What is bullet coffee or ghee coffee? And why is this doctor vexed with top Indian actors for endorsing it?

“I’ll tell you how it really works. So, basically, our gut lining is like a muslin cloth. You know the small pores that a muslin cloth has, that’s how it absorbs nutrients. So, when you give fat first thing in the morning, it nicely lines your gut lining and helps you absorb nutrients,” Rakul Preet Kaur said in a video.

Also Read: Stop stressing! Doctors say it can be the reason behind your bloating

Bullet’proof’ coffee 

Bulletproof coffee, also known as butter coffee and ghee coffee, is a high-calorie caffeinated drink made with added fat. It is designed to fuel your day by replacing carbohydrate-heavy breakfasts.

The drink consists of:

• 2 cups (470 mL) of coffee
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of unsalted grass-fed butter or ghee

The ingredients are blended together and served warm, taking on the look of a creamy latte.

Bulletproof coffee was created by Dave Asprey, the creator of the Bulletproof Diet, and has become popular among low-carb and keto diet followers.

Potential benefits of bulletproof coffee include:

• Fueling your day by replacing carb-heavy breakfasts
• Providing healthy fats and possibly Vitamins A and K (if using grass-fed butter/ghee)

Also Read: Have you been told that turmeric will cure that cough/cold? 

But is it really beneficial?

“Absolute hype, no evidence,” said Kerala-based hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, widely recognised as “TheLiverDoc” on X.

He explained that bullet coffee, also called ghee coffee, is black coffee with added clarified butter. He noted that some people even add protein supplements to it.

“Benefits? Nope. It just ruins the benefits of plain black coffee,” he quipped on X.

“Bullet Coffee”

Absolute hype, no evidence.

Bullet coffee also called ghee coffee is black coffee with added clarified butter (some people add protein supplements to it)

Benefits? Nope.
It just ruins the benefits of plain black coffee.

This study showed that bullet coffee… pic.twitter.com/hpsRjFzzFP

— TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) January 18, 2024

Citing scientific research to support his opinion, TheLiverDoc wrote in his post, “This study showed that bullet coffee had no benefits over black coffee except that, unfortunately, it only increased calorie intake (people, we don’t want extra calories).”

Citing another study, he said, “This study showed that consuming bullet proof coffee did nothing to your immune system. So yes, it does not boost your anything.”

“This exhaustive review looked at all the claims of bullet proof coffee and, in particular, there were no significant improvements in cognition, alertness, or energy levels from bulletproof coffee compared to regular coffee. The impact on hunger, satiety, resting energy expenditure, and fat oxidation appeared equivocal, with effects offset by the additional calorie intake of bulletproof coffee. Meaning, bullet coffee is the Mr Hyde version of good old plain black coffee,” Dr Philips said in this post.

Responding to Rakul Preet Kaur’s statement, he said that the intestines is not like “a muslin cloth with pores” and the nutrients don’t just go in and out of pores in the intestines. “That’s not how the physiology of digestion actually works,” he said in his post.

“Stick to regular black coffee minus the added sugar. It is the best. Watch your celeb idols dance. Do not take health advice from them,” Dr Philips concluded.

Also Read: Why is Sonam Kapoor warning people against feeding honey to infants?