The first time I've encountered an article about coconut oil coffee, I admit I was a little bit skeptical. I've gone from adding cream and sugar to drinking it all black but I've never heard of any type of oil being added to coffee. But I was willing to try as I've gone to believe that coconut is one of the superfoods out there, besides kale. But still, oil in coffee?
But as they say, don't knock it till you try it. I try anything that claims health benefits (after much research, of course) so when articles started popping up about the benefits of adding coconut oil to coffee, I was ready to give it a shot.
Lots of articles out there have listed three main health benefits of drinking coconut oil coffee. As Coconut Mama shares:
1. Coconut oil increases your energy. It's got MCTs or Medium Chain Triglycerides and they are more rapidly absorbed by the body and are quickly metabolized as fuel for energy. So though they have fatty acids, they are not stored as fat, so wouldn't tip the scale to go higher.
2. Coconut oil speeds up your metabolism. As mentioned above, because MCTs are not stored as fat and instead the calories are immediately burned as fuel, it results in accelerated metabolic conversion.
3. Coconut oil boosts your immune system. Almost 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is lauric acid. Yes, the same healthy fats found in human breast milk. And we all know how mothers' breast milk plays a big part in raising healthy children.
So, yes, these are the three health benefits and the reasons why I always try to add coconut oil to my morning coffee. This may be TMI but my digestive system isn't the best but whenever I drink this, guaranteed that I will go to the bathroom at least twice in a day. Three times is how many times we should go, as health experts say, so for someone like me (who can sometimes go for two days not dong it), this is such a welcome change. You can argue that it may be the coffee but then I really think the coconut oil helps keep things moving in my digestive system. And I'll stick to what works.
But even with all these benefits, I was still skeptical as I worried it would taste oily and greasy. I tried it anyway and I was so amazed at how much it tasted like your regular creamy cup of joe. It was creamy and sweet and still smell like that warmth aromatic coffee we all coffee lovers love. I didn't smell the coconut oil nor did I taste it at all. It just tasted like a very creamy coffee that you'd want to go for every morning.
It's also very simple to make. As you see above all you need are the following:
- Coffee (I used organic medium roast)
- 1-2 tsp coconut sugar (a healthier sweetener alternative, methinks)
- 1-2 tsp coconut oil (I use Nutiva organic coconut oil)
- 1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract (I just use a generic one from Safeway)
- Blender or Nutribullet
Mix them all together and blend until it becomes frothy. And serve it with pancakes, bacon, and egg. Or whatever your favorite breakfast is. And you're all set!
