This week I posted about the effects coffee can have on the gut and digestion.  Read that HERE if you’re having a hard time with bloat and gas and don’t know why-coffee could be the culprit (and there’s an easy fix so that you can still have your morning cup!).  Today, I’m going to breakdown the benefits of the famous Bulletproof coffee as well as share how I take my coffee to keep my stomach feeling happy.  As a reader pointed out to me, coffee can either make or break your health.  (thank you Elizabeth 😉 ) There are ways to make your coffee benefit your health rather then take away from it.

I think everyone has heard of Bulletproof coffee.  If you haven’t, basically it’s a way to take your coffee that will help with energy, brain power and even weight loss.  All you need is a low-mold coffee, grass fed butter and MCT oil.  Blend this concoction in a blender and you’ve got the creamiest, smoothest cup ever.  I followed this recipe for a week and did not experience the brain boost or energy boost I was hoping for.  I also couldn’t get over the large amount of calories a day just in coffee (I typically drink 4 cups).  I’m not trying to discourage you from doing it though-It works for millions and if you aren’t scared of the calories, I say go for it because the benefits are great.  Since I wasn’t experiencing them, I felt the calories weren’t worth it.

Original Bulletproof Recipe:

• 2 cups of organic coffee
• 2 tbsp. grass fed butter
• 2 tsp. MCT oil
• Blend

**You must work up to the above proportions or you will get nauseated or experience bathroom troubles.  It’s insanely rich and your stomach will need to adjust over time**

While I tried the above recipe for a while, I decided to strip it down a bit.  Instead of my usual half and half (which is possibly a stomach irritant), I use 1/2 tbsp. of Kerry Gold (grass fed) Butter, a dash of cinnamon and Mommee Coffee-a coffee very low in acid.  By following this recipe I have experienced great things.

My Recipe:

• 2 cups Mommee Coffee (find it HERE)
• 1/2 tbsp. unsalted grass fed butter
• dash of cinnamon
• blend.  *a magic bullet is the best for this but any blender will do.*

Before my coffee revelation I was experiencing what I call “nervous stomach”.  You know when you carry all your stress and anxiety in your gut and it begins to hurt?  After much research, I now believe it’s more simply called, “gas”.  I also was stupid bloated.  My clothes were so tight.  My anxiety was super high because of feeling embarrassed that I couldn’t hide my round, 5 mos. pregnant looking stomach and I was very uncomfortable. Plus, I couldn’t settle on whether I had gained weight or was having gut issues.  I eat so clean, how can I be gaining all this weight just in my tummy?

Once I switched to Mommee Coffee and ditched the half and half, I immediately found relief.  That day my stomach pain was gone.  There was zero discomfort.  The contrast was so huge from what I felt the weeks and months before that I now call my gut, my “happy gut”.  LOL-should I be telling you I’m so obsessed with gut issues that I have names for my stomach?  Probably not.

You can absolutely add more grass fed butter.  During my confusion as to whether I had gained weight or was having stomach problems, I started counting calories and decided to take the butter down a notch.  A full tbsp. per 2 cups would taste even better.  FYI-1 TBSP. of grass fed butter is 100 calories.

Why Grass Fed Butter?

Grass fed butter is highly nutritious when compared to milk, cream or regular butter.  It is known to keep sugars balanced, be beneficial to cholesterol levels, is an excellent source of vitamin A, helps reduce inflammation plus many more benefits!  Grass fed butter is considered a “healthy fat” and very beneficial for heart health.  Also, adding butter to your coffee can help reduce the negative effects of caffeine and acid in coffee.

One more thing about grass fed butter contains conjugated linoleic acid which is said to help your body burn fat through out the day.

I stick with Kerry Gold Unsalted Grass Fed Butter.  Walmart is now carrying it along with most major grocery stores.

About the Coconut Oil-

The MCT oil (or medium chain triglycerides) is coconut oil that has had the lauric acid removed.  Instead of going through the digestive track, this oil is processed in the liver.  It is made up of caprylic and capric acids and is tasteless.  It is meant to give your immediate and sustained brain energy.  Many have confirmed this.  I would try it if you haven’t because if you get extra energy and brain clarity, the MCT oil is worth it.  It’s affordable and if it doesn’t work for you, it’s basically the same as fractionated coconut oil (liquid coconut oil) and you could use it as a cooking oil or even in DIY skin care.  It’s fatty acid content is altered to make it liquid but it still has benefits.  I used THIS brand.

I also tried unrefined coconut oil.  We all know the crazy benefits of coconut oil and I believe we should all be adding it to our daily routine.  However, I don’t like the taste.  I can put it in my smoothie but not in my coffee.  If you don’t mind the taste, this is a great alternative to MCT oil and I believe using unrefined coconut oil is even more beneficial to the body.

Basically, MCT oil is meant to give you energy, clear brain fog and fuel you for a prolonged amount of time.  Unrefined coconut oil will give you more of an immune boost because it is antibacterial and anti fungal.  However, MCT oils is easier to digest.

Adding oils and butters to your coffee may seem super weird but you will be surprised at how lovely it really is. The key is to blend it. Blending it emulsifies the coffee and butter/oils, making it frothy and creamy. If you thought adding milk/half and half/full cream to your coffee made it creamier-wait till you try this.  We just got back from vacation where I had to revert to my old coffee ways of half and half and it just wasn’t the coffee I was craving.

For those of you that like your coffee sweet-I believe your healthiest option is stevia.

xx, Jenni