Bulletproof Coffee

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PRE POST COMMENTARY: Excuse this grainy photo of poor quality. You can’t always expect glamorous when I’m doing field research for the blog, now can you?

If you’ve heard anything about Bulletproof coffee, you might find the concept a little strange, and possibly gross. I hear ya. It does sound a little bit terrible; adding a chunk of butter to your morning cup of coffee. But if it’s a current food trend, can it really be that bad?

I, for one, am all for food trends; and try to embrace them as much as I can. Well, ones that don’t seem totally ridiculous. I can’t say I’ve ever tried a cronut…but I did go to Holland & Barrett to pick up some matcha green tea powder to get onboard with the green latte gang. I remember picking up a tin of matcha powder in the shop, looking puzzled because it was totally empty. A decoy, if you will. The lady behind the till told me people love to nick the tins, so they keep it behind the counter. Mad. All I could imagine was a load of hipsters stuffing tins into their impressive beards.
‘This must be really magic stuff!’ I thought, as I went home with my overpriced green dust. Needless to say, despite making it with foamed milk, whisking the lumps out first (I’ve watched the tutorials) and giving it a go for a week, Matcha made me feel ill; and the thoughts of it now makes me gag. The half full tin (I’m an optimist, you know) is currently hidden in my house in a drawer somewhere. Let me know if you’d like to take it off my hands.

Anyway…back to the Bulletproof coffee, which has become widespread in recent times due to the rise in popularity of the Paleo diet. The buttery brew was created in 2010 by a guy called Dave Asprey, who on a hiking trip to Tibet was given a cup of tea made with yak butter in -10 degree weather, and said he felt totally rejuvenated. After years of research, he created his own recipe using freshly brewed coffee, grass-fed butter* and coconut oil extract, which is said to improve brain functionality. Bulletproof coffee is apparently great if you’re trying to lose weight, as it provides plenty of energy while supplying your body with good fats. (Bulletproofexec.com)
*Asprey actually makes his Bulletproof coffee with Kerrygold unsalted butter, funnily enough!

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On Friday evening, I went to Oolong Flower Power on Stephen’s Street Lower to try a cup of the stuff. I meant to try it before but kept forgetting, and on a recent trip to Oolong’s with Spanish friends, I saw a sign at the till advertising Bulletproof coffee. Such a simple yet clever sign, as in my mind’s eye I saw it, and knew where I could find me some. Needless to say when I returned on Friday, a few months after seeing the original sign, it was still there, in the exact same spot. Never underestimate the power of a handwritten sign beside the till!

I asked for Bulletproof coffee to go. It comes in just one size, which is quite generous. The barista took her time making it with care, and the price was €3.95. Not bad at all considering:

a) you can pretty much charge anything for a food trend and the curious will still pay it

b) if I went to Starbucks and bought a grande coffee, it would cost more. And this cup was the size of a Starbuck’s grande cup.

I found the coffee very smooth. The same sort of smoothness of coffee made with cream. It tasted like what I would describe as slightly overdone toast, buttered with unsalted butter and thrown in a blender with loads of espresso. I hope that’s specific enough for you.
I hadn’t eaten much that day and I didn’t get shaky or feel in anyway nauseated which can happen when I drink coffee on an empty stomach. Probably because the butter coated my insides in a nice oily blanket. The aftertaste was very nice, and there was no weird mouth sensation or coating (TMI?) which I was apprehensive about.
I did spill some on my hair though (standard) and the ends matted together with a greasy sheen…so that turned me off slightly.

The effects of the coffee were subtle but enjoyable. I had plenty of energy and felt very focused but relaxed. I don’t get agitated from caffeine anyway, so maybe don’t shake your fist at me if you go nuts on buttered coffee. The coffee left me feeling warm cosy and satisfied, so I can see why this would be a good option for a cold winter morning to kickstart your day.

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Overall I enjoyed Bulletproof coffee. I would definitely order it again, probably in the morning, as it feels like a more appropriate and effective time to consume it and reap the benefits.

You can purchase Bulletproof coffee at The Punnet Health Store on Mount Street,  Oolongs Flower Power on Stephen’s Street Lower and Honest to Goodness, 12 Dame Court.

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