Biohacking Coffee For Ketosis: Maximizing Your Morning Brew

Coffee is a biohacking tool that can be used to improve your health and well-being. Biohacking is a term for using biology-supported tricks to change your body chemistry and optimise your biological functions. One of the most popular ways to biohack coffee is to add proteins and fats to it, boosting energy levels and reducing hunger cravings. This can be done by adding butter, ghee, or medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) to your coffee. This is also known as Bulletproof Coffee, which is a blend of high-quality coffee, MCT oil, and grass-fed ghee (or butter) that offers sustained energy, increased satiety, and cognitive function support.

Add butter or ghee to your coffee

Adding butter or ghee to your coffee is a great way to biohack your morning brew. This simple tweak to your morning routine can have a significant impact on your health and well-being.

Butter coffee, also known as keto coffee, is a popular beverage among those following a ketogenic diet. It is made by blending together brewed coffee, butter or ghee, and sometimes MCT oil or coconut oil. This combination of caffeine and fats can provide you with sustained energy and help you feel full for longer, making it an excellent option for those practising intermittent fasting.

When making butter coffee, it is recommended to use grass-fed butter to maximise the nutritional benefits. The increase in the amount of fresh grass in a cow's diet leads to butter with improved consistency and nutritional properties, including higher levels of vitamin K2 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Additionally, using a high-speed blender is essential to ensure that the butter and oils are evenly dispersed throughout the coffee. A blender such as a Nutribullet can help create a light and creamy texture, whereas simply stirring the ingredients may result in a pool of oil floating on top.

For those with dairy intolerances, ghee, which is clarified butter, can be a good alternative. Ghee often makes digestion easier and, according to some sources, may be even more keto-friendly than butter due to its lower sugar content.

So, if you're looking for a delicious and healthy way to boost your energy levels and keep hunger at bay, give butter or ghee coffee a try! It might just become your new morning ritual.

Try a vegan keto coffee

If you're vegan and on the keto diet, you can still enjoy a delicious and creamy cup of bulletproof coffee. Here's a recipe for a vegan keto coffee that will keep you full and focused for hours. This recipe replaces the butter or ghee in the original bulletproof coffee recipe with plant-based fats, making it vegan-friendly.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of brewed strong black coffee
• 1 tablespoon of cacao butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon of MCT oil (or unrefined coconut oil)
• 1-2 teaspoons of granulated sweetener (optional)

Instructions:

• Melt the cacao butter over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly until fully melted.
• Add the hot brewed coffee, melted cacao butter, and MCT oil to a blender. If you prefer a sweeter coffee, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of erythritol or a few stevia drops.
• Blend on high speed until the coffee mixture becomes creamy and frothy.
• If you don't have a blender, you can use an immersion blender or milk frother in a tall mug to combine the ingredients.

This vegan bulletproof coffee is a perfect breakfast drink to start your day. It provides your body with energy and helps you stay in ketosis, all while being dairy-free and sugar-free.

Avoid sugar, creamer, or milk

When biohacking your coffee to align with a keto diet, it is important to avoid adding sugar, creamer, or milk. These substances can negate the health benefits of coffee, so it is best to stick to black coffee.

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that can increase your blood glucose levels and insulin resistance, which can kick your body out of ketosis. Creamers, on the other hand, often contain around 3g of sugar per serving and not much else. While they may make your coffee taste better, they do not align with the keto diet.

Instead of sugar or creamer, consider adding healthy fats to your coffee, such as butter or medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These options are keto-friendly and can help boost your energy levels while reducing hunger cravings. MCTs are a healthy fat that supports a thriving metabolism and increased energy. Butter, specifically grass-fed ghee, can add a rich, creamy texture to your coffee while providing essential nutrients like vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid.

If giving up sugar or creamer seems daunting, don't worry! It is a simple habit to break, and you can start by gradually reducing the amount of sugar you add to your coffee over a few days. Soon enough, you won't crave sugar in your coffee, and you'll be reaping the benefits of a keto-friendly coffee.

Drink decaf after 2 pm

Drinking decaf coffee after 2 pm is a great way to continue enjoying your coffee without the negative side effects of caffeine.

Decaf coffee is a good option for those who want to limit their caffeine intake for personal or health reasons. It is also a great choice for those who are sensitive to caffeine and experience jitters or anxiety. Decaf coffee typically contains up to 97% less caffeine than regular coffee, with only about 2 mg of caffeine per cup, compared to 95 mg in a standard cup of coffee.

However, it is important to note that even decaf coffee is not completely caffeine-free. Therefore, consuming decaf coffee close to bedtime may still cause sleep issues for some people. This is because caffeine is a stimulant that can make you feel more awake and disrupt your sleep. It takes about 4 to 6 hours for your body to metabolize half of the caffeine you've consumed. So, if you have a cup of decaf coffee at dinnertime, it could still impact your sleep later that night.

To avoid any potential sleep disturbances, it is recommended to enjoy your decaf coffee in the morning or early afternoon. This way, you can still get your coffee fix without compromising your sleep quality.

Additionally, when biohacking your decaf coffee, you can consider adding healthy fats and vitamins to boost its nutritional value. For example, adding a dollop of ghee or butter to your decaf coffee can provide you with healthy fats and vitamins A, D, E, and K. These additions can help curb hunger and provide a natural energy boost to kickstart your day.

So, if you're looking to reduce your caffeine intake, decaf coffee is a great option, but be mindful of the timing of your last cup for the day to ensure a restful night's sleep.

Add MCT oil to your coffee

Adding MCT oil to your coffee is a great way to biohack your morning brew and make it work for you. MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides, which are a type of dietary fat. These medium-chain triglycerides are quickly broken down and sent to the liver, rather than being stored as fat. This is why MCT oil is commonly used by people following a ketogenic diet.

The liver turns these triglycerides into ketones, which are used as fuel for the body and brain. This process is known as ketosis, and it is a key aspect of the keto diet. By adding MCT oil to your coffee, you are providing your body with an additional source of ketones, which can boost your energy levels and help you stay in ketosis.

MCT oil also has a number of other health benefits. It has been linked to weight loss, improved cognitive function, and reduced insulin resistance and inflammation. It may also help to reduce food cravings, as one of the fatty acids in MCT oil helps to regulate the hormone that makes you feel hungry. Additionally, MCT oil can provide an energy boost during athletic workouts and has antibacterial and antifungal properties.

When adding MCT oil to your coffee, it is important to start with a small amount and gradually increase it over several days. You can also add other healthy fats such as butter or ghee to your coffee, which can further enhance the benefits. However, it is important to note that bulletproof coffee, or keto coffee, is high in calories, so it should be consumed in moderation.

Frequently asked questions