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Forget The Cream! Butter-Infused Coffee Is The New Rage

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com)  —  People butter on all kinds of things.

Mashed potatoes. Check.

Corn on the cob. Check.

Pancakes. Check.

Now people are putting butter in their coffee. What?!

CBS2's Stephanie Simmons reports that a lot of people are saying goodbye to the traditional cream and sugar and instead infusing their coffee with butter and oil.

What sounds like a Paula Deen experiment gone haywire is catching on all over. Butter and oil in coffee is called "bBulletproof." The creator, Dave Asprey, got the idea while drinking hot tea with yak butter while traveling in Tibet.

"It's gaining popularity because people are starting to realize that fat is an essential part of our diet," said Christopher Szeto, a barista at the Bulletproof Coffee Cafe in Santa Monica.

First described in Asprey's food blog as far back as 2009, the coffee has recently taken off. Previously, Bulletproof coffee was only available on line or in specialty stores. Due to its increasing popularity, it now has its own cafe, the first of its kind nationwide.

"You're turning on the fat-burning mode and you're reawakening the body's system because we all have the ability to do it," Szeto says.

Simmons showed how the special brew is made. It starts with the beans.

Next, they add a tablespoon of grass-fed butter and a tablespoon of high-concentration coconut oil.

"It's very creamy, it's very light, it's rich though." says Szeto.

People who love the rich coffee say it's filling and can replace a meal.

Some critics don't think using the coffee as a meal replacement is a good idea saying there aren't enough nutrients in the coffee to sustain good health.

Simmons said when she tried Bulletproof coffee, she found she had no food cravings. didn't crave sugar, and didn't  crave carbohydrates. And why is that?

"The fats and the blending process actually create these molecules that help sustain the caffeine over a longer period of time." said Szeto.

Either way, Simmons reports, it's a great and tasty new way to get your buzz on.

Bulletproof coffee starts at $4.25 but it can also be made at home.

For more about Bulletproof coffee (including the recipe on how to make it at home), click here.

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