Jacked Up Java
Jacked Up Java is my version of bulletproof coffee, featuring many superfoods and health benefits compared to your average cup of joe! Good morning and happy Friday! Today's post is an update on my Jacked Up Java. The pictures needed some refreshing plus this is one of my recipes that I consume LITERALLY everyday, so I figured it was time to share it again!
So why bulletproof coffee?
Like all foodies, I had heard of bulletproof coffee. As a RD, I often write off the new trend on the market, because in all honestly it feels like every week someone is talking about the new superfood or diet they are on. It gets old, ya know?
My sister (and health guru) first suggested I try coffee with added fats and I was very skeptical at first. It was shortly after Kat suggested that I try bulletproof coffee that a dietitian I follow, McKel at Nutrition Stripped, wrote a post on her version of bulletproof coffee. Coffee itself is a source of antioxidants, but coffee with a ton of additional health benefits- I could totally get down with that!
After the first time trying this "spiked" coffee I was hooked. It tasted AMAZING. I also loved that I could finally consume my beloved coffee without stomach issues. I had been drinking it black for a couple of years, which always exacerbated my IBS. My GI doc actually requested that I stop drinking it altogether, and while I did as requested I really missed coffee. Food and beverages hold such a special place in my heart, and nothing to me compares to the smell and taste of coffee first thing in the morning. Not drinking it was simply not sustainable for me as it was making my mornings less pleasurable. And mornings are my favorite part of the day!
In today's recipe you will find MCT coconut oil. These healthy fats help the caffeine found in coffee digest slower, which is what I attribute to why I can drink it without the digestive issues. It also gives sustained energy so you feel the effects of the coffee throughout the day and avoid the jittery effect coffee often has.
Coconut is composed of saturated fat, but it is primarily made up of middle chain triglycerides (or MCT for short). It is believed that these digest more like carbohydrates in the body, compared to other types of fats typically consumed in our diets. You can choose to use coconut oil, but I ended up purchasing MCT oil made from coconut oil, so that it was 100% MCT (regular coconut oil consists of 67% MCT).
You can add the amount of oil and cream and/or milk that you feel comfortable with, but remember there is nothing wrong with fat in the diet! Fat does not make you fat. If you want to feel and look radiant, you want fats in the diet to make your hair shiny, nails strong and skin glow. Beauty starts on the inside and a healthy dose of fats in your diet will provide all those beauty attributes and so much more!
I used to use coconut cream or milk, but recently I've switched to adding grass fed butter in its place. Either way taste amazing, so it is whichever way you prefer! Personally, I am trying to consume more dairy fats to increase my vitamin A and vitamin K2 intake (among other things found specifically in the fat of grass fed, ruminant animals). For more information on this I HIGHLY recommend you read the three part series on fat by my friend and business partner, Meg at Root for Food. She does an amazing job explaining where the fear of saturated fat started and why it is 100% inaccurate.
In this recipe I also used maca powder. Maca is an Andean root that has been used for thousands of years to provide energy, boost athletic performance, improve libido and regulate hormones (often used for menopause treatment). I added maca to my diet about 5 or so months ago when I made the decision to stop taking birth control (no not to start having babies, sorry family- not yet!) to help regulate my hormones.
The sweetener in this recipe is liquid stevia. I choose to not use any artificial sweeteners in my diet as they may increase sugar cravings, are correlated to a higher BMI and most recently believed to alter the gut flora in your digestive tract. Although stevia the plant is both sweet and bitter, you can technically extract the sweetness from stevia yourself which is why I am okay with it in small doses (I have not done this yet, anyone know where I can purchase a stevia plant?!). All non-nutritive sweeteners may alter the food reward pathway in our brain, so as with everything, use in moderation!
Nutmeg is another wonderful addition to your diet. This spice contains antioxidants and many vitamins and minerals. I used the powder version for awhile, but recently bought the whole nutmeg kernels and the flavor is SO much better. I thought it was pricey at first, but honestly I think it's going to last me even longer than the powder version. I use nutmeg in my diet all the time and I am still grating the first kernel!
Just a quick thought on coffee...I feel there are two very conflicting camps on coffee. Some say coffee is terrible for you, others say it is wonderful for you. Honestly, I think it comes down to what you prefer and how you tolerate it. I also feel like we live in a culture these days that promotes lack of sleep and just living off coffee (with tons of added sugar) to get energy. If coffee is used this way, it is not good for your health. But if you enjoy and savor coffee in the morning, I think it can be apart of a healthy diet as long as...Yup you guessed it, you don't overdo it! Anything over 4-5 cups a day can be a harmful amount of caffeine. I usually recommend to my clients no more than 1-2 cups a day. Anyone with digestive issues needs to be careful with coffee, too. I would be interested to hear from you if you try this and are able to drink it without these issues (like me)!
Jacked Up Java
Prep time:
1 min
Cook time:
1 min
Total time:
2 mins
Serves:
1
A blended coffee drinking containing many health benefits and superfoods galore!
Ingredients
1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
1 Tablespoon MCT coconut oil
1 Tablespoon coconut cream or grass fed butter
1/2 teaspoon maca powder
4 drops of liquid stevia
Pinch of nutmeg (freshly grated or powder)
Optional: splash of coconut milk or heavy cream, collagen
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds or until the mixture is frothy.
I almost always add collagen AND heavy cream into my Jacked Up Java, but made it optional on the recipe.
Notes
Recipe is adapted from Nutrition Stripped.
