On a ketogenic diet, fat should cover around 80% of the daily calorie consumption. An objective that can be tried to accomplish! The following are two ways to build your lipid consumption while partaking in your taste rapidly.
Bulletproof Coffee: A Coffee Rich In Fat To Start The Day
We rely on bulletproof coffee to start stocking up on fat as soon as you wake up. The recipe for this drink is inspired by yak butter tea, a popular beverage in Tibet that provides the energy needed to tackle the rugged terrain of the Himalayas. This creamy coffee makes a solid, carb-free breakfast that’s filling and quick to prepare.
The Bulletproof Coffee Recipe
Bulletproof coffee comprises three ingredients: a coffee base, to which butter and coconut oil are added. To make it, place in a blender:
- the equivalent of two cups of coffee
- Two tablespoons of coconut oil
- Two tablespoons of unsalted butter
The coffee can be poured hot into the blender to improve the mixture with the fats, but only if the latter has a glass bowl. In the case of a blender with a plastic bowl, it is essential to let the coffee cool before preparation to prevent the contact of heat and plastic from causing the migration of endocrine disruptors into the drink.
Furthermore, the consumption of scorching drinks is associated with a significant increase in the risk of developing esophageal cancer. This deleterious effect appears at 65°C; It is therefore advisable to let the bulletproof coffee cool a little before enjoying it.
Pay Attention To The Quality Of The Ingredients!
To benefit from the optimal benefits of this drink, it is essential to make it from quality ingredients. Choosing coffee and coconut oil from organic farming can significantly limit the risks of exposure to pesticide residues. The same goes for butter: animals raised using these practices benefit from chemical-free food, which is particularly important since pollutants tend to accumulate in milk fat. In case of difficulty tolerating lactose and casein, it is possible to favor clarified butter (ghee), which does not contain them.
Why Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is naturally rich in a particular type of fat, medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). These facilitate entry into ketosis, a state sought after in the ketogenic diet where the body draws its energy from lipids (fats) rather than carbohydrates (sugars, broadly). They may also help alleviate some keto flu symptoms. Instead of coconut oil, you can use MCT oil, which contains these fats in a concentrated form. However, it is less easily accessible commercially and much more expensive.
Fat Bombs: Stock Up On Healthy Fats In One Bite
Fat bombs, also called keto energy balls, are snacks to eat when you’re feeling hungry, as a snack, before or after sports training. They are mainly composed of fat, at least 85%.
A Composition Integrating Three Types Of Ingredients
There are a multitude of easy-to-make recipes, most of which are made from three categories of ingredients:
- A quality fat: oilseed purees (preferably those not containing too much omega-6 like almond puree), coconut oil, cocoa butter, ghee, etc. Avocado, naturally rich in lipids, lends itself well to savory versions of these recipes;
- One or more ingredients to add flavor: spices, cocoa or matcha powder, dark chocolate (sugar-free), vanilla, lemon zest, etc.
- One or more ingredients to give texture: oilseeds, dark chocolate chips, grated coconut, etc.
It is possible to adapt the recipe for these snacks according to your vegan or vegetarian diet.
Quick No-Cook Recipes To Make
To make fat bombs at home adapted to your tastes and needs, nothing could be simpler. The ingredients to be mixed are placed in a blender and mixed until a homogeneous paste is obtained, to which the ingredients providing texture, whole or crushed, are optionally added.
When using solid fat at room temperature (butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter, etc.), it is necessary to melt it first. The mixture is then shaped into balls or poured into small molds in the freezer or refrigerator. Once frozen, the fat bombs are unmolded. They are kept in the refrigerator for about a week.
Should We Be Concerned About The Consequences On Cardiovascular Health?
For decades, saturated fats have been blamed for cardiovascular disease. Enough to take a suspicious look at these recipes, which are rich in them! However, it is far from being justified. Researchers at the University of Bergen compared the effects of a diet where 53% of energy intake came from carbohydrates to a diet where 73% of calories were provided in the form of coconut oil, butter and cream in people overweight or obese for 12 weeks. These diets were both hypocaloric.
In both groups, participants lost 12 kg on average. Those who benefited from high intakes of saturated fats did not present an increase in their cardiovascular risk. On the contrary, the level of circulating triglycerides in the blood decreased, and the body’s sensitivity to insulin improved, reflecting the better metabolic health of the participants.
