Are you keto-curious?
This month we released our Keto Coffee, a blend of just three simple ingredients: fresh, quality, hot coffee, grass-fed butter and MCT oil. Those on the Ketogenic diet know that this silky smooth, creamy drink, also known as “butter coffee,” is a nutritional powerhouse. However, for those of us that are “keto-curious,” here’s it broken down for you, by our Reno/Tahoe Regional Manager and certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Emily Rodela.
Keto 101
What is “keto” you may ask? Keto is a buzzword that is used when talking about the ketogenic diet that has been around for almost 100 years, and is commonly compared to the Atkins diet because of the amount of fat that is recommended.
"You have to make sure you are incorporating vegetables and consuming quality fats, not just junk like low carb bars and processed fatty food products"
The diet typically consists of: high fat (60-95%), low carb (0-10%), and moderate protein (5-20%). These percentages can range based on your individual goals, as well as how flexible your ketogenic diet is. So in order to properly start on the keto diet, you should be calculating the percentages of your macronutrient intake each day based on your food and drink. This is important in the beginning so you can truly see what we are intaking.
Keep in mind there is a wrong way to do keto or high fat. You have to make sure you are incorporating vegetables and consuming quality fats, not just junk like low carb bars, and processed fatty food products. Monitoring and recording your energy levels and how you feel when adjusting your diet, is also really important in finding what works best for you; everyone’s body works differently!
Why High Fat?
Your body's preferred source of fuel for long-term energy is fat. If your body is used to burning carbs, it has a harder time using your stored fat for fuel. This is why many are trying a high fat diet out, so their bodies can become accustomed to using fat for fuel.
With that in mind, the benefits of a high fat diet include: longer lasting fuel for the brain and body, keeps you fuller for longer, subsides sugar cravings, decreases inflammation, aides in burning fat and helps with mental clarity.
The MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil provides the body fatty acids made from coconut or palm kernel oil. Our body likes these fats because they are broken down more, which makes it easier and faster for the body to absorb. The grass-fed, cultured butter has butyric acid, which is a short-chain fatty acid that is also easy for the body to digest and contributes to the long list of health benefits, mainly inflammation and colon/digestive health.
Who is keto good for?
ANYONE wanting to use high-quality fat for fuel, and have a kickass day! Some say it tastes like coffee with steamed half & half. The butter and MCT oil create a froth-like milk when steamed. This drink will most likely make you full, which is why some use it as a meal replacement.
"Endurance athletes are testing these high fat diets out because of the long-term energy benefits"
The “ketogenic diet” is really popular now and people are trying it out to see if they can benefit from it. We are finding more and more studies show that a lot of people do well by using fat for their primary fuel source instead of carbs. A lot of people in the Paleo and Ketogenic “diet” world are familiar with this concept.
It has been known for awhile that this diet helps with reducing seizures in people with epilepsy, and it becoming more widely used to aide in the symptoms. Endurance athletes are also testing these high fat diets out because of the long-term energy benefits. If you have ever heard of “bonking” while doing exercise, that is usually because the athlete is running off of carbs (glucose), and their glycogen stores have run out, but if your body becomes used to using fat for fuel, it will use your body’s stored fat and not have that effect.
Many other athletes are who do long aerobic exercise, like marathons or "Iron Mans" are trying this out to see if it works for them. People without gallbladders tend to digest MCT oil and butyric acid better because it is more broken down, structure-wise. But one thing to note is: if an individual is not used to eating a lot of fat, they might have a stomach ache if they down a “keto coffee” first thing in the morning; they should sip it slowly and try eating some food with it.
Collagen Peptides
Try the "add on" option to this drink of collagen peptides. Not only do you get the added protein, but you also get the benefits of collagen that includes: healthier hair/skin, aides in healing the gut, and builds stronger cartilage, tendons and bones.
"Collagen comes from the greek word 'glue', as it's the 'glue' that helps hold the body together"
Back in our ancestral days, humans used to consume collagen by eating the whole animal and making broths out of the bones. Nowadays, the Standard American Diet doesn’t have any collagen incorporated in our everyday foods. Food sources that have collagen include bone broths, egg yolks, and quality grass-fed meats. Garlic, avocado, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, blueberries, leafy green veggies, and salmon are all really good foods to help your body to actually use collagen and let it be effective.
My favorite way to enjoy Keto Coffee?
I add the collagen and a dash of coconut milk to make it that much more creamy, YUM. I sip on it in the morning to keep my sugar cravings down and keep me focused on my morning work. It usually keeps me full until lunch which saves me time.
"If you are used to having some sweetener in your coffee, try adding a little bit of sugar-free vanilla or a dash of honey water to start off"
I know a lot of people who add the mixture of butter, MCT oil, and collagen to their matcha lattes - this is a good idea if you are trying to stay away from coffee, or just like matcha and its great health benefits. If you are used to having some sweetener in your coffee or having trouble adjusting to the taste, try adding a little bit of sugar-free vanilla (ours is sweetened with monk fruit and stevia), or dash of honey water to start off. Enjoy!
