Do You Add A Dollop Of Fat to your Coffee?

For many of us, coffee signals the start of the day and without it we struggle to get going. If, like me, you go to bed looking forward to your morning caffeine fix then its safe to say you're probably hooked!

But for some, coffee has become more than just a daily wake up call....many biohackers are adding fat to their morning caffeine fix to help them think clearer, eat less and provide a lasting energy hit. 

The concept of adding fat to your coffee may be a strange idea to some but many biohackers have been doing it for years with some impressive results. The recipe is simple, add a dose of healthy fats to your coffee in the form of MCT oil and well sourced butter (grass fed is preferred to grain-fed butter, which has a significantly higher concentration of less desirable oils, such as Omega 6 & 9) and ensure your coffee beans are clean and free of any mould or other toxins. If you are dairy intolerant you could try adding ghee in place of the butter. Its best to blend the whole lot for a few second to avoid a fatty layer floating on the surface of your cup. 

The result - a highly satiating creamy cup of coffee which can fuel your body for hours. 

The top 4 benefits of a fat filled coffee:

• Fuel for your brain - the MCT's are able to pass through your “blood-brain barrier” where they are converted into ketones which can be used by your central nervous system and brain almost immediately.
• Impacts weight loss & metabolism by keep you feeling full and suppressing any appetite in addition to acting as an energy source to power you for hours.
• Instant energy from both the caffeine and powerful, healthy fats. 
• Great pre-workout - the rapid fat absorption into clean, sustainable and instantly accessible energy makes it a popular pre-workout alternative to the usual carbs before hitting the gym.

But fat is bad for your right? Well the media has been a little misleading on that fact.....fat is actually an essential part of almost every physiological function in our bodies, particularly when it comes to optimal cognitive function. When we ingest good fats in higher amounts, our brains and bodies function effectively. So drinking coffee with a high amount of healthy, well-sourced, saturated fat is actually great for our brains.

MCT oil is the perfect source of 'healthy fat' because medium chain triglycerides  pass directly from the digestive system and into the bloodstream without being modified. That means MCTs go straight from gut to liver, where they’re processed for fuel and are not stored as fat. 

Most fans of buttery coffee use it as a meal replacement as its extremely satiating (so you probably wont want to eat) and high calorie. Its also a popular element of the intermittent fasting protocol, although there is much debate over whether this breaks the fast - I'll let you decide on that one! Finally, it's also widely used as a pre-work out as it provides immediate energy and sustained performance. 

Whatever your motivation, its a great way to kickstart your day and may just help get you through both mentally and physically challenging ones!