Coffee is probably our most common and popular beverage. And many of us can’t seem to live without several variations of this drink.
There’s ‘Mud’ or ‘Mushroom’ coffee (mostly mushrooms with some coffee beans), ‘Bulletproof Coffee’ popular among ketogenic dieters, and now Starbucks has introduced their version: Oleato Drink (not yet in Canada at time of this writing). Starbucks adds a spoonful of cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil to the beverage. They promise a velvety smooth concoction.
We are all wired differently, and coffee’s high caffeine, acid, and sulphur content won’t be tolerated well by everyone. But coffee does provide beneficial antioxidants for those who can drink it. Olive oil also provides properties that are associated with heart health. However, combining the two doesn’t trigger some magical chemical reaction that can boost your health. It simply offers variety to your coffee-time routine.
It’s likely olive oil’s ‘superfood’ status is behind the new drink. Ditto for MTC oil added to Bulletproof coffee. But unfortunately, ‘superfood’ is a highly overrated and overused term, and misleading if you aren’t nutrition savvy. Focusing on superfoods may risk filling up only on these touted foods, potentially excluding other healthful food choices.
All foods are ‘superfoods’ because they all have a different nutritional makeup, each offering many vital contributions to our diet. It’s not one food – instead, it’s the combination of various foods that ensures good health. But the term ‘superfood’ confuses and interferes with understanding this fact.
A spoonful of olive oil can add up to 120 calories to your coffee, and if you drink a few (or more) cups a day, it will have an impact over time. This could lead to weight gain if you aren’t mindful of your diet. If you are prone to drinking several cups a day, perhaps it’s best to reserve the olive oil for your salads or as a butter replacement. Mixing it with coffee won’t provide additional benefits beyond what coffee and oil offer individually.
On the plus side, olive oil offers a healthier type of fat (monosaturated) than saturated oil. So, it’s a better choice than coffee creamer for those with heart health concerns. And olive-oil infused coffee is probably a better option than other high-calorie beverages on your coffee shop’s menu: it doesn’t contain added sugars, syrups and other types of fat.
As for the other variations of coffee drinks: Mud or Mushroom coffee also offers antioxidants but is less acidic than regular coffee. However, it still contains caffeine: about half the amount of a regular cup. Made from a variety of mushrooms and a small amount of coffee beans, Mushroom Coffee smells like the real thing and may taste like it if you never liked your coffee too strong.
Bulletproof Coffee, also known as ‘Keto Coffee,’ is a combination of grass-fed unsalted butter and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. It’s intended to replace breakfast. Advocates say it can boost brain health. However, MTC oil (similar to coconut oil) does have a high saturated fat content. And if you consume this high-calorie drink instead of breakfast, you get a poor substitute for a nutritious meal.
Nutrition is a vast, complicated and continually changing science. It can’t be put into a nutshell – or a coffee cup. So be sensible: if you like and can tolerate coffee, drink some but not a lot. If you want to add MTC, coconut, or olive oil to your coffee (or food), have it sometimes, but not a lot. Alternate these oils and all your food choices regularly to get a wider variety of nutrients. Enjoy – in balance and moderation – all the ‘superfoods’ nature has created!
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Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publication and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics.