Adaptogen Bullet Coffee
/If you follow any wellness bloggers or influencers, there's a good chance you've heard throw the term Adaptogens. That's where I first learned about them. I was in my first year of grad school and I have to admit I was like "adapta-what" and "ashwa-who"?! But, I was so intrigued! I had to do some research what the heck they were talking about and is this a worthy health trend to follow.
Adaptogen's are a class of healing plants that literally help the body adapt and respond to stress. For example, ginseng, ashwagandha, holy basil, rhodiola and cordyceps are all different types of adaptogenic herbs that provide different benefits for the user.
So why all the recent fuss about adaptogens? Well, as you have probably experienced at some point in your lifetime, persistent stress is pretty common in this day and age. Stress from work, families, toxic friendships, comparing yourself to what you see on social media, feeling the need to meet timeline goals, etc. are all ways in which we evoke constant stressors on our bodies. Now some form of stress is good! We are able to handle temporary stress and triggering our "fight or flight" responses isn't a bad thing, only when it becomes consistent stress, does it become an issue.
Increased cortisol occurs during these "fight or flight" responses and over time, excess cortisol can lead to adrenal burn-out and other hormonal imbalances. That's where adaptogens, along with other stress-relieving techniques come into play.
At the moment, my favorite adaptogens are Maca Root, Ashwagandha and Tocos.
I started adding Maca root into my smoothies and oatmeal, before realizing it was an adaptogen. Maca is an antioxidant that also helps to reduce fatigue and improve energy levels and balance female hormones. Being a female with Hashimoto's disease, all those benefits are right up my alley.
The root Ashwagandha smells like a horse "ashwa" and upon consumption is said to gives the power of a horse (3). Ashwagandha has many benefits, making it one of those most commonly used and researched adaptogens. People with both sluggish and overactive thyroid may find improvement by using Ashwagandha. Additionally, it provides adrenal support (hello chronic stress and excess cortisol), boosts the immune system, helps with anxiety (1) and with a nickname like "strength of a stallion" also comes increased strength and endurance (2,3).
I'm only grazing the surface on all the health benefits of ashwagandha, but if you're going to try one adaptogen, this is where it's at.
Tocos is a great source of vitamin E and helps to make the coffee extra frothy, yum! Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble vitamin and powerful antioxidant that works to protect our cells from damage (4). It is also vital for eye health, can reduce PMS symptoms (one of the reasons I use it), improve skin health (also yaasss), improving the immune system and can be beneficial in protecting against illness and disease like cancer and cardiovascular disease (5,6).
My favorite way to incorporate these powerful ingredients is during my morning coffee ritual, with an adaptogenic bullet coffee concoction. This is a great way to start the day with healthy fats that keep you fuller for longer, support hormone production with some frothy goodness! Not to mention a boost of protein (that also helps create glowing skin and heal leaky gut), vitamin A, D, E & K from the ghee and can reduce the jitters that coffee often brings.
Adaptogen Bullet Coffee
Ingredients:
1 tbsp MCT Oil
1 tbsp. Ghee (clarified butter)
1 tbsp. Tocos Powder
8-16 oz. brewed, organic coffee
1/4- 1/2 tsp. Ashwagandha
1-2 scoops Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
(Measurement size may depend on the serving size of the product you have, check the label to make sure you aren't over/under doing it!)
Instructions:
Add ingredients to blender, bled until frothy, pour and enjoy : )
It is normal for the drink to look oily and for gritty ingredients to linger at the bottom. I usually add a little water and slurp it up, don't want to let any of the magical goodness to go to waste!
Interested in giving this coffee a whirl, but don't have the ingredients? Here are some of my favorite brands-
(I typically don't use Maca and Ashwagandha in the same day- lot's of stimulation and energy boosting properties coming from these guys)
*Disclaimer-this post contains affiliate links to products, if you do purchase from one of the links posted below, I will receive a commission. I promise to only share products that I use personally and that I believe provide health benefits.
References:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25405876
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609357/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594047/
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997530/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4815371/
