Posted on by Yannis Kavounis

One thing I learnt #8: Bunny Hacks: a simple lock-down ritual for a resilient body and mind

‘How can you drink this thing, sounds and smells disgusting’, my friend told me at the sight of my morning coffee concoction. ‘There are many things we put in our mouth that sound and smell disgusting, like a syrupy, fizzy, metallic smelling drink that burns your mouth, but we still do it, darling’ I snapped back at her.  

Yet another lock-down! The sluggishness, anxiety and erratic mood that comes with it reminded me of this story. I’ve been struggling with my energy levels for a long time, but the situation reached a breaking point a few years ago. It’s funny how we all put up with a dragging body and mind as if it’s the normal state of being. I was working back then on an innovation project for a healthy food client and came across the original Bulletproof coffee from David Asprey and his Bulletproof health blog. Simply put, it is a high-fat coffee drink intended as a breakfast replacement promising lasting energy and keeping you full. 

Mega disclaimer: like many things in health, more research is needed to prove or disprove a claim; and even then, different remedies have different impact on people. Yes, high-fat coffee has its critics, justifiably so. My view here is based on my personal experience and only after adjusting the content to focus on good fats, fitting it to my needs and taste. I’ve made it part of my everyday routine for the last 4 years, no exceptions. Just ask my partner’s frustration when once on a holiday trip to Ibiza we spent a day looking for the right type of butter, as I had forgotten my special cocoa butter back at home.

So here’s how I make my own kick-ass good-fats coffee: 

2 x shots of high quality espresso, freshly ground from bean to cup (I know, obnoxious, but it does make a difference). By the way, it’s easier (and cheaper to find clean, organic beans if you live in the EU, due to higher standards, than in the US. Can I still claim this as the UK is not technically part of the EU? Diverging again… 

1 x tbsp of a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil from purified coconut oil. I get one from evil-yet-so-convenient Amazon. You’d have to play around with different brands and stick with the one that suits you. MCT oil contains a medium-length chain of triglyceride fats. The shorter the chain of fats, the more quickly the body can break them down, hence the claim around energy! You can feel it like a wave.

1 x cocoa butter button, in the same basket as MCT oil. It’s not as creamy as milk butter, but again, I sacrifice texture to get a healthier option. Cocoa butter is a decent source of vitamin E, which benefits your body in many ways. Vitamin E supports vision, reproduction, and the health of your brain, skin, and blood. Boom! It also contains stearic acid, which your liver can convert to a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which boosts levels of good cholesterol (HDL). Double boom!

Mix in a mini blender or a frother for 20 to 30 seconds

The benefits for me? 

  • Steady-lasting energy – MCT oils are rapidly absorbed and used as a source of energy or converted into ketone bodies, another source of energy  
  • Keep my bowels regular – the combination of good fats and caffeine stimulate my bowels and keep my digestive system healthy.
  • Feeling full – it balances my hunger hormones, keeping me full without food until lunch 
  • Harder work out – it is an excellent fuel for exercise; as I push myself harder, more serotonin is released (the happy substance), stabilising my mood – the perfect antidote to this miserable, lock-down winter
  • Manage my weight – Studies show that good-fats coffee can speed up your metabolism and burn more calories, faster. With my rate of eating during lock-down, I don’t lose weight, but at least I don’t gain either! 

Sounds like a panacea? It’s not, but it worked for me, might work for you too? Give it a try and let me know how you get on. 

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