Bulletproof coffee pros and cons: Can coffee with butter help you lose weight? What experts say

Bulletproof coffee can give you an instant energy boost in the morning and help you feel satiated for a long time. But can it really help with weight loss?

Bulletproof coffee, freshly brewed frothy drink with butter, is fast catching up as a trend among wellness enthusiasts. The morning drink has found approval from an array of Indian celebs like Bhumi Pednekar, Sidharth Malhotra, Rakulpreet, and Jacqueline Fernandez who are often clicked posing with this daily cuppa. American entrepreneur and author Dave Asprey invented the recipe while hiking mountains in Tibet and over the years the drink has found huge acceptance among health-conscious people. The connoisseurs of bulletproof coffee or bullet coffee claim it kills craving for food, aids weight loss, energises body and makes you alert. Despite this, experts are divided over the beverage's so-called health benefits. (Also read: Best time to have black coffee according to expert; know all benefits)

Butter coffee or bulletproof coffee has become a hot favourite among celebrities with many of them starting their day with it (Photo: Shutterstock)

"Butter coffee or bulletproof coffee has become a hot favourite among celebrities with many of them starting their day with it. It keeps you full for long as it is high in fat, and the high-fat content takes care of gut over a plain coffee taken on empty stomach. It’s a high fat and calorie drink, giving a kickstart to the day, keeping you full for long and serve as a replacement to breakfast. Individuals on keto diet/athletes may use this as a breakfast replacer. Individuals with any clinical condition/co-morbidities should be careful before opting," Upasana Sharma, Head Dietician, Max Hospital, Gurugram.

Just a fad diet?

While people are loving this new weight loss trend, it may backfire because of low micronutrients and high amounts of fat which could harm people with chronic diseases or cholesterol issues.

"If you are looking to follow the trend, it's better to do some research first. Because bulletproof coffee is very low in micronutrients; if you usually have 3 meals and then replace one with bulletproof coffee, your micronutrient intake may reduce by about one third. A breakfast that is not extremely high in Glycaemic Index (GI) or completely ultra-processed will be much better," says nutritionist Bhuvan Rastogi in his recent Instagram post.

"Any diet irrespective of the part of the day it is consumed, should be well-balanced, consisting of right amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fats, micronutrients and fibre. The recent fad of having ‘butter coffee’ instead of breakfast is nowhere close to fulfilling the above criteria of ‘well-balanced’ diet. Butter coffee is coffee blended with butter and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil which is only rich in high doses of fat and lacks several other essential nutrients. This only can help you stay energetic through the day, reduce your appetite but significantly reduce your total nutrient intake that your body needs for healthy functioning," says Sameena Ansari - Senior Dietitian & Nutritionist, CARE Hospitals, Hi-Tec City, Hyderabad.

How bullet coffee helps boost energy

"When you consume bulletproof coffee, two things happen. Caffeine kills the feeling of hunger and provides false satiety. Oil/butter/fat fills you as it's a calorie-dense ingredient. Depending on the fat quality it can have some benefits too. With these two effects combined, you don't feel hungry and get that caffeine induced kick of energy. So, it's a convenient energy booster, and you feel great initially," says Rastogi.

Studies indicate that keto or low-carb diets that usually include bulletproof coffee can lead to high cholesterol levels. The effects are worse initially and should be avoided if high cholesterol is a pre-existing issue.

Side effects of bulletproof coffee

"It's low in nutrients. Bulletproof coffee can provide some micronutrients, but not much. The best quality fat used in bulletproof coffee is grass-fed butter, which offers some nutrition, but it's negligible compared to what any decent breakfast can provide. It may lead to higher cholesterol levels initially. Bulletproof coffee is very high in fats, to the point that it could replace a meal. And the extremely high fat-intake induced by the daily dose of coffee can lead to high cholesterol levels

Can bullet coffee raise cholesterol levels?

Studies indicate that keto or low-carb diets that usually include bulletproof coffee can lead to high cholesterol levels. The effects are worse initially and should be avoided if high cholesterol is a pre-existing issue," adds Rastogi.

Agrees Ansari who says butter coffee is high in fat content with butter and oil being the key ingredients and one's intake of saturated fats may increase leading to weight gain, higher cholesterol levels, increased risk of heart and other health ailments if consumed on a daily basis.

"Our recommendation, especially for the Indian population where the consumption of oil, ghee and butter is already on higher side, is to stick to a well-balanced and healthy diet, instead of going after such internet famed poor diet substitutes, with no scientific credibility or proven evidence of positive outcomes," says Ansari.

Rastogi cautions that if you are not using bulletproof coffee as a breakfast/meal replacement, the high calorific value (due to fats) can lead to higher caloric consumption and weight gain.

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