Experts weigh in on butter coffee's effect on weight loss

Have you heard of Bulletproof coffee? It's the new caffeinated drink taking America by storm. It has become a multi-million-dollar industry and devotees swear by its weight loss and mental health benefits, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

43-year-old Silicon Valley entrepreneur Dave Asprey invented the drink after he felt great when he consumed the traditional tea while on a trekking expedition in Tibet. When he returned home, he decided to create his own version using butter and a special oil. He claims by replacing his breakfast with the drink, he lost a lot of weight very easily.

Despite the coffee containing 500 calories, Asprey claims the coffee boosts metabolism and the oil helps burn fat especially around the belly. "At almost 500 calories a cup, you’re certainly not consuming fewer calories than you would eat a normal breakfast," Dr Trudi Deakin, a consultant to the NHS on the prevention and management of diabetes told the Daily Mail. Adding, "But because Bulletproof doesn’t contain carbohydrates, it means that your body doesn’t trigger an insulin response which tells the body to store fat." This occurs because the body will not store fat for energy without acesss to sugar or carbohydrates.

Health experts are sceptical of this new fad. "It’s important to remember that buttery coffee is a trend and has created a lot of marketing opportunities," Dr Deakin told the Daily Mail. He also warned it should “never replace eating nutrient-dense real foods, which we know provide all the micronutrients that promote good health".