grass-fed, the quality of the milk and the fat molecules are changed. It is rich in omega-3 fats which makes it anti-inflammatory. On the other hand, grain-fed dairy is rich in pro-inflammatory, omega-6 fats.
Is MCT Oil dairy free?
MCT (Medium-chain triglycerides) oil is a dietary supplement that is made up of MCT fats, which are fats that can be found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and dairy products.
Therefore, whether it is dairy-free or not depends on its source.
Is there a keto diet friendly bulletproof recipe? What is it?
Keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet, which causes the body to go to a metabolic state called ketosis.
Its bulletproof recipe is actually very easy, no need to take notes.
All you’ll need is a cup of freshly brewed hot cup of coffee, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, and 1 tbsp MCT oil or coconut oil.
Put all of the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth and frothy. ‘
Pour into a mug and enjoy.
What is the best vegan friendly bulletproof coffee recipe?
On this recipe of vegan friendly bulletproof coffee, however, you might want to get a pen and a paper:
The ingredients you’ll need are as follows:
- Brewed organic coffee, chai OR green tea – your choice.
- 1 tsp-1 tbsp. of organic extra virgin coconut oil or butter — start small if you’re new to using MCT’s in your coffee since they’re pretty potent for first users in their strength and abilities to “get things going” for digestion.
- 1-2 tbsp. of non-dairy milk — unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened almond
- ground vanilla or alcohol-free vanilla extract
- stevia — if a healthy sweetener is desired
- optional: 1 tsp or tbsp. raw cacao and some cinnamon
Then do the same procedure, mix the ingredients in a blender for at least 30 seconds to make it smooth and frothy and mix the ingredients very well. Then chug it down straight from the blender! Oops. Just kidding!
