Coffee On Keto Absolutely But
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Just about everyone loves coffee.
The get-you-going cup of coffee, first thing in the morning.The midday pick-me-up cup of coffee .The Ive-earned-this stop at Starbucks for a latte or mocha.The perfect-ending cup of coffee after a terrific meal.
For the 62% of Americans who drink coffee daily, it would be difficult to imagine making it through a day without at least one cup of joe. The average coffee drinker has more than three per day.
What happens, though, if they decide to try the keto diet? Its no secret that keto guidelines force most dieters to drastically change the way they eat. Does keto have any effect on the folks who value their coffee even more than they value their ice cream and Big Macs?
Not necessarily. In fact, coffee is one of the best beverages to drink on the ketogenic diet. It provides a lot of health and wellness benefits, too.
But if youre a coffee person getting ready to start keto, there are a lot of asterisks to be aware of.
Coffee On Keto: Benefits And Keto Coffee Ideas
Tags: Coffee, Keto, Keto Drinks
Most people interested in the ketogenic diet are wondering, can I drink coffee on keto?
If youre one of the 62% of Americans who drink coffee daily, the thought of having to give up your morning ritual can be a red line. The good news is that coffee on keto is fantastic, as long as you prepare it in a keto-friendly way. There are even keto coffee ideas that provide extra support for your keto diet goals.
In this article, well look at why coffee on keto is a good idea, the benefits, and how to prepare keto coffee.
Sugar Alternatives That Contain Carbs
Lets first rule out two categories of sugar alternatives.
Natural caloric sweeteners, like maple syrup, coconut sugar and honey, are certainly sweet. Theyre certainly delicious. But theyre also very high in both carbs and calories, just as the word caloric implies. Coconut sugar adds just as many carbs as regular sugar does. Honey adds even more.
So-called sugar alcohols like erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol are lower in calories and carbs than sugar, and do provide other benefits when used as sugar substitutes. For instance, they have low glycemic indexes, so they dont spike blood glucose levels and are safe for diabetics.
Thats why sugar alcohols are the sweeteners commonly found in products labeled sugar-free,diet or low-calorie. Theyre not really produced for the purpose of sweetening coffee, though theyre most often used in packaged and commercial products. But more importantly, low-carb by definition isnt as helpful to keto dieters as no-carb.
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Whats A Keto Bulletproof Coffee
Bulletproof coffee is a popular keto breakfast drink created by Dave Asprey. It replaces your traditional cup of coffee or coffee latte. It is smooth and creamy as a latte coffee but does not contain any milk, sugar, or carbs.
Instead, it contains all the fatty acids you need to produce ketones quickly and keep your energy levels steady.
How To Make Keto Coffee Taste Good Add Some Flavor
Now that you know the basic recipe for bulletproof coffee, its time to personalize it to your taste.
Here are a few things you can add to the above to make it taste like the coffee at your favorite coffee shop:
Add a drop or two of vanilla extract or peppermint extract, or a pinch of cinnamon or even some nutmeg to dress it up a bit. My preference is vanilla, but every once in a while I like cinnamon and nutmeg in my coffee.
To sweeten it with a natural sugar-free sweetener, I am loving monk fruit sweetener these days. My favorite is this So Nourished sweetener.
If you are able to handle artificial sweeteners then I LOVE the multitude of flavors they have over at Skinny Mixes! They have this nice Caramel Trio pack which has my favorite flavors in it! Take 10% off your first order by using this coupon code: KETOGENICWOMAN
UPDATE: These sugar-free syrups now come in a variety of non sucralose flavors! This means that coffee lovers can dress up their keto bulletproof coffee with natural keto sweeteners! See those here!
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So What Does Keto Coffee Do
Keto Coffee is based on the principle that a diet high in fats helps the body hit ketosis quicker. Ketosis is the metabolic state where the body burns fat for energy. Its the goal of many keto dieters who hope to quickly drop pounds.
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, moderate protein diet. It forces the body to burn fat for fuel instead of glucose, the bodys go-to energy source produced from carbs.
When carbs are limited, as is the case with the keto diet, the body begins to break down fat stores while the liver produces ketones, an organic compound that can be used as a backup fuel source. As the body burns more and more fat to meet its daily energy needs, it begins to lose weight.
Keto Coffee is packed with butter and medium-chain triglycerides oil.
The liver produces ketones from these fats but only in periods of restricted carbohydrate intake. So, they arent necessarily immediately converted to ketones.
Additionally, those MCTs help dieters feel full and satiated longer, which can prevent overeating throughout the day.
That, coupled with the caffeine in coffee, can make a keto dieter feel pretty great, Kristen Mancinelli, a registered dietitian and author of The Ketogenic Diet, said.
Some of the results are mental clarity, greater alertness, more energy, less hunger, and greater ability to focus.
Its important to note that these changes are more the result of the caffeine in the coffee rather than the added fat.
What Does Keto Coffee Do To Your Body
Like a standard cup of caffeinated coffee, there are plenty of benefits. These include a boost in energy levels and promoting weight management. However, this blend of keto coffee does even more.
The combination of coconut oil and butter helps promote weight loss, because of its appetite suppression properties. It also promotes good digestion, which can often be an issue when following a low carb diet.
Also Check: Maxwell House Coffee Caffeine Content
Coffee Creamers And The Keto Diet
We already know that adding milk to coffee is a bad idea when youre on the keto diet. Thankfully, there are many great alternatives.
One of the best is a milk by-product, heavy cream . Heavy cream is the top layer of fat thats skimmed from milk before homogenization, and its low-carb when compared to milk.
Theres another benefit to consider. Keto isnt just a low-carb diet, its also a high-fat diet an important fact thats often ignored. And heavy cream is contains lots of fat, making it a great addition to a ketogenic eating plan. Be aware that its also calorie-dense, though, so it should only be consumed in moderation.
Many types of non-dairy milk are even better keto substitutes. Unsweetened nut milks like almond milk, macadamia milk and coconut milk, seed milks like hemp milk and flax milk, and pea protein milk are all very-low-carb. Theyre yummy too, once you get used to them.
There are some non-dairy milks to avoid, however. Avoid carb-heavy grain-based alternatives like oat milk and rice milk, and skip lactose-free, sweetened and flavored milks which all contain added sugar. Soy milk isnt bad in terms of carbs, but it may affect hormone balances.
What about dairy-free or non-dairy creamers? Good question.
For example, Super Coffees gluten-free Super Creamer contains both MCT oil and monk fruit sweetener plus added protein, just like the companys flagship ready-to-drink coffees. Its a recipe inspired by one of the crazes of the low-carb era, keto coffee.
What Makes Keto Crack Coffee So Awesome
- Its super caffeinated. This stuff will get you hoppin like Tuco trying some of Heisenburgs goods for the first time.
- Its full of healthy fats to keep you full.
- It has a nice sweet vanilla flavor without being too strong.
- The almond milk-whipping cream combo is the perfect mixture for a smooth keto coffee treat.
- Its absurdly easy to make.
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Keto Friendly Diet Soda
Soda Diet soda is an option on the keto diet as it contains no carbs and zero calories. If you are looking for a sugar-free option, then consider sparkling water instead. However, you should know that most diet soda contains artificial sweeteners that arent consider the most healthy for your body or digestive system as they can cause inflammation. Here are some diet soda options that you can have on the Keto Diet:
- Diet Coke
- Dr. Pepper Zero
What Does Bulletproof Coffee Do
Before we dive deeper into the ingredients that make up bulletproof coffee, lets dive into why people drink it. If youre anything like me, you might be wondering why anyone would 1) put their coffee in a blender and 2) associate coffee and butter, in any way whatsoever. But trust me, the two pair better together than you might think!
Bulletproof coffee is essentially designed to:
- Replace your breakfast in the morning
- Curb your hunger and keep you full for hours
- Promote mental clarity and focus
- Increase your energy levels
Okay, now lets talk about the individual ingredients.
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What Is The Keto Diet
A quick primer on the ketogenic diet: this low-carb diet requires you to slash your carb intake and replace it with foods that are high in fat. Specifically, no more than 1% of your daily diet can be carbohydrates, and only 20% can be protein. By eating foods high in fat, you force your body to burn fat and convert it into energy, a state called ketosis.
Can I Add Cream Or Sugar To Keto Coffee
Sugar is strictly prohibited on a keto diet, so you arent going to be able to add it to your coffee. Thats why scrumptious treats like Ice-Blended® drinks arent a viable option while sticking to a keto diet. Feel free to add sweeteners that contain no sugar and no carbs.
However, you still have some options to add a dash of something sweet to your keto coffee. The fat-centric diet welcomes a hearty dollop of heavy cream. While trying the keto diet, stick to natural, high-fat foods to try to stay full for longer. If you are adhering to the Bulletproof diet, grass-fed butter is also a viable option for sweetening keto coffee.
Transform your health with the keto diet, or at least see what life is like when you dont eat pasta five times a week. For your morning rush of coffee goodness, stop by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® near you and order an iced coffee or our brew of the day.
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How To Drink Coffee On Keto
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If you are on a committed keto, your diet can be a little restricting. There are many things you cannot take on a keto diet. Fortunately, coffee is among one of the foods you can take. There are many ways to take your coffee, some more suitable for keto than others.
Ways You Can Drink Coffee While On Keto
Drink your coffee black
Plain coffee is great, especially when you are on a keto diet. With plain coffee, you get all the benefits of coffee without added sugar. Coffee contains caffein, antioxidants, sugar and gives you increase energy throughout the day.
Black is the healthiest way to drink your coffee while on keto because it contains very little calories and without added sugar, will not boost your sugar levels. For an elevated coffee, try using original arabica beans when making your black coffee.
Bulletproof coffee
Bulletproof coffee, also known as butter coffee or keto coffee is not that different form normal coffee. It is basically regular coffee with added fat in the form of ghee, butter, heavy cream or MCT oil. These fats are meant to encourage ketosis and increase fullness.
Keto creamer
Can you have creamer on your coffee while on keto diet?
Absolutely! it just depends on what type of creamers you use on your coffee.
If you want to keep up with your keto diet, the best thing to do would be to give up on milk. This is because milk contains lactose and sugar. Thankfully, there are plenty of milk and cream options that will turn a plain cup of coffee into a delicious creamy drink.
MCT oil
Adding MCT oil is a great way to make your coffee fit into your diet. MCT is known to boost the health benefits that come with coffee. How does it work? Just like coffee it is absorbed and used for energy.
Use grass fed butter
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Should I Drink Bulletproof Coffee If I Am Not On Keto
Since fat slows down your digestion, adding fat to your coffee creates a feeling of fullness and keeps your blood sugar level steady for longer.
It means that the benefits of adding fat or butter in coffee are great for anyone, not only people on a keto diet.
However, keep in mind that bulletproof coffees are high in saturated fat, and not suitable for people with cholesterol or some other health issues.
Also, if your body is not fat-adapted, meaning it is not used to using ketones as a source of energy, it wont have the weight-loss benefits it brings to someone following a keto diet.
Does Coffee Increase Ketosis
A dose-dependent dose of caffeine, provided breakfast, markedly boosted the level of ketone production , plasma levels of protein supplementation and serum ethanol secretion . While there is still a great deal of research pending, it is not clear if caffeine provides long-term ketogenic effects or enhances them.
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Does Bulletproof Coffee Break Your Keto Fast
Its the most common question on a keto diet. Technically, yes any calorie can break a fast. However, on a keto diet, fat is your fuel. So if you only consume pure fat, no protein, no carbs during your fast, you wont break it.
It means that drinking bulletproof coffee wont hurt your fast at all. You will simply add more energy to your body and fullness that help you last your fast longer! So yes, you can drink one bulletproof coffee while fasting.
This will boost your fat-burning metabolism and help you fast longer without feeling hungry too quickly.
How To Make Keto Coffee
Making keto coffee is extremely easy. Theres only a couple of steps.
Put all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until well combined. If you dont have all the ingredients on hand, then you may choose to only go with grass-fed butter and/or coconut oil, for example, with the black coffee. But the combo of all the ingredients raises the health quotient for this coffee.
Pour into your favorite coffee mug.
Sprinkle on a little cinnamon and prepare to enjoy your first keto coffee! If you need a little extra flavor or sweetness, you can add a dash of pure vanilla extract without increasing the carb content of the recipe drastically.
If youre consistently struggling to add extra protein and fat to your daily diet without increasing your carb count, consider adding this keto coffee to your normal rotation of keto recipes.
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How Does Caffeine Work
If youve read this far youre probably a real coffee lover. But do you know how the caffeine in coffee actually works to give you that energy boost?
Caffeine is active in the brain by binding to adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine is a chemical that builds up in the brain throughout the day. The more strenuous our mental and physical work, the more adenosine accrues. When it binds to the A1 receptor, we feel relaxed and sleepy.
Caffeine also binds to the A2A receptor, enhancing the release of dopamine which adds to the feeling of stimulation and motivation .
Importance Of Coffee For A Keto Diet
Luckily for everyone, although the keto diet may seem strict, there is no need to give up coffee on your daily dose of caffeine. There are many benefits to coffee while working out or on a diet, as mentioned in our previous blog. The caffeine in coffee not only contains antioxidants and nutrients, but also gives you increased energy to go about your day. Coffee and caffeine can aid the breakdown of body fats as shown in this research, which help your body while on the Keto diet.
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How Much Caffein Can You Drink A Day While On Keto
You should take enough coffee to boost your metabolism, and keep you fresh and motivated without adding any undesirable effects. Approximately 4 cups of coffee a day should manage to help you keep that balance. However, this counts only for black coffee.
To help you manage your diet, you should limit the amount of creamer you add to your coffee. Using a tablespoon of coffee will reduce the amount of carbs you take in every time you have coffee.
Final wordKeto coffee is great, creamy and buttery. However, there are limits to how much creamy coffee you can take daily. The bitter or fat in your coffee still has calories and taking too much may exceed your calorie limit for the day. However, you can take I as a replacement for breakfast to give you the much-needed energy boost throughout the day.