Why Putting Butter In Your Coffee Is Healthy

a natural source of CLA
Read Time: [8-9 minutes] 

Who doesn't love a nice hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning to not only jump-start their day but also their colon? What if you could "upgrade" it and make it into a fat-burning, brain-charging beverage?
Please, continue...
Here's a brief history lesson on coffee first:

Coffee cultivation began around the 15th century in southern Arabia. The Sufi shrines of Yemen are the earliest known place where coffee-drinking was an everyday thing1.


earliest known place where coffee-drinking was an everyday thing
Coffee from the Sufi shrines of  Mocha, Yemen
Coffee comes from the Arabic word "qua," which literally means "power, energy"2.

Believe it or not, green coffee beans are one of the highest traded agricultural products in the world3.


Perhaps, Dr. Oz played a small role in that?




In order to "upgrade" your coffee you will need two things:


1. 100% grass-fed butter.


2. Organic, virgin coconut oil.


Bulletproof Coffee gets all the credit for this idea, but charging $40 for about a month's supply of their coffee4 is straight-up highway robbery. They also don't even include the research done on the ingredients listed in their products or even cite anything that correlates with the ridiculous claims they make.

Bulletproof Coffee

They even state that their Brain Octane Oil is "18x Stronger" than Coconut Oil. That's cool and all, but where are the lab tests done to prove this? Nowhere on their website does it state any of these bogus claims used to falsely advertise their products.

After a thorough search on their website, all I could find was an online sign-up to participate in their "research" at Stanford University, where they compare Bulletproof Coffee vs. regular coffee. Keep in mind that you have to first buy all the necessary supplies to participate. Don't you worry, though, the first 100 to sign-up get a free bag of their precious coffee?


I get to be apart of scientific research and get my caffeine fix?! Wow, what a great deal! 
Calm down and wait just a second. If you follow their sign-up link, you'll notice the page is not even dated. Who knows if they already reached their "first 100" participant count or not.

So, basically, what you're saying is it's just a cheap way to gather a bunch of emails? 


You can be the judge of that.


Okay, I get it. Bulletproof isn't foolproof and it's basically a huge marketing scheme. Where's the best place to buy these ingredients then?
I get my grass-fed butter at the local supermarket for $6 (Kerrygold) and my coconut oil in a gallon tub off amazon for $60. This will last for a while and save you tons of money per serving.

pure Irish butter
Kerrygold grass-fed butter
So, why grass-fed butter? Can't I just spray that butter mist that Fabio endorses on my coffee?
I can't believe it's not butter!

Remember, when cows eat grass instead of grains, they produce CLA. So, not only are you getting the fat-burning capabilities5,6,7 from the CLA inside the butter, but you're also getting a darn good creamer too.

(Please remember, this is the naturally sourced CLA, NOT the highly processed, synthetically derived safflower oil that is manufactured by supplement companies.)


To be honest, a tablespoon each of grass-fed butter and coconut oil might be the best thing you will ever put in your coffee. Give it a shot tomorrow morn --


Wait a second! My teacher told me coconut oil is full of HORRIBLE saturated fats!!!! 
Calm yourself and listen carefully...

Yes, coconut oil comprises 95% saturated fats, but not all saturated fats are created equal. 


You see, it all depends on their carbon chain length. There are short, medium, and long-chain triglycerides. Each one of these is metabolized differently in the body.

The Fat Pyramid

Short-chains have less than 6 carbon's and are rapidly absorbed by the liver. They are extremely healthy for the body's gastrointestinal tract as they may cut the risk of certain types of colon cancers9.

A good source of this type of fat is the omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid or ALA. This fatty acid is found in the dietary fiber in plant foods such as chia seeds and flaxseeds. The fiber from these sources ferment in the large intestine and produce several products, one being butyrate. 


Recent studies have shown butyrate to reduce the chance of colon cancer by nourishing the mucosa in the colon and promoting cell apoptosis10, also known as programmed cell death. Apoptosis can also occur from consuming CLA11


This is a critical bodily process that needs to be properly regulated. Too much, and you have atrophy or wasting away of tissue. Too little, and you have uncontrolled cell proliferation or growth, which can lead to cancer.

Well, that's some great info on short-chain fats! I'm sure the long-chain are even better because they're longer, right?
I'm sorry, my friend, but they are the complete opposite in terms of the word "healthy."

Long-chain triglycerides have 16 or more carbons and are metabolized differently than short-chains.


An example of a long-chain would be America's favorite rapeseed oil, better known as canola oil. The "can" part stands for Canada, and "ola" means oil12.


Hey, that's what my mom cooks with!
Yes, it is often cooked with since it was deemed a "healthy" alternative to butter years ago as it has unsaturated fats, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids. The process from which canola oil is made literally destroys all the healthy omega-3's and leaves you with a nice big bottle of processed oil with a ton of omega-6 long-chain fatty acids. 

So, what happens if you eat a diet that's full of these omega-6 fatty acids?
When you eat a diet with a greater ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, you can literally shift your body's physiological state in the tissues toward the cause of many chronic diseases we see today. These include prothrombotic, proinflammatory, and proconstrictive13. An excess of omega-6's from canola oil and other highly processed vegetable oils can actually interfere with the tremendous health benefits of omega-3's because they compete for the same enzymatic pathways. Believe it or not, the average ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the Western diet is about 16:114.



For your body to metabolize these long-chain fats, it needs bile salts. Once they are digested, they are then absorbed into the lymphatic system and packaged into chylomicrons transporting these fatty acids to yummy adipose tissue for storage. This is where "burning off fat" comes from, but who wants to add fat to their body only to burn it off later? Why not just directly burn it as soon as you consume it?


Medium chains do this and are absorbed directly into the bloodstream. They are then shipped to the liver to be metabolized for energy via Beta-Oxidation. They are not stored in those delicious love handles because they are readily used to make energy.


Coconut oil is full of these Medium-chain Triglycerides or MCTs. Same with avocados, but don't go brewing up a guacamole espresso anytime soon. The taste is no Bueno.


The benefits of consuming MCTs are absolutely endless. From fat loss15,16 to helping with diabetes17, MCTs are a must to consume every day in your diet. 


MCT's are naturally found in coconut oil
In one of the fat loss studies15, a university hospital in Sweden performed a double-blind study where they took 66 obese women with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more and divided them into three separate groups. 

All the groups were placed on an isoenergetic (578.5 kcal) 
very low-calorie diet (VLCD), combined with either MCTs, LCTs, or low-fat and high-carbohydrate regimen. The diet was monitored over 4 weeks. The participant's body composition was measured with a DEXA scan, and their appetite/satiety was recorded daily. 


As you might have guessed, the MCT group showed a greater decrease in body weight, especially during the first 2 weeks. Hunger feelings were also less intense while satiety (feeling of fullness) was increased.


Wow, so these medium chain fats are the best then?
That's right. Besides the kind help with weight loss, MCTs have been shown in recent research to help treat Alzheimer's18,19 and help with memory support20, so make sure to tell gramps that. Don't worry; he will get better and better at remembering to take his coconut oil as time goes on.

Lastly, coconut oil has lauric and caprylic acid. These acids have antiviral and anti-fungal properties. Lauric acid is present in breast milk, but I believe you stopped doing that years ago, I hope.


With over 100 million Americans drinking coffee and 65% of them adding cream and sugar to their cup21, why not try this healthy alternative and substitute it with coconut oil and grass-fed butter? It'll help promote weight loss, give your brain a memory boost, and an excellent way to get your healthy fats for the day!


I truly wonder what the obesity rates would look like in America if adopted at all Starbucks...


making fun of unhealthy coffees



References

1. Weinberg & Bealer 2001, pp. 3–4
2. Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "coffee, n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1891.
3. Mussatto, Solange I.; Machado, Ercília M. S.; Martins, Silvia; Teixeira, José A. (2011). "Production, Composition, and Application of Coffee and Its Industrial Residues". Food and Bioprocess Technology 4 (5): 661–72.
4. "Coffee Starter Kit - Brain Octane Edition." Coffee Starter Kit - Brain Octane Edition. Web. 03 June 2016. http://www.bulletproof.com/coffee-starter-kit-brain-octane-edition.
5. Effect of conjugated linoleic acid supplementation on weight loss and body fat composition in a Chinese population. Chen SC, Lin YH, Huang HP, Hsu WL, Houng JY, Huang CK. Nutrition. 2012 May;28(5):559-65. DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2011.09.008. Epub 2012 Jan 20.
6. Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat mass in overweight and obese humans. Blankson H, Stakkestad JA, Fagertun H, Thom E, Wadstein J, Gudmundsen O. J Nutr. 2000 Dec;130(12):2943-8.
7. Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on body fat accretion in overweight or obese children. Racine NM, Watras AC, Carrel AL, Allen DB, McVean JJ, Clark RR, O'Brien AR, O'Shea M, Scott CE, Schoeller DA. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May;91(5):1157-64. DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28404. Epub 2010 Mar 3.
8. Comparison of dietary conjugated linoleic acid with safflower oil on body composition in obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Norris LE, Collene AL, Asp ML, Hsu JC, Liu LF, Richardson JR, Li D, Bell D, Osei K, Jackson RD, Belury MA. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Sep;90(3):468-76. DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.27371. Epub 2009 Jun 17.
9. Comprehensive Suppression of All Apoptosis-Induced Proliferation Pathways as a Proposed Approach to Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Therapy. Bordonaro, Michael et al. Ed. Maria Cristina Vinci. PLoS ONE 9.12 (2014): e115068. PMC. Web. 3 June 2016.
10. Colonic health: fermentation and short-chain fatty acids. Wong JM, de Souza R, Kendall CW, Emam A, Jenkins DJ. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2006 Mar;40(3):235-43. Review.
11. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation reduces adipose tissue by apoptosis and develops lipodystrophy in mice. Tsuboyama-Kasaoka N, Takahashi M, Tanemura K, Kim HJ, Tange T, Okuyama H, Kasai M, Ikemoto S, Ezaki O. Diabetes. 2000 Sep;49(9):1534-42.
12. Curran, Oisin. "What Is Canola Oil?" HowStuffWorks. Infospace, LLC, 15 June 2010. Web. 03 June 2016.
13. Simopoulos, A.P. (2003). "Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids: Evolutionary Aspects". In Simopoulos, Artemis P.; Cleland, Leslie G. Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acid Ratio: The Scientific Evidence. World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics 92. pp. 1–22.
14. Simopoulos, A.P (2002). "The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids". Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 56 (8): 365–79.
15. Value of VLCD supplementation with medium-chain triglycerides.Krotkiewski M. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Sep;25(9):1393-400
16. Endogenous fat oxidation during medium chain versus long-chain triglyceride feeding in healthy women. Papamandjaris AA, White MD, Raeini-Sarjaz M, Jones PJ. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Sep;24(9):1158-66.
17. Effects of dietary medium-chain triglyceride on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in a group of moderately overweight free-living type 2 diabetic Chinese subjects. Han JR, Deng B, Sun J, Chen CG, Corkey BE, Kirkland JL, Ma J, Guo W. Metabolism. 2007 Jul;56(7):985-91.
18. Can ketones compensate for deteriorating brain glucose uptake during aging? Implications for the risk and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Cunnane SC, Courchesne-Loyer A, St-Pierre V, Vandenberghe C, Pierotti T, Fortier M, Croteau E, Castellano CA. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016 Mar;1367(1):12-20. doi: 10.1111/nyas.12999. Epub 2016 Jan 14
19. Role of Medium Chain Triglycerides (Axona®) in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease. Sharma A, Bemis M, Desilets AR. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2014 Aug;29(5):409-14. doi: 10.1177/1533317513518650. Epub 2014 Jan 9.
20. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cognition in a college-aged population. Karr JE, Grindstaff TR, Alexander JE. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol. 2012 Jun;20(3):236-42. doi: 10.1037/a0026945. Epub 2012 Jan 16.
21. "Coffee Drinking Statistics." Statistic Brain RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Aug. 2014.