Productivityist Practices is a new series where I spend an extended period of time – usually three months – with a particular approach, product, or service. At the end of the trial, I’ll decide whether or not I want to keep it as part of my routine, adjust it so that it might fit better into my routine, or ditch it altogether. The purpose of these experiments is to thoroughly test and review things so that you, the reader, don’t necessarily have to. Enjoy!
Bulletproof Coffee is a drink that has been widely touted by Dave Asprey, The Bulletproof Executive. I met Dave at SXSW and thought I’d give the connection a try after reading more about it. Bulletproof Coffee is a mixture of coffee (ideally mycotoxin-free coffee), two tablespoons of grass-fed butter, and two tablespoons of MCT oil. You can learn how to make it right from the source.
Before I dive into what I’ve noticed during my Bulletproof Coffee experiment – which has lasted for nearly three months at this point – I’ll walk you through my morning process in terms of where the Bulletproof Coffee fit in:
- Wake up.
- Splash water on my face.
- Drink a glass of water.
- Make a Bulletproof Coffee with my AeroPress using the recommended beans during work days and make a regular AeroPress coffee with other beans during non-work days.
- Enjoy my coffee of choice while reading and (eventually) writing.
Now, about my discovery during this Bulletproof Coffee experiment…
First off, I actually like the taste of it. As someone who is big on black coffee, this took me by surprise. I didn’t think the creaminess of it would sit well with me, but it does. I don’t drink it every day – I drink regular coffee on my Daddy Duty days and on Saturdays – but when I do, I rather enjoy it.
Secondly, I have noticed that I’m not as hungry after drinking it. I presume that’s due to the butter and MCT oil. I can usually wait longer to eat on the days I start off my morning with Bulletproof Coffee, although I rarely do. I still have a shake/blend made in our NutriBullet on most days after drinking my Bulletproof Coffee. I don’t think it’d be the best for me to simply get by on the coffee alone.
Thirdly, I didn’t really notice a difference between the beans that came with the kit and the ones I’v bought since. I think the key is to use high-quality beans, and I’ve been doing that for the most part. I also didn’t bother with a Vitamix blender. I’ve been using a normal household blender (read: cheap) to make my morning drink. To be fair, the first blender didn’t last very long, but the new one seems to show promise. It’s designed to deal with warm liquids better, so it should stand up to the rigors of blending my coffee four times a week.
I’ve read criticisms about Bulletproof Coffee in terms of taste and they don’t fly with me. It taxes more like coffee than I thought it would, albeit very creamy coffee. As for the health benefits, I’d say I haven’t been affected positively or negatively by it at this juncture. Perhaps that’s because I haven’t used it as breakfast replacement but simply as my morning coffee replacement. However, I also haven’t had my cholesterol looked at since starting my Bulletproof Coffee trial, and some research on that matter does concern me. An article published by Authority Nutrition has made me think twice about continuing with the trial, as I’ve not noticed anything drastic in my energy levels since drinking it. I’m not sure if the slight benefits (for me, at least) outweigh the reported risks.
(To be clear, there is no clear evidence on either side of the argument about the possible risks of drinking Bulletproof Coffee regularly. It’s definitely worth researching for yourself to see what argument you tend to side with more despite the lack of clear evidence.)
After drinking Bulletproof Coffee for several weeks now, I’m going to take a break from it for a while. I want to see if I notice any change in my energy levels, and I’d like to spend more time doing research on it before taking it up again. Folks like Tim Ferriss, Ari Meisel, and Dave Asprey himself are far more versed in the aspect of personal productivity known as “bio-hacking,” and I largely look to them for new ideas and innovations in that space. But for now Bulletproof Coffee leaves me with more questions than answers, and that means it needs to be removed from my daily routine.
If you’ve given Bulletproof Coffee a try, I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
