Bulletproof Coffee (with a weight loss and muscle building boost!)

Have you tried bulletproof coffee yet?! If not, you should. You really really should. It’s amazing. My husband and I usually start talking about it at night when we go to bed—about how we can’t wait to have coffee in the morning. I’m currently drinking decaf since I’m pregnant, so I can really attest to the energy boost it gives me without having any stimulants in it!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve experimented a bit with the bulletproof recipe to find what we like best, and what makes us feel the most amazing. I’ll share with you what I came up with, and why I think it’s working.

Bulletproof Coffee for Muscle and Weight Loss

1 cup brewed coffee (and by one cup, I really mean just over 8oz–whatever amount fits in your favorite mug!)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter from grassfed cows (I use this)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp maple syrup (I use grade B) or a few drops of stevia (sweetener is optional)
2 Tbsp collagen hydrolysate (this is just gelatin that doesn’t “gel”)

In the blender, add all the ingredients and blend until frothy. Drink!

Note: You can use higher amounts of butter and coconut oil if you’re used to drinking this much fat at once (if not, you may get a belly ache even with this amount, and you can back off to a teaspoon and work up to a higher amount). This still works with 2 Tbsp butter and 3-4 Tbsp oil, but if you do that, I’d bump the amount of coffee up to 12 ounces!

Here’s why this bulletproof coffee recipe gives you an added boost:

First, you’re tipping the ratio of butter to coconut oil a bit (toward more coconut oil), so more of your intake is going to be made of medium chain fatty acids (MCTs are high in coconut oil). At 2 Tbsp, you’re close to a therapeutic dose of coconut oil for the day, and this is a way many people boost metabolism. Please read more about it here and learn about how you can eat frosting for breakfast to lose weight!

Second, you’ve added gelatin, which is made up of amino acids. When you consume 2 Tbsp of gelatin (in the form of collagen hydrolysate) in your coffee, you are providing your body with a steady flow of amino acids over the next couple hours. The fat content of the drink slows the absorption of the amino acids a bit, and this is good because it gives your muscles better ability (more time) to use them from your blood. Check out more about gelatin in this post–it tells you why gelatin is so good for you and lists other ways you can incorporate it. There are not many research studies done on how gelatin affects muscle tone or building (no one would make money on that–you can’t patent gelatin!), but I can tell you from my personal experience and from that of my clients, gelatin is a great way to look and feel stronger. Many people even claim that it helps them lose weight effortlessly (I can’t validate that for sure–I didn’t weigh them, but before I was pregnant, I was the leanest and strongest I’ve ever been while only doing walking and yoga a few times a week).

So there you have it! Bulletproof Coffee with a Weight Loss and Muscle Building Twist! If you’re going low carb, you’ll probably leave out the sweetener. I’d love to hear about your experience with bulletproof coffee and how you make it.