Every morning when I wake up, I have one thing, and one thing only, on my mind. Bypassing my attention-deprived barking dog, my drowsy children asking for cartoons on TV, and even my hungry stomach longing for the first bite of the day, I am laser-focused on one destination — my coffee maker. I start my day with coffee for the same reasons most people do — I love the taste and I get the needed short-term caffeine boost to put myself in the right position to conquer my day.

While many coffee consumers, like myself, have traditionally turned to coffee for the morning caffeine injection, the taste, or the simple warm (or cold, considering the weather!) feeling that coffee gives and that is to drink it for lifestyle and health benefits.

For many emerging coffee consumers, coffee is now less about a short-term caffeine buzz and more about a holisitc, life-benefitting regimen. And perhaps the most prolific item that is capturing this trend is that of butter coffee (something on the lines of Bulletproof coffee, which is popular in the US).

Wait! Did I hear that right? butter coffee? You mean, you put butter in coffee?! Yes, you heard it right. As a coffee purist myself, at first I was sceptical. I mean, I don’t even add sugar to my daily cup of joe! But the person who first offered me butter coffee whispered: “Trust me, it will change your life.” Reluctantly, I tried it… boy was I surprised. It is one of the best coffees I have ever had. I became a believer that day.

What goes into it?

Butter coffee blends black coffee, unsalted butter (or ghee) and coconut oil (or MCTs — medium-chain triglyceride oil) to concoct what can best be described as a creamier type latte with a tropical twist. Blending these three simple elements together brings forth a beverage with a ton of holistic mental and physical positive impact, which is why it is a lifestyle coffee more than anything. As a keto/paleo-friendly option, it caters to the ever-growing fan base of this dietary lifestyle.

In using the beverage as a sort of meal replacement option (and you can, it is very filling), your body can more easily enter into a state called “ketosis” in which the body starts burning fat away for energy because it doesn’t have any carbs to burn. This turns your body into a fat-burning machine while also giving you an amazing energy boost that is easier to maintain through the day. These reasons alone can make a believer out of anyone but it gets even better. Beyond these benefits, the lynchpin ingredient of coconut oil is used because the supplement is linked with improving cognitive function — keeping your brain sharper, focused, and dare I say, making you smarter. Coconut oil is also linked to helping fight heart disease by hiking good cholesterol, supporting thyroid function, and is used for fighting diabetes by controlling blood sugar and insulin.

Once you combine all these amazing, healthy ingredients, you get a coffee cocktail that can truly be life-changing, and for so many, it even tastes great. In short, this coffee drink can increase human performance and usher in long-term lifestyle benefits — all done in a simple cup of coffee.

In a food world full of items that actually bog down our mental and physical functions, there are now items that are turning the tide and enhancing our lives by providing us time-tested ingredients for healthy living — there is no better time than now to get on board and start becoming a better you. Convinced yet?

Grant Walsh, a US citizen who lived in Arizona, calls India his second home after opening 8th Day Cafe & Bakery in Calcutta, which is the place for pourover, French press, butter coffee or some nitro coffee. His Facebook whereabouts are @eighthdaycafebakery