If you spend time on Facebook or Instagram, you’ve likely come across posts of dieters showing off their keto coffee and exclaiming how the drink has helped them lose weight. But as with all fads, you may have a few reservations about the supposed weight-loss tool. But does keto coffee actually work? What’s it supposed to do anyway?
If you’re interested in keto coffee but are hesitant to try, keep reading to learn the ins and outs of this fad and determine for yourself whether or not keto coffee is worth the hype.
Why do so Many People Drink Keto Coffee?
Keto coffee is a standard cup of black coffee with some fats added in the form of butter and coconut oil. Also known as bulletproof coffee, keto coffee can jumpstart the metabolic state of ketosis as long as you haven’t consumed carbohydrates.
As per the original keto coffee recipe, you’ll have to blend a cup of black coffee with a tablespoon of grass-fed unsalted butter and a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil at high speed until you get a frothy and smooth coffee mixture. For more nutritional benefits and flavor, you can add in egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, and other keto-friendly ingredients.
Understanding the Keto Diet
Weight loss is one of the main reasons why people consume keto coffee. However, keto coffee can only do so much if you don’t also follow a ketogenic (keto) diet or practice intermittent fasting. If you drink a lot of keto coffee without changing other lifestyle aspects, you may end up putting on more weight.
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet that helps you burn fat efficiently. By forcing your body to convert fat into energy, you can prompt ketosis. Ketosis occurs when the body doesn’t have access to glucose to use as energy. If you don’t consume many carbs, the liver will convert certain types of fats into ketones, which can be used as an alternative energy source. Ketosis helps weight loss because it allows the body to burn fat quickly for energy instead of storing it.
Additional Keto Coffee Health Benefits
Weight loss is not the only benefit of keto coffee. There are a number of things that can make it very valuable for people with low energy levels and type 2 diabetes. Here are a few additional benefits of keto coffee:
- Energy Booster– The main idea of drinking keto coffee is to help you control your hunger without reducing your energy levels. Healthy fats such as butter and coconut oil in your keto coffee will balance out the levels of caffeine and give you the much-needed energy boost.
- Improves Mental Focus– When you drink keto coffee, your liver starts converting the healthy fats (especially MCTs) in it to produce ketones. These ketones give a boost to your brain, making you think more clearly.
- Anti-Inflammatory- The grass-fed butter that you add into your keto coffee is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are highly anti-inflammatory. It can be very useful for reducing pain and swelling.
- Digestive Health- The coconut oil present in your keto coffee acts as a natural laxative. Coconut oil helps to lubricate the digestive system, improving gut health.
Delicious Ways to Drink It
There are many delicious ways of making keto coffee to make your mornings happy and laser-focused. These are a few recipes you can check out:
- Iced Keto Coffee– Blend your coffee with one tablespoon each of collagen protein and brain octane oil. You can use coconut milk instead of the dairy-free creamer.
- Cinnamon Spiced Keto Coffee– Simply blend in half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder with your coffee and fats to add some bold flavor. You can also add some coconut cream and replace the MCT oil with brain octane oil.
- Ginger Bulletproof Coffee– Add half a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger or gingerbread spice to the blender along with your bulletproof coffee, coconut oil, and butter. For some sweetness, you can add some liquid stevia.
- Turmeric Vanilla Bulletproof Coffee- Mix one tablespoon of gelatin into three tablespoons of water and set the mixture aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, add it into a saucepan along with one cup of coffee, one tablespoon of coconut oil, and one tablespoon of grass-fed butter. Add in half a teaspoon of turmeric along with some vanilla essence. Bring it to a boil and then allow it to cool. Blend the mixture on high speed for about 30 to 45 seconds and drink it immediately.
Hype, or Healthy Habit?
When it comes to losing weight, keto coffee may help some but do very little for others. It all depends on your level of commitment to additional changes in your diet and exercise.
While keto coffee can be a great weight loss tool for people on keto diets or people who practice intermitted fasting, someone on a standard diet won’t experience the same benefits. Drinking keto coffee alone is a fad or a healthy habit in and of itself—it’s a tool that, when used properly, can help you achieve your weight loss goals.
