Coconut Oil In Coffee? (A Simple Recipe + Benefits)

Why is everyone suddenly telling you to add coconut oil to your coffee? While it may seem like another gossipy health fad; there are actually some great reasons to do it.

Coconut oil is in, and like all food fads, seeing it pop up everywhere might be getting irritating.

But hear me out on this – not just a shooting star in the hipster food world, coconut oil coffee is both tasty and healthy. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

Coconut Oil As A Superfood – What’s All The Rave About?

It might seem contradictory that coconut oil is heralded as a “superfood” by some enthusiasts.

So why exactly should you start adding coconut oil in coffee? And how can a type of fat be a superfood anyway?

Well, maybe back in the 1980s the buzzwords were “fat makes you fat”, and eating fat free things with tons of added sugar was seen the healthier option.

However, science has done a complete U turn since then.

It’s all about the kind of fat you’re eating, and coconut oil represents the healthier end of the spectrum.

As always, there is some controversy – not everyone believes that coconut oil is a superfood, as it contains a high amount of saturated fats.

But recent studies have shown that saturated fats aren’t necessarily as bad for you as we’ve been led to believe.

In particular, the kind of fat found in coconut oil – medium-chain triacylglycerols or MCTs – has been linked to weight loss.

In contrast with long-chain fatty acids which are regarded as less healthy, MCTs can actively promote your well-being (1).

Of course, the key here is moderation.

Nobody’s suggesting you empty a jar of the stuff into your cup of morning joe, but a spoonful of coconut oil in coffee can do wonders.

6 Reasons You Should Add Coconut Oil To Your Coffee Today

So what exactly are the benefits of adding some coconut oil to your coffee?

It’s more than just taste.

Adding good quality coconut oil to your coffee has many health benefits, but here are the 6 most important, and exciting:

#1 – The Coconut Oil Paradox – It’s The Kind Of Fat That Aids Weight Loss

Not only does coconut oil make your coffee delicious, it can help you lose weight!

Surprising?

If you believe the old mantra “fat makes you fat”, it might be. Coconut oil contains 90% saturated fat – surely putting that in your coffee makes you gain weight?

On the contrary.

Clinical studies indicate that it all depends on what kind of fat you’re eating. More specifically, the consumption of medium-chain triacylglycerols – or MCTs – has been linked to weight loss (2).

This is because MCTs are absorbed and metabolized by the body more rapidly than long-chain fatty acids, meaning there is no time for them to get stored into persistent fat cells.

MCTs represent “instant fuel” for your body. One of the richest sources of MCTs is – you guessed it – coconut oil.

It’s not so surprising, then, that one study found (3) consumption of coconut oil actively reduced abdominal fat in the women who added it to their diet.

Furthermore, saturated fat is often demonised for raising the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels, but the fat in coconut oil simultaneously raises the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, according to M.D. Walter C. Willett (4).

Of course, all fats and oils should be used in moderation. It should be a no-brainer that adding a jar of coconut oil to your coffee is not going to make it nicer.

But a spoonful or two, as in this recipe from Onnit Academy (5), can make your coffee both tastier and better for your body.

So if you think coconut oil makes you fat, think again – the science indicates it’s the other way around!

#2 – Adding Coconut Oil To Your Morning Coffee Keeps You Fuller For Longer

Infusing coconut oil (or even CBD) adds benefit to your regular cup of joe.

Adding coconut oil to your coffee works in a similar way as Bulletproof coffee does – basically, enriching your morning coffee with coconut oil will keep you happy until lunchtime and beyond. If you like the sound of this, read our bit recipe list of bulletproof coffee recipes here.

According to one study (6), men who consumed MCTs – the medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil – ate significantly less calories over the day than the ones who didn’t.

Another study found (7) – quite unsurprisingly – that people on a low-fat diet feel hungrier and moodier than those on a ketogenic diet high in fats and low in carbs. Eating more fats in the morning might improve your overall mood during the day.

If you want to eat healthily, it seems that adding good fats to your diet works miracles.

Many people try to “diet” by avoiding fats but end up consuming an astronomically high amount of carbs instead. As always, it’s best to find the golden middle.

Men who consumed MCTs at breakfast were also found to eat less at lunchtime (8). This clearly suggests that enjoying coconut oil in the morning will help you avoid grumpiness and cravings in an afternoon energy slump.

Here’s an experiment – On day 1, drink a normal black coffee, and record down the time you feel hungry after. Do the same on day 2, but add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to your coffee. You’ll find that your hunger cravings are curbed for longer.

#3 – It Will Make You Smarter And Happier (Kind Of)

Okay, so this is a bit of a stretch, but this study (9) has found that consumption of MCTs improves the cognitive functions of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Although coconut oil might not increase the brain functions of healthy adults,  it does seem to have anti-stress properties, which can help you think more positively.

Virgin coconut oil has antioxidants and anti-stress effects which can boost your mental capacity and well-being by helping you chill.

Even if you’re one of those people who perform well under stress, everyone knows being stressed is not sustainable.

The same study also noted that coconut oil could potentially benefit those suffering from depression.

If you have a tendency to be anxious, depressed, or just have an overwhelming amount of stuff going on in your life, starting the day with coconut coffee can have surprisingly calming effects.

These benefits are derived from the high content of MCTs and polyphenols in coconut oil. It’s worth noting that the study was specifically focusing on high-quality virgin coconut oil – make sure you get the good stuff!

#4 – It’s The Perfect Partner For Coffee

Coconut oil is a “thermogenic” food, which means it boosts your metabolism.

Interestingly, so is coffee, which is also known to make your metabolism work faster (10).

This means that combining the two makes a lot of sense if you’re struggling with a slow metabolism.

It makes sense in the taste department, too. Of course this depends on the type of coffee you’re drinking, but most coffee is characterised by a powerful and pretty acidic flavour profile. Smoothing it out with the tropical mellowness of coconut is a match made in heaven.

And for all the health benefits of coconut oil, having a tablespoon or two each day can basically be considered a health supplement.

For most people, however, straight up eating a spoonful of fat seems excessive and is literally hard to swallow. Mixing coconut oil with your coffee, however, will make it go down like a treat.

It’s a good idea to limit yourself to a coconut coffee a day, though – you can sometimes have too much of a good thing.

Incorporating coconut oil coffee into your breakfast makes sense, because it provides you with energy for a long time and helps you avoid energy slumps.

#5 – It Boosts Your Immune System

Not only does coconut oil help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight, it also helps you fight off illnesses and builds up your immune system.

Coconut oil contains plenty of lauric acids, which help your body fight off harmful bacteria and micro-organisms (11).

It has also been proven to help tackle Candida (12) and Staphylococcus Aureus (13), both of which cause nasty bouts of illness in humans.

It can help you heal from conditions like herpes, hepatitis C and the Epstein-barr virus, which causes mononucleosis.

This is because the MCTs in coconut oil encase viruses in a layer of fat, which breaks down the viral membrane and basically destroys the virus.

While coconut oil isn’t a miracle cure to any and all illnesses, it does have a helpful impact on many of sicknesses we’re all likely to catch from time to time.

What’s more, coconut oil can have a positive impact on your skin (14), as it provides it with moisture and fights off fungi, bacteria and viruses which might cause skin infections. This is why coconut oil works especially well as a topical skin moisturiser.

For people prone to skin issues, it seems a winning strategy would be adding coconut oil to your coffee to boost the immune system and also using some extra to soothe your skin!

The claim that coconut oil is a superfood is well backed by science. Still sceptical? You might want to try it and see, it’s super easy!

#6 – It Tastes Delicious Hot Or Cold

This one is self-explanatory. If you like coffee, why not try to make it taste even more amazing by adding some extra coconut flavour?

Coconut oil gives your coffee an unique mellow flavour without being overpoweringly sweet like many artificial flavourings.

There’s no one true recipe for this so you can experiment until you find the combination that’s perfect for you.

You can make it hot or cold depending on the season and your mood – this “Keto Rocket Fuel Iced Blended Coffee” recipe from Healthful Pursuit (15) would make a memorable summer treat. The tropical flavour of coconut drinks makes them ideal for sipping during a heatwave.

Of course, better the coffee you brew in the first place, the better your coconut-laced coffee will also be.

That being said, though, it might be possible to salvage even slightly stale beans by adding a coconut kick to your cup! Especially if you go nuts and add even more extra flavourings like honey or condensed milk – get inspiration from the recipe below.

Coconut Oil Coffee Recipes

There are a few different ways to make coconut oil coffee.

Some like to make it in Bulletproof style by adding butter, whereas others skip the butter and add other flavourings.

In the summer, you can turn the hot coffee into an iced coconut frappé simply by pouring over ice in a glass.

If you’re making an iced version, it’s best to use a good blender to prevent the coconut oil from solidifying in the coffee. Blast it in a Nutribullet or similar high-functioning device to ensure it’s all smooth.

If you don’t have a blender, no problem! Fortunately, making hot coconut coffee doesn’t require one – you can just stir it carefully.

Super Simple Coconut Oil Coffee Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of coffee, brewed the way you like it
• tablespoon of coconut oil (you can experiment with more or less)
• A sliver of unsalted butter (optional)
• Quarter-teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
• Honey and/or milk (optional)
• Ice (optional)

Directions:

If you are doing the super simple two-ingredient version, it couldn’t be easier.

Spoon the coconut oil into the bottom of your cup. Then add hot coffee. Stir well and enjoy.

If you’re experimenting with more ingredients, it’s best to use a blender so you get it all smooth. Combine the brewed coffee, coconut oil, butter and any flavourings in a blender and blast it for about 20 seconds.

If you like, you can also use coconut milk with espresso!

For a visual reference, the following video shows you how to make a quick 3-minute coconut coffee in a blender:

Go Ahead And Try Coconut Oil In Your Coffee!

Coconut oil has an abundance of health benefits from helping you maintain a healthy weight to boosting your immune system, so having a small amount each day can actively contribute to your well-being.

Who would’ve thought?!

If you’re planning to try this coconut-laced treat, let me know how you liked it!

We also think you should check this awesome article on butter in coffee, or if you’re up for some adventure, you can also use these different spices to add to your coffee.