Why do you blend bulletproof coffee?
If the concept of bulletproof coffee is new to you and you’re still yet to completely get the idea of blending it, then you should know that it’s quite easy. Bulletproof coffee literally means brewed coffee with butter and milk in it. So to make a cup of bulletproof coffee, you just need to brew your coffee and add butter and oil to it. Simple, isn’t it?
But if you just brew your coffee and simply throw in butter with some MCT oil or brain octane oil (whichever one you decide to use) and stir, you will find out that no matter how long or how fast you stir the coffee, butter and oil mixture, it will never properly mix. In fact, the oil will quickly rise to the top of your coffee and if the coffee is hot enough the butter will easily melt into oil and also float on your coffee drink. This will form an unpleasant oil slick in your cup and believe me drinking it won’t be fun at all.
This isn’t unusual because water and oil cannot mix and a cup of coffee is mostly water, this is where blending comes in. To make a smooth and creamy cup of bulletproof coffee, you’ll have to pour the coffee, butter and oil mixture into a blender – preferably a high speed blender – and blend properly. Blending bulletproof coffee helps to completely disperse the oil in the coffee drink, this gives a smooth and consistent drink so your coffee drink wouldn’t have an oily top layer.
You should also know that the oil will remain dispersed in the coffee drink as long as it remains hot or just warm enough. As the coffee gets cold, the oil will start separating from the water and that unpleasant oil slick will gradually start forming in your cup. So with bulletproof coffee, you don’t only need to blend properly but you also need to drink it hot.
What types of blender can you use?
To make a smooth and frothy bulletproof coffee you need to properly mix the ingredients to give you the right consistency. This requires that you blend the coffee, butter and oil mixture really well.
And to make your bulletproof coffee looking like a latte, you don’t just use any blender but the right kind of blender. You may not realize it, but getting this right is a very important part of making your bulletproof coffee smooth and consistent every single time.
The best blender for your bulletproof coffee should meet the standards below;
Can handle hot liquid: since your coffee drink will always be hot while blending, your blender should be strong enough to handle the heat. That said, you need to make sure that the blender you’re using for your bulletproof coffee is built to handle the high temperature of the liquid, this is important because you’ll probably be blending bulletproof coffee almost everyday and if the blender cannot handle the temperature of the coffee, it’ll break down sooner than later.
Is powerful enough: mixing water and oil is no cakewalk and getting a smooth and frothy liquid from coffee, butter and oil is just as hard. This is apparently why you need a powerful blender and a high speed blender is the ideal blender to achieve this feat.
The perfect blender for your bulletproof coffee should blend at high speed with lots of power and built to handle hot liquid. You can either use an immersion blender or a countertop blender. With an immersion blender, you can blend directly in your coffee jug or carafe, while this can be a little more convenient than a countertop blender which has its own carafe, the countertop blender may be a better choice because it will contain the mess and give you more speed.
Can you make bulletproof without a blender? How?
Sure, you can make bulletproof coffee without a blender and it’s quite simply, all you need is all the ingredients and a way to properly mix them to get a smooth drink. And you can get this without a blender. There are alternative ways of making bulletproof coffee without a blender and a really simple one is using a milk frother.
To make your bulletproof coffee without a blender, you’ll need the following;
- Coffee
- Grass fed butter or ghee
- MCT oil or brain octane oil or coconut oil
- Milk frother
Step 1: brew the coffee with your coffee maker and once you get your sizzling hot coffee drink (if you’re using cold brewed coffee, you’ll have to microwave it), pour some into a mug but not to the brim, leave enough space in the mug for mixing – not less than 2 inches is ideal.
Step 2: next, add the ingredients (grass fed butter and the oil of your choice, either MCT oil or coconut oil ) to your hot coffee drink.
Step 3: lastly, turn on the electric milk frother and submerge it in your coffee drink, gradually start moving it up and down and continue for about 30 seconds. Keep doing this until you get a consistent and creamy mixture. And your bulletproof coffee is ready for you to enjoy.
This is a really simple way to prepare your bulletproof coffee, alternatively, you can use a protein shaker bottle or a hydro flask. If you’re using this other method, add all the ingredients to your coffee drink and pour it into the hydro flask or the protein shaker bottle. Seal the lid completely then start shaking vigorously and continue for a few minutes to ensure the ingredients mix properly to give a smooth and frothy drink. And there you go, your bulletproof coffee is ready!
What are the benefits of bulletproof coffee?
Drinking bulletproof coffee has a number of benefits, the first is that it’s actually coffee and it contains caffeine, so you get the full benefits of caffeine. But aside from that, what other benefits do you get from the unique ingredients that convert black coffee to bulletproof coffee, if you’ve ever wondered about this, now you’re about to find out.
The very thoughts of mixing butter and oil in your coffee drink aren’t exactly appetizing and the whole essence of drinking bulletproof coffee is for it’s acclaimed health benefits.
Let’s take a look at some of these benefits;
Reduces appetite: drinking a cup of bulletproof coffee in the morning helps curb your appetite by making you feel full. If you take only a cup of bulletproof coffee at breakfast, you’ll be full for at least an hour after breakfast this is because fat metabolizes slowly and thus it gradually releases all the vitamins and minerals it contains into the body. This makes you feel full longer than you’ll expect and it’ll also keep you alert and bursting with energy.
Aids weight loss: this is probably the most exciting benefit of bulletproof coffee. When virtually everyone is looking to keep fit, any drink that can promote a healthy body weight is more than welcome. Bulletproof coffee can help you lose some pounds and maintain a healthy body weight.
It metabolizes slowly and reduces appetite which makes you eat less plus the fat in the bulletproof coffee is broken down to ketones which acts as an energy source, this means your body isn’t storing fat but using them as a source of energy. This translates to weight loss, drinking bulletproof coffee works a lot better if you’re on a low carb diet, this will enable you to reap the full benefits.
Boosts energy: bulletproof coffee is ideal for individuals on a low carb diet because it contains saturated fats which provide the body with the energy it needs. The major source of energy for the body is glucose from carbohydrate but when the body lacks glucose due a limited supply of carbohydrate, it starts to break down fat cells to ketones for energy.
This process is called ketosis and it’s what happens when you’re on a ketogenic diet and don’t consume enough carbohydrates, that’s why you need enough healthy fats to maintain your energy level. And a good source is bulletproof coffee since it’s packed full with saturated fats and healthy oils, this gives your body the energy source it needs to stay alert and agile.
Contains omega-3: the grass-fed butter in bulletproof coffee contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acid which promotes brain power and helps decrease the risk of inflammatory diseases. Grass-fed butter is also rich in a number of essential vitamins like vitamins A, E, D and K, these vitamins are necessary for healthy immune system and strong bones. Also found in saturated butter are substances like beta-carotenes and butyrate these compounds are known to improve gut health, increase metabolism, reduce your risk of mental illness and generally promote good health.
With these amazing benefits, you’ll definitely want to make bulletproof coffee a part of your daily diet.
How is bulletproof coffee bad for you?
Despite the amazing benefits of bulletproof coffee, it may surprise you to know that there are some not-so-pleasant effects of it. And if it has ever crossed your mind that all that fat may not be good for you, you may be right.
Taking too much of virtually any really good thing always has a negative effect and bulletproof coffee isn’t an exception. If you rely too much on bulletproof coffee, it can have some not-so-good effects on your health. And some of these unpleasant effects are;
It can upset your stomach: for some people, taking too much fat for breakfast can cause stomach upset, especially if you have a gastrointestinal condition like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, this is because fat stimulates gut motor activity. This upset stomach can be very unpleasant and disorganise your day especially for very active individuals.
It can increase your fat and cholesterol levels: regularly drinking bulletproof coffee means consuming lots of saturated fat which may not be good for your body. Saturated fats contain lots of calories and consuming them on a daily means taking in too much calories which may eventually lead to a high cholesterol level and weight gain. This is bad. And I’m sure you agree. Even worse, some studies have associated saturated fat with increased risk of heart disease, though this isn’t conclusive, but it’s still best you avoid overloading your body with saturated fat.
It can reduce your nutrient intake: drinking bulletproof coffee for breakfast can make you feel full and suppress your appetite. This aids is weight loss, which can be good but it also has a downside. And the downside to this lack of appetite is that you’ll skip meals and miss out on some important nutrients your body needs. Bulletproof coffee is not balanced diet, it only provides you with fats and energy but not protein, fibre, and some essential minerals. Relying on bulletproof coffee to keep you full will reduce your nutrient intake from healthy meals and this isn’t healthy.
What substitutes can you use instead of butter in bulletproof?
If you’re not comfortable with the idea of adding butter to your coffee, despite the purported health benefits that come with saturated butter, you should know that you’re not alone. And to be honest, I actually find the greasy aftertaste of butter coffee awful. But aside the taste, if you’re more concerned about the possible accumulation of cholesterols and fats in your body (and you should be) and would like an alternative ingredient for your bulletproof coffee, that’s very understandable.
The good news is, you don’t need butter to get all the benefits of bulletproof coffee as most of the benefits come from the oil. These oils contain medium chain triglyceride fat which occurs naturally in coconut oil and has some amazing benefits.
So what ingredients can you use to replace butter in your bulletproof coffee? Let’s find out.
Coconut butter: coconut butter is made from coconut meat and it’s a much healthier option than any animal-based butter. It’s actually called vegan butter and has an impressive number of benefits. With coconut butter you won’t have to worry about overloading your body with cholesterol and fats.
Non-dairy milk: another great option is making your bulletproof coffee with non-dairy milk, this will give a rich and creamy cup of healthy beverage. Unsweetened non-dairy milk is a healthy choice.
Coconut oil: you can also use only coconut oil without adding any extra ingredients, this works. And it’s better to use organic, extra virgin coconut oil than any refined oil. Coconut oil in its natural and pure form contains no unfriendly chemicals like bleaching agents which may be found in processed oils.
