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Drinking coffee on a keto and intermittent fasting diet can be a great way to boost your energy, curb your appetite, and enhance your mental clarity. But not all coffee drinks are keto-friendly, and some can even interfere with your fasting goals. Here are some tips and recipes to help you enjoy your keto coffee without breaking your keto or intermittent fasting protocol.
Keto Coffee
Keto coffee, also known as bulletproof coffee or butter coffee, is a popular keto drink that consists of blending hot coffee with butter and either coconut oil or MCT oil. The result is a creamy, frothy, and satisfying beverage that can replace your breakfast and keep you full for hours.
Pros
Keto coffee has several benefits for keto and intermittent fasting dieters. It can help you:
- Increase your fat intake and ketone production
- Suppress your hunger hormones and reduce cravings
- Boost your metabolism and thermogenesis
- Improve your cognitive function and mood
- Enhance your physical performance and endurance
Cons
However, keto coffee also has some drawbacks that you should be aware of. It can:
- Add a lot of calories to your daily intake, which can stall your weight loss if you overdo it
- Break your fast if you consume it during your fasting window, as it contains calories and can raise your insulin levels
- Cause digestive issues if you are sensitive to dairy or MCT oil, or if you consume too much at once
Keto Coffee Recipe
- 1 cup of hot coffee, preferably brewed from high-quality beans
- 1 tablespoons of unsalted grass-fed butter
- 1 tablespoon of MCT oil or coconut oil
- Optional: Liquid stevia, vanilla or almond extract, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa, pumpkin pie spice, etc.
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately for best results.
You can customize your keto coffee with different flavors and sweeteners, such as unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice. Just make sure to avoid any ingredients that contain carbs or artificial sweeteners that can spike your blood sugar or kick you out of ketosis. If you need to add sweetener to your coffee, Stevia is the best choice that won’t affect your keto or intermittent fasting goals. Personally, I love my keto coffee with salt and cinnamon! Sounds crazy, I know (my husband tells me all the time), but I find it quite delicious!
It’s important to note here that keto or bulletproof coffee is meant to be a meal replacement. With 225 calories and 26 grams of fat, it’s a bit heavy to be adding to your day alongside a meal. Also important to consider is even as a meal replacement, it doesn’t contain any protein or vital nutrients, so it’s not a good idea to use this as a meal replacement every day unless your other meals are super protein and nutrient packed. On the other hand, a coffee with heavy whipping cream (HWC) also has zero carbs, but only contains 54 calories and 5 grams of fat, and a coffee with coconut milk has only one gram of carbs, 64 calories, and 6 grams of fat. These are better options for having alongside a meal.
| Keto Coffee | Coffee with 1 Tbsp HWC | Coffee with Coconut Milk | |
| Calories | 225 | 54 | 29 |
| Fat | 25g | 5g | 3g |
| Protein | 0g | 1g | 1g |
| Net Carbs | 0g | 0g | 1g |
Keto Coffee Creamers and Sweeteners
If you’re on a keto diet but not interested in drinking bulletproof coffee, you might be wondering how to enjoy your coffee without adding too many carbs. Luckily, there are some options for sweeteners and creamers that won’t kick you out of ketosis. Here are some of them:
Creamers
- Heavy cream: This dairy product is high in fat and low in carbs, making it a great choice for keto coffee. It adds a rich and creamy texture and flavor to your drink, which I love (My favorite way to drink coffee is with heavy cream and Celtic Sea Salt). Just be careful not to overdo it, as it can add up in calories; try to keep it to one tablespoon or less.
- Coconut milk: This tropical milk is another plant-based option that is keto-friendly. It’s high in fat and low in carbs, and can also add some medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) to your coffee. MCTs are a type of fat that can boost your metabolism and energy levels. Coconut milk has a distinct coconut flavor that can enhance your coffee experience. I LOVE coconut milk in coffee, and if you haven’t tried it yet, you totally should!
- Almond milk: This plant-based milk is low in carbs and calories, and can also provide some protein and calcium. It has a mild nutty flavor that goes well with coffee. Make sure to choose unsweetened varieties, as some almond milks can have added sugars.
Sweeteners
- Stevia: This natural sweetener is derived from a plant and has zero calories and carbs. It’s also much sweeter than sugar, so you only need a little bit to sweeten your coffee. This is your best sweetener option.
- Monk fruit: This exotic fruit is another natural sweetener that has zero calories and carbs. It’s also very potent, so you only need a small amount to add some sweetness to your coffee. Another great option for adding to coffee and many other foods and drinks.
- Erythritol: This sugar alcohol is another low-carb sweetener that has a similar taste and texture to sugar. It has about 0.2 calories per gram and does not affect blood sugar levels.
Keto creamers: There are plenty of made-for-keto flavored creamers on the market, some good for you and some not. Many of them also include keto-friendly sweeteners. Be sure to read ingredients and pay careful attention to nutrition facts when using commercial keto creamers. Here are some good choices if you want to buy a keto-friendly creamer:
Black Coffee
Black coffee is the simplest and most convenient way to enjoy coffee on a keto and intermittent fasting diet. It contains zero calories, zero carbs, and zero sugar, so it won’t break your fast or affect your ketosis.
Pros
Black coffee has many health benefits, such as:
- Providing antioxidants and polyphenols that protect your cells from oxidative stress and inflammation
- Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and some cancers
- Enhancing your alertness, concentration, memory, and mood
- Stimulating your fat burning and metabolism
Cons
However, black coffee can also have some negative effects if you drink too much or too late in the day. It can:
- Cause anxiety, jitteriness, insomnia, and palpitations if you are sensitive to caffeine or consume more than 400 mg per day (about 4 cups)
- Increase your cortisol levels and stress response if you drink it on an empty stomach or during stressful situations
- Irritate your stomach lining and cause acid reflux, heartburn, or ulcers if you have a history of gastritis or peptic ulcer disease
Keto Coffee smoothies
Coffee smoothies are another delicious way to drink coffee on a keto and intermittent fasting diet. They are perfect for hot summer days or when you want something more filling than plain coffee. They can also serve as a meal replacement or a post-workout snack.
Coffee smoothies are easy to make with a blender and some keto-friendly ingredients. You can use any type of coffee you like, such as cold brew, iced coffee, or leftover brewed coffee. You can also add some protein powder, coconut or whipping cream, nut butter, seeds, or collagen peptides to increase the protein content and make it more satiating.
Here are some examples of keto-friendly coffee smoothie recipes:
Chocolate Coffee Smoothie
- 1 cup of cold brew coffee
- 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 scoop of low-carb chocolate protein powder
- 1 tablespoon of cacao powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
- Ice cubes
Blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Peanut Butter Coffee Smoothie
- 1 cup of iced coffee
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 1 scoop of low-carb vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
- A pinch of nutmeg
- Ice cubes
Blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Coconut Coffee Smoothie
- 1 cup of brewed coffee, chilled
- 1/4 cup of coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut
- 1 scoop of low-carb vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of coconut extract
- Ice cubes
Blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Timing for drinking keto coffee on a 16:8 intermittent fasting protocol
If you are following a 16:8 intermittent fasting protocol, which means you fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours each day, you may wonder when is the best time to drink coffee. The answer depends on your personal preferences, goals, and lifestyle.
Generally, you can drink black coffee anytime during your fasting window, as it won’t break your fast or affect your ketosis. However, you may want to avoid drinking it too close to your bedtime, as it can interfere with your sleep quality and circadian rhythm.
If you want to drink keto coffee or coffee smoothies, you should do so during your eating window, as they contain calories and fat that will break your fast and trigger an insulin response. You can drink them as a substitute for breakfast or lunch, or as a snack between meals. However, you should also be mindful of your total calorie intake and macronutrient ratios, as they can affect your weight loss and ketosis.
The bottom line is, drinking coffee on a keto and intermittent fasting diet can be beneficial for your health and well-being, as long as you choose the right type of coffee, add the right ingredients, and drink it at the right time. Experiment with different recipes and flavors, and find what works best for you.
All the information is great and good to know.
Can you substitute ghee for butter? Just wondering
Of course! In a bulletproof coffee, you can use 1 Tbsp ghee OR grass-fed butter and 1 Tbsp coconut OR MCT oil.
You can choose ghee over butter for the nutty flavor or because it contains less lactose than butter (a good choice of you are lactose intolerant). Just keep in mind that the fat and calorie content is slightly higher in ghee than butter and you’ll be missing out on a great gut-healing nutrient (and metabolism booster) that is a benefit of grass-fed butter: butyrate.
You can read more about it here!