It’s easy to assume the only way to sustain that morning coffee high throughout the day is by topping up your reserves with a cheeky 10 AM long black, followed by a modest 2 PM cappuccino.

The only problem with that, however, is that with every additional cup of coffee you down throughout the day, you run the risk of keeping yourself up all night, a catch-22 predicament like no other.

Luckily for us, a few celebrities have stumbled across an age-old remedy for keeping their afternoon yawns at bay. But unlike most daring and unattainable celebrity wellness trends, everything you need to recreate it is probably sitting in your fridge already. 

Supercharging your morning coffee

It’s probably the understatement of the century to say ‘everyone likes their coffee differently.’ From variations in the particular bean types and roasting methods, to the milks, creamers and flavours added after the shot is poured, there’s no one way to make a perfect cup of coffee. 

But in addition to milk and sugar, people have been exploring ways to incorporate body-benefitting extras into their morning brew, with trendy ingredients such as collagen and lion’s mane mushrooms popping up in health food stores everywhere. 

But there’s one morning coffee recipe that utilises two kitchen staples, and according to Hollywood’s elite, is life-changing. 

What is bulletproof – AKA butter – coffee?

Trademarked and popularised in 2009 by entrepreneur and biohacker Dave Asprey, bulletproof coffee is part of Asprey’s viral “Bulletproof Diet,” a keto-adjacent method that prioritises protein and fat.

Asprey is said to have developed his now-famous butter coffee recipe after experiencing the mental and physical benefits of drinking traditional tea enriched with yak butter during a trip to Tibet.  

In short, bulletproof coffee – also known as ‘butter coffee’ is a cup of coffee enriched by one to two teaspoons of unsalted grass-fed butter and one to two teaspoons of MCT oil (or coconut oil) in place of milk or creamer. 

Adored by several high-profile celebrities such as Shailene Woodley, bulletproof coffee has been a popular staple of followers of ketogenic and paleo diets, as well as people practising intermittent fasting. 

According to such people, the added butter and oil work to boost energy and concentration throughout the day, even during fasting periods. 

Metabolised by the body, the healthy fats contained in ingredients like butter, ghee, MCT oil or coconut oil are converted into ketones, a staple chemical used by the body to sustain energy, especially while fasting. 

It turns out coffee might not be the best wake-up call. Image: Pexels.

Unlike breakfasts and beverages made with carbohydrates and simple sugars, fat-infused coffee provides a quick boost in energy without the glycemic peaks we’ve all come to experience throughout the day (3 PM slump, anyone?)

Without a sustained source of energy, people are more likely to reach for a sugary afternoon snack just to get them through to the end of the day. 

Bulletproof coffee has become a popular go-to for those practising regular fasting, as well as people following a ketogenic or low-carb diet. Though adding butter and MCT oil to your coffee does increase the number of calories, your cup will be carbohydrate-free, meaning consuming this coffee in place of breakfast will allow your body to remain in a state of ketosis (where your body burns fat for energy rather than glucose), therefore not interupting your intermitent fasting efforts. 

Does butter coffee really improve energy levels?

While organic grass-fed butter and high-quality MCT oil or coconut oil are by far beneficial ingredients for our health (especially when compared to processed flavours and creamers commonly used in people’s morning cup of coffee), there appears to be a lack of scientific evidence linking the butter coffee to the supposed health benefits celebrities swear by. 

Most claims are anecdotal, and while people’s positive experiences with the coffee trend shouldn’t be entirely discounted, further research (and proof!) is needed to support the claims. 

One 2021 study found absolutely no evidence that bulletproof coffee (this study involved a recipe containing MCT oil and ghee) adds any additional benefit to cognitive function and satiety levels compared to regular lack coffee. 

While the researchers state “There may be no benefit of bulletproof coffee over black coffee for improving cognitive performance,” they did note that participants who drank bulletproof coffee did report feelings of increased fullness that may have resulted in a reduction in ‘perceived prospective food consumption after three hours’.

Another scientific review examining multiple studies published between 2021 to 2023 also came to a similar conclusion. 

“Although bulletproof coffee remains a popular choice for many, current scientific evidence does not support the claimed benefits…we found no significant improvements in cognition, alertness, or energy levels in studies when bulletproof coffee was compared with regular coffee,” the research team states. “The alleged effects of bulletproof coffee on hunger, satiety, resting energy expenditure, and fat oxidation remain equivocal, primarily due to the additional calorie intake associated with the beverage offsetting any potential benefits.”

What are the health risks of butter coffee?

We’ve all seen the TikTok videos of those following a ‘carnivore diet’ chomping into an entire stick of butter, praising the dairy staple for its nutritional ‘value’ alongside whatever slab of steak they’re preparing to put down for breakfast. 

Sure, we all love a good spread of butter on some warm toast, but watching someone bite clean into a cold block of the solid fat stops me in my tracks every time I open the app.

Due to its high saturated fat content, butter is not generally considered to be a healthy ingredient, with experts urging people to consume the dairy staple in moderation. 

Butter coffee, if prepared as Asprey intended, contains roughly 230 calories and 21 grams of saturated fat per cup, an amount that experts consider concerning if consumed by those with concerns about their cholesterol levels or heart health. 

Just as further research is needed to determine whether any health claims attached to butter coffee are indeed true, the risks associated with daily consumption of such a calorie-dense and saturated fat-dense drink must also be explored with long-term studies. 

“Exploring the impact of regular bulletproof coffee consumption on hydration status, kidney stones, reflux, gallstones, blood pressure, sleep quality, gastrointestinal motility, and hyperlipidemia is also required. Such research would significantly contribute to our understanding of the impacts of this beverage, informing public health recommendations and individual dietary choices,” the 2021 to 2023 review states.