The Benefits of Putting Butter in Your Coffee Explained

November 8, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 1,000 years ago, Ethiopians consumed crushed coffee beans mixed with animal fat for stamina, a practice that has evolved into the modern health trend known as butter coffee. This high-fat beverage, popularized as Bulletproof Coffee, is gaining traction for its purported benefits of putting butter in your coffee, moving beyond mere anecdotal evidence with some scientific backing.

Quick Summary

This article explores the potential health benefits of adding butter to your coffee, including sustained energy, increased satiety, and improved mental focus, particularly for those on a ketogenic diet. It examines the nutritional components of butter coffee, like MCTs, and provides a balanced view of both the advantages and possible drawbacks, along with comparisons to other common coffee additions.

Key Points

Sustained Energy: The fat content in butter coffee slows caffeine absorption, providing a smooth, lasting energy boost without a crash.
Appetite Control: High fat levels promote satiety and help reduce hunger and cravings, supporting weight management efforts.
Enhanced Focus: MCTs convert into ketones that fuel the brain, potentially improving mental clarity and cognitive performance, especially for keto dieters.
Keto Friendly: As a low-carb, high-fat drink, it helps individuals on a ketogenic diet reach and maintain ketosis.
Rich Flavor Profile: When properly blended, butter creates a creamy, rich, and palatable texture that can reduce coffee's bitterness.
High in Calories: Butter coffee is a high-calorie drink that could lead to weight gain if not properly accounted for in your daily diet.
Potential Digestive Issues: Some individuals may experience stomach upset or discomfort as their body adjusts to the high fat content.

A Rich History: The Origins of Butter Coffee

While the recent resurgence of butter coffee may seem like a modern health hack, the practice has ancient roots. Historically, various cultures have combined fats with caffeinated beverages to boost energy and promote satiety, especially in high-altitude regions. The more recent trend in the West was popularized by entrepreneur Dave Asprey, who created the trademarked 'Bulletproof Coffee' after being inspired by yak butter tea in Tibet.

His version typically includes coffee, grass-fed butter, and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil, a combination that has garnered a significant following, particularly among those on ketogenic and low-carb diets. Blending the ingredients is key to creating a creamy, emulsified drink, avoiding a greasy layer of butter floating on top.

The Primary Benefits of Adding Butter to Your Coffee

Adding fat to your morning coffee can provide several advantages, though many claims are still supported primarily by anecdotal evidence or research on the individual components rather than the combined beverage.

1. Sustained Energy and Reduced Caffeine Crash

One of the most frequently cited benefits is a prolonged, steady release of energy without the jittery spike and subsequent crash often associated with black coffee. The fats in butter and MCT oil slow down the absorption of caffeine into your system. This effect provides a more gradual and sustained energy boost throughout the morning, helping to maintain productivity for longer periods.

2. Enhanced Satiety and Appetite Control

For those managing their weight or practicing intermittent fasting, butter coffee can be an effective tool. The high-fat content promotes a strong sense of fullness, which can help curb cravings and reduce hunger pangs until your next meal. This increased satiety can lead to a lower overall calorie intake later in the day, potentially aiding weight loss goals.

3. Improved Mental Clarity and Focus

The combination of caffeine and healthy fats is believed to boost cognitive function. MCTs are rapidly converted into ketones, which the brain can use as a quick and efficient fuel source. This process is particularly beneficial for those in ketosis, where the brain adapts to using fat for energy. While research is mixed on whether butter coffee itself offers benefits beyond its individual components, many users report increased focus and mental sharpness.

4. Support for Ketogenic Diets

As a zero-carbohydrate beverage, butter coffee is a staple for those following a ketogenic diet. It helps boost daily fat intake and can aid in reaching or maintaining ketosis, the metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel. MCT oil, in particular, is highly ketogenic and can help ease the transition into ketosis, sometimes referred to as minimizing the 'keto flu'.

5. Rich, Creamy Flavor

For many, the appeal is simply the taste. Blended properly, butter coffee develops a rich, frothy texture that can soften the bitter edge of coffee, providing a creamy mouthfeel comparable to a latte. Using high-quality, grass-fed butter can enhance the flavor further, adding a unique richness to your morning cup.

Comparison: Butter Coffee vs. Other Additions


Feature	Butter Coffee (with MCT)	Standard Coffee with Creamer	Standard Coffee with Milk
Sustained Energy	Yes, due to slow caffeine absorption and ketone production.	No, can cause energy spikes and crashes, especially if creamer contains sugar.	Less likely to cause crash than sugary creamers, but lacks fat for sustained release.
Satiety	High, keeps you feeling full for longer, which can help with appetite control.	Varies, depends on creamer ingredients; sugary options offer little to no satiety.	Moderate, can curb hunger slightly but lacks the high fat content of butter coffee.
Ketogenic Friendly	Yes, zero net carbs and high in fat to support ketosis.	No, most traditional creamers contain sugar and carbs, which can break ketosis.	No, milk contains lactose (a sugar), which is a carbohydrate.
Nutritional Profile	Rich in healthy fats, including omega-3s from grass-fed butter and MCTs.	Often contains processed oils, sugar, and artificial ingredients.	Contains calcium, but also sugar (lactose) and can be lower in healthy fats.
Digestive Impact	Can cause digestive issues for some, especially when first starting.	Varies based on ingredients; can be an issue for those with dairy sensitivities.	Can be problematic for those with lactose intolerance.

Potential Downsides and Considerations

While the benefits are appealing, butter coffee is not without its drawbacks. It is extremely high in calories and saturated fat, which can lead to weight gain if not balanced with the rest of your diet. Regular consumption could potentially increase cholesterol levels in some individuals, particularly those sensitive to dietary cholesterol. Some people may also experience gastrointestinal distress, such as bloating or diarrhea, as they adjust to a high-fat intake. Furthermore, replacing a nutrient-dense breakfast with butter coffee can lead to deficiencies in essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.

Conclusion: Is Butter Coffee Right For You?

Exploring the benefits of putting butter in your coffee reveals a practice with historical roots and modern applications, particularly within the ketogenic community. The potential for sustained energy, enhanced mental focus, and appetite suppression makes it an attractive option for many. However, it is essential to consider the high caloric content and potential for digestive issues. For healthy individuals, it can be a harmless addition to the diet, but it does not replace a balanced, whole-food breakfast. As with any dietary change, consulting with a healthcare professional is advisable to ensure it aligns with your specific health needs.

For those interested in exploring the potential health impacts of high-fat beverages and ketogenic diets further, a review of the scientific literature can offer additional insight, such as this study on the effects of MCT oil..

Frequently Asked Questions

Butter coffee, famously known by the trademarked name 'Bulletproof Coffee,' is a beverage made by blending brewed coffee with unsalted grass-fed butter and MCT oil until it becomes creamy and frothy.

While butter coffee can help curb appetite and promote feelings of fullness due to its high fat content, its effectiveness for weight loss depends on overall calorie balance. If the extra calories from the butter aren't balanced elsewhere in your diet, it could cause weight gain.

The combination of caffeine from the coffee and ketones from the MCT oil provides the brain with a dual fuel source. This can enhance focus and mental clarity, though more research is needed to confirm if it's more effective than consuming the components separately.

While it's a staple for those on a ketogenic diet due to its high fat and zero-carb content, anyone can try it. However, non-keto dieters should be more mindful of the high-calorie count in relation to their daily intake.

Possible side effects include digestive issues like bloating, gas, or diarrhea, especially when first introduced to a high-fat diet. It may also increase cholesterol levels in certain individuals and is not a balanced meal replacement.

For best results, it's recommended to use unsalted, grass-fed butter. Grass-fed butter tends to have a better nutrient profile, including higher levels of heart-healthy omega-3s.

To prevent the butter and coffee from separating, you must use a blender. Blending emulsifies the fats into the coffee, creating a smooth, creamy, and consistent drink.