What It’s Like To Drink Bulletproof Coffee Every Morning For Two Weeks
Separately those ingredients don’t exactly tick all the traditional boxes for a balanced breakfast. But together they are the three components you need to make Bulletproof coffee, a frothy, energy-igniting beverage that has surged in recent years to become the toast of Silicon Valley. Its promises are multitude, at least according to its creator, cloud-computing pioneer and “Bulletproof Executive” Dave Asprey, who refined his recipe after trying a tea made with yak-butter in Nepal. Among Bulletproof coffee’s listed benefits: It triggers weight loss by way of ketosis, a metabolic state triggered by a lack of carbs that kicks fat-burning into overdrive; it kills pesky cravings; and it boosts cognitive function, mainlining a shining dose of mental clarity into your foggy morning skull. Maybe it would even fold my laundry. Related: I’m The Guy Who Created Bulletproof Coffee—This Is My Morning Routine Most of all, though, Bulletproof coffee is intended to be efficient, an easy way for the biohacking crowd to slurp down fats and calories (460 of them!) without so much as sniffing a processed carbohydrate. Why eat a muffin that goes straight to your muffin top, the thinking goes, when you could drink down the metabolic equivalent of supercharged battery acid every morning? I was curious. I wondered: Is Bulletproof coffee a hyper-efficient, power-packed breakfast taken to its logical end? Or is butter-coffee something more insidious, the latest in a long line of snake oils intended to charm overwhelmed customers looking for the next big diet shortcut? To find out, I recently gave up breakfast for two weeks and decided to dive headfirst into the (dark, mysterious, hot) Bulletproof hoopla. My goal was to assess a few things: How did I feel by lunch time every day? Did Continue reading >>
The Effects Of Caffeine On Ketosis
Nowadays, it seems as if society as we know it, is becoming more and more obsessed with body image and appearance on a day to day basis. Because of this, we find ourselves constantly trying to watch what we eat, watching our figures, and busting our butts in the gym until we feel physically sick in the process. What generally tends to happen is that when we go from one extreme, I.E eating junk and being lazy, to another, I.E eating healthy, but incredibly low calorie diets and exercising until we feel sick, it comes as quite a shock to the system to begin with, and we lose a fair amount of fat. Sadly, the body quickly adapts to these changes and our progress becomes slower and slower with each passing day. Eventually, we’ll find ourselves eating boring and tasteless food, constantly feeling tired, hungry, and irritable due to the extreme calorie deficit, and struggling to complete even the most basic of workouts. What generally then happens is that we’ll weigh ourselves, and notice that, after weeks of dieting, exercising, and making ourselves miserable in the process, we’ve lost barely any weight, if any weight at all for that matter. We then likely feel discouraged, will throw the towel in, and stuff our faces full of as much junk food as possible, before repeating the entire vicious circle all over again. Now, don’t get us wrong, calorie restrictive diets rich in healthy foods do work, but extreme deficits, and bland tasting foods are not good for the body, or the psyche for that matter. Ketogenic diets however, are quickly becoming popular once more, and it is ketogenic diets we’ll be looking at here, alongside caffeine and how caffeine effects these diets. What is ketosis? Ketogenic diets, such as ‘keto’ and the Atkins diet, are not new concepts, as t Continue reading >>
Does Coffee Raise Blood Sugar? Conclusion.
Last month, I started an experiment to better understand how different foods and lifestyle decisions impact blood sugar, using a constant-glucose-monitoring device. For the last few weeks, I’ve been testing whether or not drinking coffee raises my blood-sugar levels. The answer may seem obvious as coffee contains no sugar, but some people believe coffee can have an effect, and our first coffee experiment indicated just that. Since then, I’ve repeated the experiment twice. Here’s what I found. Planning the coffee experiment I designed the following experiment: I would drink a cup of coffee and measure my blood-sugar levels two hours prior to and after drinking it. Then I would analyze the data to see if drinking coffee seemed to raise my blood-sugar levels. To increase the reliability of the experiment, I made sure of four things: 1. I would drink the coffee black – nothing would be added to it. 2. I wouldn’t eat or drink anything else, feel stressed, nor do any form of exercise, 2 hours prior to and after drinking the coffee. 3. I would eat ketogenic. 4. I would go to bed and wake up around the same time as I normally do. It was coffee time. Drinking coffee The house was quiet, but I was up, feeling excited about doing another experiment. Everything was ready – beans, scale, grinder, and coffeemaker. The glucose sensor was safely installed in my body – constantly monitoring any change in blood-sugar levels. Using the above food scale, I put 0.63 ounces (18 grams) of coffee beans into the grinder (about the same amount as for a double espresso). I turned it on. “Grrrrooooooooooooooooouhhh”, it sounded like an elephant had been let loose in the kitchen! After 20 seconds, the noise finally stopped. I picked up the coffee-bean container, held it to my nose Continue reading >>
Does Cheese, Nuts Or Coffee Impact A Ketogenic Diet?
There is a lot of conflicting data on whether cheese, nuts or coffee are ideal or acceptable for a ketogenic diet. So let me clear the air a little with some of my experiences and bring in a pinch of clarity and sanity to the issue. SO are cheese, nuts and/or coffee harmful when taken while on keto? What are the impacts? Are there any specifications as to the quantities, if it ideal to take them? Are they diet friendly? Let’s review. Cheese A lot of people will argue that eating cheese on a ketogenic diet is harmful. The assumption that by eating cheese you are prone to taking in additional carbs, which is not 100% true. Yes, cheese does contains carbs so as long as you don’t go over the carb limit, you’ll be good. The thing to be concerned about is most individuals have a sensitivity to dairy products (and don’t know it), due to the casein in them. So if you have dietary sensitivity to it, avoid it (many people who suffer from a keto diet stall should cut out cheese). Cheese can be a great source of fat soluble vitamins. Eaten in moderation therefore, cheese is ok. Nuts Nuts should not be one of your major sources of fat in the diet. This is because they contain carbohydrates as well as phytic acid (are a pretty high in calories). Phytic acid absorbs essential dietary minerals such as magnesium which is essential for the utilization of vitamin D among many others. In moderation however, similar to cheese nuts are acceptable as part of your keto diet plan, taken as a snack, for instance. To avoid the phytic acid, you could soak or sprout your nuts but for most people on a ketogenic diet it’s not worth the effort due to the fact it a very small part of their daily intake. Coffee & Caffeine Biggest grey area in the world of keto. Coffee is engraved in our cultur Continue reading >>
Will Decaffeinated Coffee Kick You Out Of Ketosis?
A Keto diet can be complex and confusing for some people. Determining what to eat, when to eat, and the role those foods impact the natural processes inside your body can be overwhelming. However, the benefit of a Ketogenic Diet can be significant healthy weight loss. When we take away foods that provide comfort, we can add a new level of stress. But, what about replacing them with alternatives? Being miserable on a diet just is not going to work long-term. There’s lots of coffee drinkers out there, and we know that caffeinated coffee can kick you out of ketosis. This is because once the caffeine enters your blood stream it can have a short-term effect on your blood sugar and insulin levels. But, what about decaf coffee? Switching to decaf may be a great way to experience the “comfort” of coffee, without all the caffeine that can be detrimental to your Ketogenic Diet. Of course, over the first few days you may feel some slight withdrawal symptoms. That’s just your body adjusting to the caffeine leaving your system. Decaf coffee should not kick you out of ketosis. Of course, this also means not adding sugar to the coffee, and keeping in mind that artificial sweeteners will have various effects on ketosis as well. My research has shown that Stevia is one of the best sweeteners out there for Ketogenic diets. It does not cause blood sugar or insulin levels to spike after consumption. However, it is important to know what you are putting into your body. Not all decaf coffee is created equal. Many decaf coffees actually are not “caffeine free”, as they still contain smaller amounts of caffeine in them. This is where investigation and monitoring are going to play huge roles in maintaining your “keto discipline”. Time of day is certainly going to play a factor a Continue reading >>
Perfect Cup Of Ketoproof Coffee
Ketoproof coffee is quite a bit healthier than your average breakfast, and it has the calories to match. Commonly used in intermittent fasting, ketoproof coffee gives plenty of energy and a great satiated feeling throughout the morning fasting hours. Now, I want to explain this further. Drinking this coffee will break your fast from the night time, but it will ramp up your metabolism with caffeine and fats. This is to help you get through the fasting process in the 10+ hours ahead. Personally, I drink 2 cups of this in the morning – fast all day – and eat at 9pm. If you’re only using this for breakfast, and still eating a lunch, then it’s not really intermittent fasting. Our favorite brew is made with a pour over and goose-neck kettle. I chose the Bonavita Variable Temp Kettle because it’s on the cheaper side for the quality that you can get. If you’re a coffee lover, it’s definitely worth the splurge! For the pour over, we have an Osaka “Lake Masu” Pour over. It’s really just for the design – I think it looks fantastic. You can easily get a cheap one here that’ll do the same exact thing though. Don’t forget that you’ll most likely need some coffee filters, too. If you’re not a morning person and just want a quick and easy cup of coffee, you can always consider a Keurig Coffee Maker. I’ve owned numerous in the past and they’re great machines if you want convenience. It doesn’t take up much more room than a regular coffee maker and you can usually get small drawers or stands that will hold the k-cups for you. Plus, you can switch up the flavors with just about any type you want! Even though k-cups have come a long way on consumer safety and ecological factors, you still might want to grind your own fresh coffee. Luckily, you can grab a Continue reading >>
Keto Drinks: What Is Safe To Drink On The Ketogenic Diet?
We talk a lot about keto foods here, but today, it is all about the drinks! When it comes to drinks on keto, plain old water is king. However, sometimes you might want something else to enjoy with meals or as a nice refreshment. So, let’s look at what is safe to drink on the ketogenic diet, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Non-Alcoholic Drinks Here are some options for every day drinks during the week or the weekend: Coffee Drinks Many people turn to coffee for extra alertness. Is it okay on keto? Yes! It can even be helpful if you’re new to ketosis or beginning intermittent fasting and experience tiredness at first. Just be careful what you add to it. Some coffee ideas include: Plain ole’ black. Enjoy drip, espresso, cold brew, aeropress, iced, etc. as black as coal for all the caffeine without anything added. With milk. Add a splash of unsweetened full-fat dairy, almond milk, or coconut milk to your morning cup or combine with espresso for a no-sugar, low-carb latte. “Bulletproof” coffee. Created by Dave Asprey, Bulletproof coffee includes some special ingredients, but you can easily make your own simpler version at home. Add a good fat source from MCT oil or powder, coconut oil, or grass-fed butter to your coffee and blend. This can be a great option first thing in the morning because you’re getting easily digestible fats that continue the fat burning from your overnight fast, giving you a nice jolt of energy. Plenty of variation options too when it comes to keto coffee. Like those sugar-laden pumpkin spice lattes? Add some spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to fancy it up even more. Want a healthy keto mocha? Add some coconut oil and unsweetened cocoa powder for a creamy, chocolatey treat. Tea Drinks Most teas have virtually no carbs, so they are Continue reading >>
Does Caffeine (or Chocolate) Raise Insulin, Thereby Stopping Fat Burning (ketosis)?
So caffeine and the stimulant in chocolate raises insulin. Insulin shuts down fat oxidation. So, if you are in ketosis, on VLC, won't drinking coffee or eating raw dark chocolate shut of that nice fat burning mode? I know when I am VLC, if I have ANY, I mean a few SIPS of tea or nibbles of cacao, I IMMEDIATELY get that "hormonally hungry" feeling. Any thoughts? EDIT So I've found that on meat/fat only days, in Ketosis, caffeine or stimulants of any kind make me feel terrible, and VERY hormonally hungry between meals (with the same timing and calories that on non-caffeine days are satiating). I literally can scarcely make it to my next meal, feeling utterly starved and losing all concentration. However, on carb-up days after exercise, I can eat some chocolate or drink some tea, and while I feel quite stimulated (perhaps too much, I seem to be sensitive), it isn't a bad feeling, and I don't get the hunger afterwards. Interesting. Continue reading >>
Try This Fatty Coffee For Ketogenic Fat-fasting (wild Diet Approved)
At this point, you’ve probably heard about Fatty Coffee or Bulletproof Coffee made famous by my buddy Dave Asprey. But can putting fat in your coffee actually help you drop fat? The answer may surprise you. Now, some people go overboard by slugging many hundreds of calories of pure fat every day in their coffee and wonder why they’re not dropping fat. In this blog post, though, you’ll learn how to make your coffee the right way to rev your fat-burning engines. Most days, I enjoy 1-3 cups of coffee in the morning with a tablespoon or so of grass-fed heavy whipping cream per cup. If I’m feeling hungry, I might add a teaspoon of full-fat coconut milk or coconut oil, as well (use these fats if you’re looking to make a dairy-free version of Fatty Coffee, as my wife Alyson often does). Keep in mind that my typical daily Fatty Coffee calorie burden accounts for around 100-150 calories – NOT the 500+ calories some people dump into their cuppa joe when they’re going nuts with slugging Bulletproof coffee all day. (All calories are not created equal, but they do count.) A cup of coffee or tea infused with grass-fed butter, coconut oil, and even a little grass-fed heavy cream can be a tasty way to get quality fats into your diet… especially if you’re doing a ketogenic or cyclical fast and avoiding carbs and protein in the morning to help normalize insulin and blood sugar. These days, a lot have you have been asking me, “Can I eat fats while I’m fasting in the morning?!” Sure! When you add fats to your fasting window, it’s technically a ketogenic fast or “Fat-Fasting.” The short-chain fats and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) found in grass-fed butter, coconut oil, and whipping cream are burned readily as brain fuel. Compared to the carb-crash cycle th Continue reading >>
Dear Mark: Coffee And Insulin, Fat And Post-workout Meals
159 Comments In today’s edition of Dear Mark, I cover two topics near and dear to many of your hearts. First, I discuss the interaction between coffee intake and insulin. Does coffee stimulate its secretion? Does it impair insulin’s function, or our body’s reaction to it? Find out how you should approach coffee on a Primal Blueprint eating plan. Then, I explore the suitability of dietary fat in the post-workout meal. Does it belong? Should you be stocking skim milk, de-fatted chicken breast, non-fat yogurt, and cartons of egg whites for your post-workout meals? If you’ve just lifted something heavy, should you therefore shun the yolks and fear the fat for the rest of the day? Find out below. Let’s go. Does coffee raise insulin levels? A lot of contradictory stuff out there. Hoping you could get to the bottom of it. Also, how does it affect GABA? Thanks Odin What makes coffee research so confusing is that a lot of it is actually caffeine research. You see, researchers love isolating whole food constituents to avoid confounding variables. It’s easier to get a definitive result about caffeine than it is to get one about coffee, because coffee contains huge and diverse levels of antioxidant compounds. If you don’t, and coffee has a health effect, how do you know if it’s the caffeine or something else in coffee causing the effect? That’s helpful, but most of us are drinking coffee – not popping caffeine pills. So, while caffeine is definitely one of the main active compounds in coffee, it’s not the only one. Adjust your interpretation of “coffee” research accordingly. That said, both caffeine and coffee have been shown to exert negative effects on insulin sensitivity. Not on insulin itself, though. As standalone substances (without a meal to accompa Continue reading >>
Does Caffeine Impact Ketosis On A Low-carb Diet?
In an ideal world, there would be clear-cut criteria laid out in black and white about how to do a low-carb diet. While there are certain basics that apply to virtually every low-carb plan, there are also what I would describe as “gray areas” where it will really depend on the individual to figure out for themselves. One such issue is caffeine. If you have read Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, then you know the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins addresses this subject a couple of times–but only in passing. Here are the two brief references I found in my mass paperback version of the book: Page 189–“Excessive caffeine has been shown to cause a hypoglycemic reaction, which will provoke cravings and cause you to overeat. Omitting caffeine may be a big sacrifice for you, but, in my experience, weight loss often starts up again as soon as people remove caffeine from their regimen.” Page 222–“Consume caffeine only in moderation.” Other than those two points, Dr. Atkins didn’t say much else about caffeine consumption. Obviously he felt there was enough of a negative metabolic response to caffeine intake for him to dissuade Atkins dieters to try to steer clear of it as much as possible. But what about the impact of caffeine on ketosis? Is there any and what guidelines can people following a low-carb diet use to gauge what amount of caffeine intake they can tolerate while still losing weight? These are some of the questions that were explored by one of my intelligent readers in the following e-mail: Hi Jimmy, I would like to clear something up with your help. I feel there needs to be a summary, possibly a FAQ, on caffeine. Here’s my question: What are the effects of caffeine, ESPECIALLY when one is in ketosis? When talking about caffeine, there are several h Continue reading >>
22 Revitalizing Ketogenic Coffee And Tea Recipes
Having a routine can be very satisfying and one of my favorite routines is having a cup of coffee or tea in the mornings (after my Ketogenic green smoothie). But it can get boring just drinking black coffee or black tea all the time, so if you miss your lattes and cappuccinos, then this list of Ketogenic coffee and tea recipes is for you! I would give these drinks a try even if you’re not on a Ketogenic diet. These coffee and tea recipes are very low in sugar or carbohydrates (and they’re Paleo) and can be a great way to energize yourself in the morning without the mid-morning sugar crash! And if you’re not a coffee fan, don’t worry because we have a ton of refreshing tea recipes – some are made from black tea, some are herbal, and some are fruity. For something different, why not try the Vanilla Maca Latte or the Homemade Vanilla Chocolate Rooibos Tea recipe. You can use the table of contents to jump to the section you want, or click the green button below to download this entire list of Ketogenic coffee and tea recipes. Table Of Contents For Ketogenic Coffee and Tea Recipes Cold Brew and Iced Coffee Recipes – The Coconut Mama Ingredients: coffee, water. Photo Credit: Tiffany from The Coconut Mama Here is a basic recipe for cold brew coffee that can be altered to suit your own taste. It is simple to make and can be stored in the fridge. Many of us love our daily hit of coffee, but because this is cold brew, it is ideal for warmer days. If you are using a mason jar to make this, just remember to strain the grounds through a cheesecloth or sieve first! – My Heart Beets Ingredients: ground coffee, ground cacao nibs, water, nutmeg, cinnamon Photo Credit: Ashley from My Heart Beets Adding the cacao nibs to this cold brew gives a subtle chocolate note to Continue reading >>
How Ketosis Helps You Lose Weight Through Suppressed Appetite
One of the reasons The Bulletproof Diet with Bulletproof Coffee works so well for people looking to lose weight is that Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting helps your body to more easily enter a state called cyclical ketosis, which is great for a whole bunch of reasons. Ketosis is a cornerstone of becoming Bulletproof; listen to these recent Bulletproof Radio episodes with ketosis experts Jimmy Moore and Dominic D’Agostino to get the scoop on how and why it works. It’s what happens when your body switches to burning fat instead of sugar for energy, and it only happens when you eat almost no carbohydrates, or when you hack it using certain kinds of oils. Many people first stumble upon the idea of ketosis while looking for a weight loss strategy. That can be a major part of it for so many people out there who have tried just about every other diet out there but haven’t seen the results they’d hoped for. But when people experience the mental clarity and focus that ketosis brings, the game changes! This post walks you through one of the most important yet underrated mechanisms that makes ketosis so effective for people who have tried everything else to lose weight and failed to keep it off: appetite suppression. Ketosis works for weight loss in the short term, but that’s not why it’s so amazing. Short term weight loss is easy (I’ve lost at least 200 pounds of short term weight…because it always roared back on with a vengeance so I could lose it again!) When you look at keeping your weight off forever, ketosis provides a level of appetite suppression that is actually liberating. Ketosis helps you literally stop thinking about food all the time. Why Calorie Counting Is So Ineffective One of the reasons old-fashioned, calorie-restricted diets tend to fail is becau Continue reading >>
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How To Make Your Morning Coffee Low Carb & Keto Friendly
Become a Low Carb Coffee Expert! We could never give up our morning coffee, not forever anyway. Coffee has been shown to provide your body with tons of benefits as long as you keep it in moderation. If you find yourself stopping by your favorite coffee shop every morning, you may find those added grams of sugar adding up quickly. Here’s a sobering fact: a Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha Venti coffee has 18 TEASPOONS of sugar. Teaspoons, people. A third of all drinks tested by Action on Sugar contained more sugar than Coca Cola. There’s sugar hiding in your coffee and lots of it. So what’s a new low carb-er to do? Well, you can always opt for making your coffee at home with real, un-artificially flavored coffee beans and lots of heavy cream. But if you wake up every morning looking forward to a hot cup of ready-made coffee at your coffee shop, there are ways you can help them make your coffee keto-friendly. 1. Choose Unflavored Coffee Beans Go for the real coffee beans like arabica or robusta. These have their own natural flavors and subtleties that can be lost in artificially flavored coffee beans. You’ll soon start noticing flavors like nuts, chocolate, and even fruitiness. Experiment with different beans and soon you’ll find a blend that excites you! 2. Skip the Milk Milk is not low carb! It contains a relatively large amount of sugar (lactose). Whole milk is the lesser of the evils, containing a relatively higher amount of fat than skim and the 1 & 2%s. What you’re looking for is heavy cream. Heavy cream is low carb, high fat. It’s the cream collected off the top of milk when it’s left to separate (what’s left is skim milk, a.k.a. pretty much water). Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream or whipping cream) is gold in the keto community. It’s delici Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet Faq: All You Need To Know
Below is an list of the most commonly asked questions about the ketogenic diet. Simply click on the question you're interested in and it will take you right to the answer. If you have any more questions, please let me know by leaving a comment and I'll add it to the list! KetoDiet Basic Facts Foods & Diet Plans Health Concerns Troubleshooting 3 free diet plans to help you kickstart your diet, lose weight and get healthy Recipes, giveaways and exclusive deals delivered directly to your inbox A chance to win the KetoDiet app every week KetoDiet Basic Facts Why is it that conventional diets don't work? Most of us would say we get fat simply because we get lazy and eat more. But what if it's the other way round? What if we just get fat and as a result we eat more and become lazy? For the last decades we have been given wrong advice about nutrition and effects of fatty foods on putting on weight. What if the main problem is that due to our modern diets we cannot satisfy our appetite? A study on this subject concluded with a surprising result: the fatter people get, the more inactive they become, not the other way round. And what if the interests of the authorities offering advice are influenced by economic reasons? To learn more about this, I recommend you watch The Food Revolution on Youtube Ketogenic diets are, in fact, closely related to the Paleolithic diet. Both exclude carbohydrates and aim at eating real food. Today carbohydrates make the majority of our diet and have significant implications for our health including hormone balance. For example, insulin, which is responsible for storing fat in our body, is greatly affected by excessive carbohydrate consumption. Carbohydrates are without doubt the most fattening element in our diets. Based on studies performed over th Continue reading >>
