In one of the first scenes of the Hulu original series The Old Man, title character Dan Chase, played by veteran actor Jeff Bridges, talks on the phone while making himself a cup of coffee. He swipes a huge hunk of butter off a butter dish, plops it into his coffee, and stirs. While most people toss a little sugar, creamer, or both into their coffee, dropping a dab of butter into it is sure to get a few raised eyebrows. That's because a lot of people have never heard of butter coffee. This beverage has become popular among people who follow the keto diet, a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. To make butter coffee, you blend brewed coffee with a tablespoon of butter. Adding a sweetener is typical, but for those following the keto diet, sugar substitutes stevia or allulose is added, since caloric sweeteners aren't allowed. You might be wondering how it tastes. Those who have tried it liken it to coffee with cream, provided it’s blended thoroughly enough. It’s rich and creamy, but can definitely be oily and greasy if not blended well. Another drawback to butter coffee is that you have to drink it as soon as possible. Leaving it sit isn't an option because that will cause the butter to separate. The health benefits of butter coffee are purported to include an increase in energy, mental clarity, feeling full longer and thereby reducing appetite, and not having the jitters like you can after drinking a typical cup of Joe. That being said, you might want to carefully consider whether butter coffee is right for you. Packed with calories and saturated fat, indulging in butter coffee every morning could lead to putting on pounds.
