All About High Fat Coffee

Ever heard of blending butter & MCT oil with your coffee? Of course, at this point just about everyone and their Mom has. More importantly… have you tried it? Adding butter to your coffee could once be called a trend, but has certainly proven itself with the test of time.

Keep reading if you’re curious about upgrading your morning coffee ritual, or if you simply have yet to try this super satisfying high-fat breakfast option…

➕ “Bulletproof” style drinks are far from a new idea

Ancient Ethiopians would consume a concoction of ghee and coffee before battle; Tibetans have long consumed strong pu’erh tea mixed with fermented yak butter to sustain the exertion of living and farming at such high altitudes. In India some farmer’s opt for a delicious brewed tea mixed with ghee and Ayurvedic herbs to start their long days of working outdoors.

➕ Find beans worth fasting for!

Freshness is paramount in my mind when your mission is to create the perfect cuppa. To source the best beans, find a boutique roaster in your region that roasts small batches of coffee very frequently. Secondly, talk to the barista about their sourcing practices. Single origin or single estate beans are less likely to contain mycotoxins, as the coffee is sourced from one location. Next, check what elevation the beans were grown at. Higher than 1000 miles above sea level can also reduce the risk of these contaminants. High mycotoxin content has been associated with the increased anxiety and jitters that some report from consuming coffee.

➕ Cover Your Bases

A few equally delicious alternative liquids to base your drink around include:

  • Organic Black or Green tea: Try to source these from a reputable grower that will be less likely to contain mycotoxins.

  • Chaga tea: Has a rich, dark flavour that imitates coffee beautifully. Chaga is packed with antioxidant content, is an immune modulator and naturally caffeine-free.

  • Raw Cacao: While not a tea per se, cacao has easily enough flavour to keep things interesting not to mention a nice little boost of energy from theobromine. For the best flavour and mouth feel, use a combination of cacao paste and powder. You could also get real fancy and try using Cacao shell tea.

➕ All About Healthy Fats

MCT oil is wonderful, yet it is a pricey and niche ingredient. Feel free to substitute with regular coconut oil.

Grass fed butter is delicious and will make for the most filling option. Ghee has a wonderful flavour for Bulletproof style drinks and can be used as a butter substiture if lactose sensitivity exists.

Cacao butter, coconut butter or a scoop of hemp seeds can be another excellent complement to the other fats being used. Have fun! Play around with the ratio of different fat sources that keeps you feeling satisfied.

➕ A Little Extra Something

Does your medicine cabinet sit full of unused supplements, purchased in a moment of temporary enthusiasm and then, despite the best intentions, forgotten? Enter your fat coffee elixir. Provided the supplement or herb in questions doesn’t have too strong a taste, pop a few of these into your next hot drink to find your own combinations.

Some of my favorite additions to get you started:

  • Calcium powder – To support bone health

  • Magnesium – To support muscles and the function of the nervous system

  • Vitamin D3 – To support bone density, mood and hormone balance

  • Vitamin K2 – To help allocate minerals, including Calcium and Magnesium, properly into the bones and teeth

  • L-Theanine – Can assist with the regulation of energy from caffeine to avoid jitters or overstimulation

  • Aswaghanda – Hormone balance, adrenal support and healthy energy levels

  • Rhodiola – Blood oxygenation, adrenal support and healthy energy levels

  • Probiotics – Sneaking in some probiotics can be great if swallowing capsules is an issue

  • Inulin powder – A prebiotic fibre source which serves as a food to beneficial gut bacteria and doubles as a mild sweetener

  • Medicinal mushrooms – Immune support and adrenal health

  • Collagen peptides – To support skin, joint, hair and nail health

➕ A Spoonful of “Sugar”

Another common myth about fat coffee I hear is that you can’t add sugar. While this is technically true, as the idea is not to spike blood sugar levels, there are a few choice sugar-free options:

1) Xylitol: Xylitol is a sugar alcohol from birch trees and provides an excellent option if you’re looking for a little sweetness. Xylitol is not be over-consumed, as this can lead to digestive distress, but a few teaspoons goes a long way. Added bonus of dopeness: xylitol naturally inhibits the growth of cavity causing bacteria.

2) Stevia drops: Stevia is derived from a South American plant that is naturally far sweeter than sugar. It can have a grassy, bitter taste due to being an herb so look for a high quality extract as opposed to the green leaf stevia powder, at least for using in hot drinks. Now Foods makes a variety of great liquid options, which can be found in many health food shops.

3) Monk Fruit: Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, also known as luo han guo, monk fruit is an amazing no-sugar sweetener. It does not have a bitter aftertaste that some people notice with Stevia drops. Sweet Monk drops are easily the best ones I’ve ever tried.

I hope that this guide has inspired you to try out your very own version of fat coffee. Remember there’s no wrong way, just keep experimenting until you create something worth fasting for!

Happy Sipping.