<p>In a photo posted to Instagram earlier this year, Dave Asprey, founder and CEO of Bulletproof Coffee, smiles big as he flexes his left arm, revealing a small white disk attached to this tricep.</p><p>"It's official. I'm a cyborg," the caption reads.</p><p>In Silicon Valley, a growing number of entrepreneurs and biohackers are using a <span>medical</span> technology called a <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/managing-diabetes/continuous-glucose-monitoring">continuous glucose monitor</a>, or CGM, in order to learn more about how their bodies work. They wear the device under their skin for weeks at a time.</p><p>CGMs, which cropped up on the market less than 10 years ago and became popular in the last few years, are typically prescribed by doctors to patients living with diabetes (both types 1 and 2). They test glucose level, or the amount of sugar in a person's blood, and send real-time results to a phone or tablet. Unlike fingerstick tests, CGMs collect data passively, painlessly, and often.</p><p>For people taking a DIY approach to biology, CGMs offer a way to quantify the results of at-home experiments around fasting, exercise, stress, and sleep.</p><p class="source"><span>Stoyan Nenov/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">A patient checks their blood glucose level using a conventional fingerstick test.</p><p>Asprey, a self-proclaimed biohacker who's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bulletproof-dave-asprey-biohacking-spending-2017-4">spent over $1 million on "smart drugs,"</a> wearable tracking devices, and diagnostics tests in the pursuit of cognitive enhancement, has been wearing a CGM on and off for two months. He does not have diabetes, though he's familiar with fingerstick tests from 20 years ago when he weighed 300 pounds and was told by his doctor to monitor his glucose.</p><p>In 2017, Asprey bought the device from a European vendor online. (In the US, patients need a prescription to get a CGM.) He's has been wearing it during a cross-country tour for his new book, "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I9BQBEU/ref=dp-kindle-redirect/136-0232607-1837873?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1">Head Strong</a>," so he can track how sleep disruption due to jet lag affects glucose.</p><p>A small body of research suggests that <a href="http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/conditions/diabetes/lack-of-sleep-can-lead-to-diabetes/">a lack of sleep may contribute</a> to the development of type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. In 2016, <span>Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard, <a href="https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/sleep-problems-tied-to-type-2-diabetes/">published the results of a study</a> that followed over <span>133,000 (generally healthy) women for 10 years. The researchers found that women who self-reported difficulty sleeping were <span>associated with a 25% increased risk for type 2 diabetes.</span></span></span></p><p>"Wearing one of these all of the time would be kind of absurd," Asprey says, touching the area around his implant. "I wanted to see what would happen."</p><p>Asprey found that his glucose level is normal, and his standard breakfast of Bulletproof Coffee - a proprietary blend of grass-fed butter, oil, and coffee - did not cause an increase in glucose. (Asprey's experience is subjective and does not suggest the beverage is safe to drink for all.)</p><p>His studies on the relationship between sleep deprivation and glucose are ongoing, but Asprey doesn't plan to wear the device long-term because it's invasive and his health doesn't require it.</p><p class="source"><span>Melia Robinson/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Paul Benigeri, a lead engineer at Nootrobox, breathes a sigh of relief after a continuous glucose monitor is painlessly implanted under his skin.</p><p>Few entrepreneurs who wear CGMs actually live with diabetes.</p><p>At Nootrobox, a startup that makes cognitive enhancement supplements, or "smart drugs," a majority of the company's dozen employees <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intermittent-fasting-daily-routine-nootrobox-2016-12">subscribe to an increasingly popular diet called intermittent fasting</a><span>, which involves going without food for anywhere from hours to several days. They wear CGMs so they can see how the food they eat spikes their glucose in real time.</span></p><p><span>Kevin Rose, the cofounder of Digg and a serial entrepreneur, was prescribed and wore a CGM for a brief time. Like the employees of Nootrobox, he got one for the love of data.</span></p><p>"I'm somewhat a little bit of a 'body hacker.' I like to try out different things to see how it impacts my overall wellbeing," Rose told Business Insider in January. "I put [the CGM] on and I wore it for about a month. When I did, I would throw everything at it."</p><p>He drank a glass of pulp-less juice just to watch his glucose level go "through the roof."</p><p>Patrick Collison, CEO and cofounder of mobile payments startup Stripe, said on Twitter in 2016 that he <a href="https://twitter.com/patrickc/status/760719155788128257">bought a FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/patrickc/status/760825653264613380">in Europe</a>. Collison does not live with diabetes, he said, but has become interested in glucose monitoring since learning how different foods affect insulin response, which is regulated by blood sugar levels.</p><p class="source"><span>Melia Robinson/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Chrissy Ensley, head of operations and supply chain at Nootrobox, checks her blood sugar levels regularly after installing her continuous glucose monitor.</p><p>The early adopters believe if they can access the data around their own glucose levels and take action to lead healthier lives now, their efforts may help them stave off obesity, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases in the future. They expect CGMs to become more common.</p><p>Asprey, of Bulletproof, says the CGM has taught him what low blood sugar and high blood sugar feels like. He hopes to apply those learnings toward making better lifestyle choices.</p><p>"The whole point of monitoring isn't to rely on the monitoring," Asprey says. It's about having the awareness to make confident decisions about the body you live in.</p>                <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cyborg-neil-harbisson-hear-color-antanna-game-changer-2015-10">This real-life cyborg has an antenna implanted into his skull</a></h3>                                    Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Entrepreneurs are wearing implants made for diabetes in the pursuit of 'human enhancement'

<p dir="ltr"><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>There's nothing Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs won't try to hack, including their own biology.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Founders like Dave Asprey, a 41-year-old Californian, chug fistfuls of pills every morning in the hopes that these supplements will give them a competitive edge in an already competitive market, reports<span> </span><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2015/01/25/technology/nootropics-smart-drugs/">CNN</a>.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The drug cocktail Asprey takes is a mix of "smart drugs" meant to increase brain function and performance. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">These natural supplements are also known as nootropics or by their individual names: </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Piracetam, Aniracetam, CILTEP, Methyl, and Cobalamin.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"Each one has a different benefit," Asprey told CNN</span><span>. "One may help bolster memory, another will help you focus. One of his pills helps improve vision, and another promises more energy. They all have the same goal -- to help you maximize your potential."</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">  </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Like others in his cohort, Asprey occasionally supplements these supplements with prescription pills like Modafinil, an anti-narcoleptic medication that healthy people have begun using to pull all-nighters. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Modafinil is for people "who don't just need a pick-me-up to get through a deadline; they need to be on, without a break, for months, even years at a time," Robert Kolker at </span><a href="http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/modafinil-2013-4/"><span>New York Magazine</span></a><span> writes.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The idea is that, with the right supplement cocktail, you can conquer your body's mortal limits. You can pull that all nighter while finishing up a sales pitch or write code for 19 hours a day multiple days in a row.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">"It used to take a lifetime to radically rewire the human body and mind this way. Technology has changed the rules," Asprey writes on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/asprey">LinkedIn</a>. "This is real. It's what happens when you hack the human body the same way you'd hack a website. It's why I can do what I do."</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>But smart drugs don't come cheap. Asprey estimates that he's spent around $300,000 over the past 15 years to "hack his own biology" and he has expanded into marketing and selling some of the supplements he takes as his habit has grown.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>But to Asprey and others like him, it's worth it. He believes that, despite potential side effects, the drugs allow him to lead a higher quality life.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">  </span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-947d6a43-2756-5e69-e288-c57cd6772511"><span>"Just like an Olympic athlete who's willing to do almost anything, even if it shortens your life by five years…In many people's minds, the difference between completely failing... and making a billion dollars, is right here," Tim Ferriss, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor told CNN as he pointed to his head. </span></span></p>

This Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Has Spent $300,000 On 'Smart Drugs'

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bulletproof/photos/a.696796833701288.1073741826.636529696394669/725098204204484/?type=3&amp;theater">Facebook/Bulletproof</a></span></p><p class="caption">Bulletproof Coffee is bringing a ready-to-drink version of its high-fat drink to Whole Foods stores nationwide this fall.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><strong>• Bulletproof Coffee, a "biohacking" wellness brand, is bringing a bottled version of buttered coffee to market.</strong></p><p><strong>• The ready-to-drink product will roll out to over 400 Whole Foods stores nationwide this fall.</strong></p><p><strong>• The drink taps into a Silicon Valley diet craze that has techies eating lots of fat.</strong></p><p>This past week, I swapped my usual coffee order - unsweetened with cream - for a buttered alternative that promised to give me mental superpowers.</p><p>In September, wellness brand Bulletproof Coffee <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bulletproof-coffee-launches-ready-to-drink-version-of-butter-coffee-2017-9">launched a ready-to-drink version of its famous buttered coffee drink</a>. The high-fat beverage will arrive in more than 400 Whole Foods stores nationwide this fall.</p><p>Made with cold-brew coffee, grass-fed butter, and a proprietary "Brain Octane" oil derived from coconuts, Bulletproof Coffee claims to diminish brain fog and increase mental function and energy, in addition to delivering a caffeine jolt. The beverage has amassed a cult following despite <a href="http://gizmodo.com/bulletproof-coffee-debunking-the-hot-buttered-hype-1681321467">little evidence it works</a>.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Bulletproof Coffee</span></p><p class="caption">Bulletproof Coffee comes in four flavors: Original, Vanilla, Mocha, and with collagen protein.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><span>An </span><a href="http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-live-longer-memory-obesity">increasing number of Americans</a><span> are filling up on fat in an attempt to live longer and better. A high-fat diet (also known as the ketogenic or "keto" diet in its extreme form) has been shown to </span><a href="http://time.com/4609015/ketogenic-diet-explained/">promote weight loss</a><span>, </span><a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/2/276.long">dull hunger</a><span>,</span><span> and </span><a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/the-fat-fueled-brain-unnatural-or-advantageous/">stave off age-related diseases</a><span>. It's catching on in Silicon Valley, where </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-keto-diet-ketosis-2017-3">tech workers often claim the pro-butter diet</a><span> gives them a mental edge.</span></p><p>Earlier this year, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/i-tried-keto-diet-beginners-guide-2017-6">I tried the keto diet</a> for two months. After nearly a month of restricting my carbohydrate intake, I experienced increased energy and focus. I also lost weight.</p><p><span>Bulletproof Coffee has sold the ingredients needed to make buttered coffee separately for years, but the new carton format makes it more accessible for the company's many skeptics. When I first heard about it, I hoped the drink would help me tap into the benefits of a keto diet.</span></p><p><span>Every morning this past week, I gave up Starbucks for a bottle of Bulletproof Coffee.</span></p><p><span>Bulletproof Coffee comes in four flavors: Original, Vanilla, Mocha, and Original with collagen protein. I expected it to taste like a creamy, indulgent coffee drink, but they</span><span> tasted more watered down. The butter added a floral note to the aroma and made it more silky in texture.</span></p><p><span>The company behind Bulletproof Coffee, which is led by "biohacking" guru Dave Asprey, markets the drink like it's a shortcut to a keto lifestyle.</span></p><p><span>"The ready-to-drink format provides sustainable energy from fats rather than sugar," according to an email from a company spokesperson.</span></p><p><span>"Bulletproof Coffee has helped everyone from driven CEOs to professional athletes to busy parents increase their energy so they can do more of what fulfills them," the <a href="https://blog.bulletproof.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/">website reads</a>.</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The author eating a high-fat meal on the keto diet.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><span>But as I learned during my experience on the keto diet, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/i-tried-keto-diet-beginners-guide-2017-6">benefits only kick in after several weeks</a> of restricting carbohydrates to 20 to 50 grams a day, which is roughly the equivalent of a plain bagel or a cup of white rice. </span>On the diet, the body switches from burning carbs to burning fat as its primary fuel source - a state known as nutritional ketosis. Keto-dieters eat lots of healthy fats like cheese, nuts, avocado, and butter, <span>to maintain this state.</span></p><p><span>Because I was still eating sugary carbohydrates as a major part of my diet, Bulletproof Coffee did not make me feel any more charged than normal coffee.</span></p><p><span>The <keyword id="41551" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> behind buttered coffee is spotty, and it has <a href="http://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/inside-personal-health-laboratory-bulletproof-coffees-dave-asprey-worlds-most">drawn</a> <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-04-21/buttered-coffee-could-make-you-invincible-and-this-man-very-rich">public</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/style/the-cult-of-the-bulletproof-coffee-diet.html">skepticism</a> from doctors. </span><span>There <a href="http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/buzz-behind-bulletproof-coffee">are no studies</a> showing the combination of ingredients in Bulletproof Coffee is safe, and eating too much saturated fat <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/sallytamarkin/the-best-part-of-waking-up?utm_term=.pkDdkz5kY#.icXpkrnkl">could present risks</a> for people with elevated cholesterol levels.</span></p><p>Asprey drinks Bulletproof Coffee every day. He <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bulletproof-coffee-dave-asprey-2017-4">told Business Insider earlier this year</a> that having it for breakfast outweighs poor choices he makes later, like eating a greasy meal out.</p><p><span>"Even if you're going to have Taco Bell for lunch, you seriously improve the quality of your life all morning long [by drinking Bulletproof]," Asprey said.</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/review-culvers-midwest-burger-chain-butter-2017-6">We tried Culver's - the Midwest burger chain that's all about butter</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

I gave up Starbucks for a week and drank this high-fat, buttered coffee drink instead - here's the verdict

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/twitter">Twitter</a> CEO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/jack-dorsey">Jack Dorsey</a> has been known for living a Stoic lifestyle, such as going on meditation retreats and experimenting with intermittent fasting.</li><li>Dorsey said <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/08/twitter-and-square-ceo-jack-dorsey-on-his-personal-wellness-habits.html">in a recent podcast appearance</a> that he only eats one meal a day - dinner - during the work week, then fasts on the weekends.</li><li>His habits have many online <a href="https://twitter.com/CarolineMoss/status/1115641023466700805">concerned</a> that his diet sounds more like an eating disorder.</li><li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/">Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has been very open about his unusual eating habits: In the past, Dorsey has experimented with everything from the more mainstream vegan and Paleo fads, to a more rigid routine of intermittent fasting.</p><p>Now, Dorsey's unusual eating habits have once again garnered a lot of attention - and criticism - after he discussed them on a recent podcast episode. He told host Ben Greenfield - a fitness influencer <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jack-dorsey-recorded-a-podcast-with-anti-vaxx-figure-ben-greenfield-2019-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who tweeted "anti-vaxx" comments</a> last month&#xa0;- that he only eats one meal per day during the work week, then fasts for the whole weekend.</p><p>"<span>The first time I did it, like day three, I felt like I was hallucinating," Dorsey said. "It was a weird state to be in. But as I did it the next two times, it just became so apparent to me how much of our days are centered around meals and how - the experience I had was when I was fasting for much longer, how time really slowed down."</span></p><p><span>People on the internet <a href="https://twitter.com/CarolineMoss/status/1115641023466700805">took notice</a> of Dorsey's diet, and <a href="https://twitter.com/Hello_Tailor/status/1115638676409733125">many remarked</a> how much his routine <a href="https://twitter.com/amandamull/status/1115570119277674496">sounds like</a> an eating disorder.</span></p><p>&#xa0;</p><p><span>Twitter did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>However, Dorsey is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-elon-musk-bill-gates-mark-zuckerberg-diets-2019-3#but-its-not-as-if-dorsey-is-known-for-standard-eating-practices-in-2012-the-twitter-ceo-revealed-his-daily-breakfast-was-two-hard-boiled-eggs-with-soy-sauce-17">far from the only tech billionaire</a> to play around with unique eating habits and controversial diet fads. The late Apple cofounder, Steve Jobs, was known to go weeks only eating one or two foods at a time - once, it was strictly carrots and apples. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made it his "personal challenge" in 2011 to only eat meat from animals he had killed himself.</span></p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-elon-musk-bill-gates-mark-zuckerberg-diets-2019-3">Chocolate for breakfast and freshly killed goat for dinner. Here are the diets of notable tech billionaires.</a></em></p><p>The Silicon Valley elite have long been enamored with "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-biohacking-wefast-2016-8">biohacking</a>," following certain routines and foods that may (or may not) get people to live longer and better lives. The founder of Bulletproof Coffee, Dave Asprey, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dave-asprey-bulletproof-coffee-routine-2016-10">has biohacked his life</a> with the goal of living until he's 180 years old.</p><p>There's a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-biohacking-wefast-2016-8">whole movement</a> of techies who have taken on intermittent fasting, like Dorsey, as a way to biohack their lives. There's some science behind the fad that shows intermittent fasting can <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intermittent-fasting-diet-health-benefits-weight-loss-2018-6">be just as helpful for weight loss</a> as traditional diets. While the diet's benefits have been apparent in the short term, studies have also shown it's hard to stick with and <a href="https://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/intermittent-fasting">could lead to dehydration</a> if not done correctly.</p><p>Many are pulled to the diet because when you can eat - in the specific defined window of the day - you don't have to count calories or ban carbs. But Dorsey said in his podcast appearance that his one meal per day includes fish, chicken or steak, with a side of vegetables.&#xa0;</p><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-mars-rover-space-paints-vehicles-spacecraft-2019-4">The Mars 2020 rover started as a pile of aluminum panels that took over 5,000 hours to assemble. Here's how it was made.</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey says he only eats one meal a day and fasts all weekend, and people are concerned that he has an eating disorder

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Advocates of the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diets have warned against the <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health">health</keyword> risks of vegetable and seed oils, claiming they're a "dirty" fuel source for the human body. </li><li>One <keyword id="82747" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Keto">keto</keyword> influencer recently claimed vegetable oils are just as dangerous for health as "smoking two packs of cigarettes a day."</li><li>But an expert said there's no evidence for this claim, and cooking oils can have a wide range of health effects depending on how they're prepared.</li></ul><p>Advocates of keto typically encourage a high-fat <keyword id="6358230" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="diet">diet</keyword>, but some hardcore "keto evangelists" say it doesn't count if you use plant-based oils.</p><p>If you incorporate processed forms of fat — seed oils, non-organic veggies — you're engaging in "dirty keto," according to <a href="http://www.benazadi.com">Ben Azadi</a>, founder of the health coaching site Keto Kamp.</p><p>"Keto is very popular, and with the buzz comes a lot of people doing it the wrong way," he told Insider. "It will get people into ketosis but not going to give you the health benefits."</p><p>According to Azadi, these veggies oils can increase your risk of chronic illnesses like cancer.</p><p>"Vegetable oils are worse than smoking two packs of cigarettes a day," Azadi said in a recent presentation for <a href="https://www.ketocon.org/ketocon-online-2020/">KetoCon 2020 Online</a>, a conference bringing together keto advocates and coaches across the US.</p><p>He's not alone: Other <a href="https://perfectketo.com/is-vegetable-oil-bad-for-you/">keto advocates</a>, biohacking pioneer <a href="https://blog.daveasprey.com/dr-cate-shanahan-376/">Dave Asprey</a>, and even some <a href="https://www.naomiwhittel.com/low-quality-vegetable-oils-worse-for-you-than-cigarette-smoking/">wellness influencers outside keto</a>, have made <a href="https://www.dietdoctor.com/cooking-with-vegetable-oils-releases-toxic-cancer-causing-chemicals">similar claims</a>.</p><p>But experts say there is no evidence behind that claim.</p><p>"That's not an accurate or useful comparison, and it's not grounded in science," Ali Webster, registered dietitian and director of research and <keyword id="52652" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="nutrition">nutrition</keyword> communications with the International Food Information Council, told Insider via email. <u></u></p><h2><strong>Fried food has been linked to cancer, but it's not just the oil</strong></h2><p>Some <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/dietary-pufa-and-cancer/D41E211FCB2CB1D5BD5729DD1B8F0BB6/core-reader">types of cooking oil</a> have been linked to a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5616019/">health risks</a>. However, those risks depend on the way the oil is used.</p><p>For instance, cooking oils that are heated to a high temperature, when frying or grilling foods, <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222093508.htm">can produce carcinogenic compounds, particularly when heated repeatedly</a>, linked to <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130128142849.htm">increased risk of certain types of cancer.</a></p><p>But those carcinogens aren't unique to the oil, Webster said. They can also be found in grilled or fried meat and even vegetables, regardless of the oil. </p><p>"There's a lot of hype around these findings, but in reality, any risk of negative health effects from these oxidation products is extremely small," she said. </p><h2><strong>There's little peer-reviewed research to back up claims that seed oil is worse than smoking</strong></h2><p>While there's evidence processed foods and food fried in oil aren't good for our health, claims about the risks of seed oil in particular go far beyond what current research can support. Azadi said his comments are based on the work of <a href="https://drcate.com/list-of-good-fats-and-oils-versus-bad/">Dr. Cate Shanahan</a>, a family physician who writes frequently about vegetables oils. Many of the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TzC0QLAENa-AWScFAbHhIgF_P_-4TJLLqGAmkpl4qgo/edit#">studies she cites</a> suggest correlation, not causation, between oils and illness, or focus on lab rodents, not humans. </p><p>Azadi also <a href="https://poddtoppen.se/podcast/1470779784/the-keto-kamp-podcast-with-ben-azadi/benefits-of-saturated-fat-best-time-for-carbs-dangers-of-vegetable-oils-with-brian-peskin-kkp-45">cites the work</a> of <a href="https://brianpeskin.com">Brian Peskin</a>, an electrical engineer who conducts his own independent research on cancer, and was charged with fraud in 2002 for <a href="https://quackwatch.org/11ind/peskin/complaint/">making unsubstantiated claims about his brand of nutritional supplements</a>. </p><p>Peskin's work is based on a theory that the <a href="http://brianpeskin.com/pdf/publications/HiddenStory-Nexus1.07.pdf">root cause of cancer is lack of oxygen in the cells, in part due to processed foods,</a> and the solution is what Peskin calls "parent essential oils." There's no accepted, peer-reviewed evidence behind this. </p><p>Without citing data or studies, Peskin told Azadi in a podcast that 16% of people who smoke two packs a day for 28 years will get cancer, compared to the majority of people who consume processed seed oils daily. "By far, processed oils are much worse than smoking," he said.</p><h2>Why fears of inflammation are also over-hyped</h2><p>Vegetable or seed oils (canola, corn, safflower, soybean) contain polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6.</p><p>Those fatty acids can help reduce the total and LDL cholesterol, both linked to cardiovascular disease, and can also be a substitute for butter and coconut oil if you're concerned about saturated fat.</p><p>Among keto evangelists, though, there has been some concern that too much omega-6 from seed oils, and too little omega-3 (found in greater concentration in things like fatty fish), can cause inflammation in the body. That's because <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/no-need-to-avoid-healthy-omega-6-fats">one type of omega-6, arachidonic acid, is linked to molecules that promote inflammation</a>.</p><p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29610056/">Research</a> has suggested that's not the case — studies have shown it does not increase inflammation, and in somes cases reduces it. Although it's not entirely clear how it works, it appears that arachidonic acid can also be converted by the body into molecules that help fight inflammation. </p><p>"While many of us could benefit from eating more omega-3 fatty acids, this doesn't have to come at the expense of eating fewer omega-6s," Webster said.</p><h2>A now-banned version of seed oil was linked to inflammation</h2><p>It was once common to find "partially-hydrogenated" versions of seed oils, which were designed to have a longer shelf life.</p><p>But they contain trans fats, which have been <a href="https://www.insider.com/trans-fats-linked-to-increased-risk-alzheimers-dementia-2019-10">closely linked to a whole variety of health issues </a> regardless of how it's prepared. </p><p>The evidence on the health risks of trans fats is so substantial that trans fats and oils that contain them have been banned in the US since 2018.</p><p>It's still possible to encounter them in packaged foods manufactured before then, however, although they're gradually being eliminated from the food supply. </p><h2><strong>No single type of cooking oil is the healthiest — balance and moderation is key</strong></h2><p>Although some types of cooking olive — such as olive oil — get a lot of hype for their health benefits, Webster said there's no single best option for every purpose. </p><p>Olive oil, as well as canola, soybean, and flaxseed oil, all provide different amounts of healthy unsaturated fats into your diet, so a variety of them can help make sure all of those nutrients are included in your diet. </p><p>"You can absolutely enjoy vegetable oils in your diet," Webster said. "Recommendations to avoid vegetable oils are not grounded in sound science, and no one should feel guilt or worry about including them."</p><p><strong><em>Read more:</em></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-burn-fat-without-losing-muscle-according-keto-bodybuilder-2020-7">How to burn fat without losing muscle, according to a keto </a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-burn-fat-without-losing-muscle-according-keto-bodybuilder-2020-7">bodybuilder</a></p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/keto-and-fasting-may-help-diabetes-even-without-weight-loss-2020-7">A woman successfully used the keto diet and intermittent fasting to control her diabetes without medication</a></p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/extreme-fasting-not-worth-it-for-most-people-nutritionist-2020-7">Multi-day fasting isn't worth downsides like hunger and loss of muscle mass, according to a nutritionist</a></p>

Some keto evangelists believe vegetable oil is worse than cigarettes, but the science behind the theory doesn't add up

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>BI Video</span></p><p class="caption">Making Bulletproof coffee takes a little bit more than stirring butter into coffee.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Bulletproof's coffee with butter isn't just a crazy diet fad - it's now a venture-backed business.</p><p><a href="http://www.bulletproofexec.com/">Bulletproof</a>, the company behind the butter coffee and a line of other biohacking products, is expanding into a line of cafés and a new product, FatWater.</p><p>Its first Starbucks-like café will open in Santa Monica, serving up the trademark Bulletproof coffee. Customers can order the traditional blend of coffee, butter and its patented <a href="https://www.upgradedself.com/products/bulletproof-upgraded-xct-oil-32-Fl-Oz">XCT oil</a> (similar to coconut oil) - or they can add-on "stacks" of other supplements to give the coffee a boost. </p><p>A "black hat coffee hacker" will be on hand to help customers choose their coffee and coach them about the Bulletproof philosophy, said its CEO and founder Dave Asprey.</p><p>"The goal is not to be the next Starbucks. The goal is to take this idea of biohacking and bring it to people in a way that they can feel it and bring it into their daily habits. It's basically an upgrade to what you do in the morning," Asprey said.</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Biohacking is a DIY-movement springing up in Silicon Valley in which people expirment with various supplements or devices that they believe lead to increased productivity, mental acuity and other benefits.  </span></p><p class="p1">A well-known biohacker in Silicon Valley, Asprey starts his day with a cup of Bulletproof coffee, often mixed with some herbs. He takes a variety of nootropics - including some that aren't even legal in the U.S. - that he says increases oxygen to his brain. He follows that with a handful of other supplements. In January 2015, he estimated that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-entrepreneur-dave-asprey-spent-300k-on-smart-drugs-2015-1">he had spent $300,000 </a>in 15 years to biohack his life.</p><p>Asprey is aware that not every person who tries Bulletproof coffee will take it to the same level as he has. By opening a coffee shop though, there's an opportunity for coffee to be a "gateway" for anyone to be empowered to change how they feel or think, he said.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Bulletproof</span></p><p class="caption">The new Bulletproof café in Santa Monica.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Turning biohacking into a business is not as insane as it may sound when you look at it who is backing it and why. <a href="http://www.trinityventures.com/portfolio/">Trinity Ventures</a>, who led the $9 million round, is an investor in Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Fitbit.</p><p>Bulletproof, it turns out, may be the hybrid of all three.</p><p>"This movement towards having control of your own health and well-being is not a fad," said <a href="http://www.trinityventures.com/team/gus-tai/">Gus Tai</a>, a partner at Trinity Ventures who is joining the board of the company. "Bulletproof's core philosophy is empowering people to take control of their own health and well-being to reach the level of mental acuity and performance that they're desiring."</p><p>The self-improvement movement has been around for decades, Tai said. Its part of the reason devices like the Fitbit, and the broader category of "wearables" and fitness trackers, have seen such success. </p><p>As the average consumer want to learn more about their health, they're going to want to change it, and Asprey wants to make it easier by letting people walk into a Bulletproof café and feel the difference, he said. The storefronts will not only focus on coffee, but will also sell the company's <a href="https://www.upgradedself.com/vanilla-collagen-bar">collagen bars</a> and its newest product, FATwater - a water infused with oils that Asprey said is supposed to "hack" the body's hydration.</p><p>"The easiest way to show someone the power of this is to say 'hey, let's go in and try it one time," Asprey said. "Most of us are putting coffee in our bodies, so it's a great place to start, but it's a different vision than another coffee shop."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bulletproof-coffee-energy-butter-2014-12">How To Make Bulletproof Coffee With Butter For More Energy</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="owOXlicjpNpCwNaF74UshefAd1uTyoN8" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

The company behind the coffee with butter craze just raised $9 million to open up its first coffee shop

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Coffee with butter isn't a typical morning beverage.<p>But it's&#xa0;become a craze among bio-hackers and those looking to add extra energy to their day.</p><p>Championed by Dave Asprey, author of "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/162336518X/">The&#xa0;Bulletproof Diet</a>," the aptly-named "Bulletproof coffee" is a mix of specially treated&#xa0;coffee, butter from grass-fed cows, and "brain octane" oil, a proprietary version of MCT (medium-chain triglyceride oil), which is similar to coconut oil.&#xa0;</p><p>You've&#xa0;never seen these ingredients on a Starbucks menu. But&#xa0;they're staples at the Bulletproof Café in Santa Monica, California.&#xa0;</p><p>During a recent trip to Santa Monica, I stopped by to see if a coffee with butter concoction could keep me fueled for my drive back to San Francisco. Here's what it was like:&#xa0;</p>

I tried the high-tech cafe that wants to hack your body by adding butter to your coffee

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<p>Everybody loves coffee and Dave Asprey - author of <a href="https://www.bulletproofexec.com/">"The Bulletproof Diet"</a> - says he has come up with a coffee that will give its drinkers a lot more energy.</p>
<p><em>Produced by Matthew Stuart and Alana Kakoyiannis</em></p>
<p><strong>Follow BI Video:</strong>&#xa0;<a href="http://facebook.com/businessinsidervideo">On Facebook</a></p>

How To Make Bulletproof Coffee With Butter For More Energy

<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source">Dave Asprey</p><p class="caption">Dave Asprey</p></div>There's been a lot of talk lately about the <keyword id="1591845" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Quantified-Self">quantified self</keyword> movement, where people gather and share data with tools like the Nike Fuelband and Fitbit. </span></p>
<p>But the issue with quantified self tools is, while they're great for tracking what your body is doing, they're not that great for actual change, <span><keyword id="6357722" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="silicon-valley">Silicon Valley</keyword> entrepreneur and investor Dave </span>Asprey tells Business Insider. </p>
<p>Still, Asprey considers himself part of the quantified self movement. </p>
<p>"I desperately want this knowledge but I want to use the knowledge more quickly than I can consciously," Asprey says.</p>
<p>That's why Asprey has spent about $300,000 <span>to make himself smarter and healthier through what he calls "biohacking,"</span> which is all about training your brain and your body using technology. </p>
<p><strong>How It All Started</strong></p>
<p>When Asprey was in his mid-twenties, he weighed about 300 pounds and despite being a successful entrepreneur, having made $6 million from selling his company Exodus Communications when he was 26, his brain was starting to not work very well. </p>
<p>"I worked out all the time, I ate low calories, I did all the stuff I was supposed to do, as a Type A hard-worker, and it didn't work," Asprey says. "And I had this idea that maybe some days where I felt like I really was a zombie, maybe I actually was a zombie and I would measure it."</p>
<p>So he started playing FreeCell, a Solitaire-based card game, to see how his performance would change. He found that on some days, it would take him ten minutes to play and on other days, only one or two minutes.</p>
<p>"So suddenly I had an external metric to help me understand my performance and it occurred to me that I had control of this and that there was something causing it and that I needed to know what it was," Asprey says. </p>
<p>That launched Asprey on his path to upgrade himself. </p>
<p><strong>On Biohacking</strong></p>
<p>One of Asprey's favorite technologies for training the brain is HeartMath's heart rate variablity trainer called emWave2, which helps you maintain your focus and attention, achieve better sleep, and regulate your emotions. </p>
<p>Asprey has also used a variety of supplements and smart drugs to enhance his brain function. <span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Some people look at them as cheating, Asprey says, but they're simply a way to improve your brain function and be healthier.</span></p>
<p>"These aren’t technologies to cheat or to be less human, they’re technologies that let your brain do all the things it wants to do anyway, and give you the ability to be, not just a better worker, screw that noise, but give you the ability to be a better person," Asprey says. </p>
<p>Through biohacking, Asprey says he's learned how to "turn on happy" and turn off stress with just one breath. He's even increased his IQ by more than by 20 points, but won't say exactly how much.</p>
<p>"If I was abnormally endowed as a man, I wouldn’t disclose that number either," Asprey says. "It is not about how big is yours, it’s about how much bigger than it is now can it be."</p>
<p>One technique that works really well for increasing your IQ is neuro-feedback training, which is when you hook up electrodes to your head and use them to get feedback about your brain activity, Asprey says. </p>
<p>"There’s a particular form of this, that gives you the same brain state of someone who spent 20 years doing zen meditation and its shown in a study to raise your IQ by 12 points," Asprey says. "That’s a pretty expensive program to do. That’s a $15,000 investment, but when you’re looking at $1,200 per IQ point, it’s not that expensive."</p>
<p><strong>Going On A Strict Orgasm Diet</strong></p>
<p>Asprey even put himself on a strict orgasm diet last year, where he wouldn't let himself orgasm more than once every eight days. While on the diet, Asprey would also track his levels of happiness, energy, and life in general by plotting a number from 1 to 10 every day on a chart.</p>
<p>Asprey found that when he had less frequent orgasms, his satisfaction with life went up and his relationship with his wife improved.  </p>
<p>"That's why the quantified self is cool because big data tells us things about our <keyword id="6502723" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="biology">biology</keyword> that are just not obvious," Asprey says. "I would've bet a hundred bucks before I ran the experiment that, 'I'm pretty sure if I have sex all the time and have an orgasm all the time, I'll be happiest,' but that's not the case."</p>

This Investor Spent ~$300,000 Hacking His Own Biology - And You Won't Believe What He Learned About Orgasms

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Nootrobox</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Free food and startups typically go hand-in-hand, but at Nootrobox, a smart drug company, their team bonding takes a different form: Fasting. </p><p>In <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_30109953/hacking-brain-silicon-valley-entrepreneurs-turn-fasting-and">a profile in the San Jose Mercury News</a>, Nootrobox cofounder Greg Woo said his company has become "super productive" on Tuesdays because no one eats.</p><p><span>The fasting isn't meant to curtail lunch costs for employees, but to super-charge their brains. As a so-called "smart drug" company, Nootrobox specializes in creating nootropics designed to improve brain performance and gummy caffeine cubes to help people get an extra boost throughout the day. </span></p><p><span>It's all part of a larger movement towards "biohacking," or a movement in </span><span>Silicon Valley in which people experiment with various supplements or devices that they believe lead to increased productivity, mental acuity, and other benefits. </span><span>Some use supplements, like the kind Nootrobox manufactures, but others, like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bulletproof-raised-9-million-to-open-coffee-with-butter-shop-2015-7">well-known biohacker Dave Asprey</a>, mix butter into coffee.</span></p><p>Those who fast, like the four employees of Nootrobox, are trying to reach a state of ketosis, where the body starts burning fat for fuel. They each fast between 24 to 36 hours (or a dinner only diet), but it all culminates in a breakfast with other biohackers on Wednesday mornings. </p><p>"<span>It's hard at first, but we literally adopted it as part of the company culture," Woo <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_30109953/hacking-brain-silicon-valley-entrepreneurs-turn-fasting-and">told the Mercury News</a>.</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-tovala-works-keurig-food-startup-kickstarter-2016-3">We tested the 'Keurig of food' that claims it can replace everything in your kitchen</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="hzcnd1MTE6B7G5EME9AI3V5C0j0SV8N5" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Employees at this Silicon Valley startup don't eat on Tuesdays

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Daxiao Productions/Shutterstock</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/morning-routine">morning routine</a> can be hard to follow on a normal day, let alone while you're traveling.</strong></li><li><strong>Benjamin Spall <a href="https://mymorningroutine.com/">interviewed</a> over 300 people - from authors and athletes to entrepreneurs and executives - and asked how they stick to their morning routine when they <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/travel">travel</a>.</strong></li><li><strong>They shared a few key <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/habits">habits</a> that help them stay productive in the mornings.</strong></li><li><strong>These include: Smartly scheduling, embracing the forced productivity of a hotel room, and recognizing that things don't always go as planned.</strong></li></ul><p>Sticking to a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/morning-routine">morning routine</a> when traveling for work can feel like an impossible task.</p><p>It's often easier to just go with the flow when we're on the road, but this can lead us to falling out of our regular routine and into some unhealthy <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/habits">habits</a>.</p><p>Over the past five years, I have interviewed <a href="https://mymorningroutine.com/">over three-hundred successful people about their morning routines</a>- including the chairman of the Vanguard Group, Bill McNabb, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, and media mogul Arianna Huffington. Along with my co-author, Michael Xander, we just released<a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Morning-Routine-Successful-Inspired/dp/0735220271/">a book </a>of exclusive interviews with advice on how to create a morning routine of your own.</p><p>One question we always ask when interviewing people about their mornings is if, and how, they stick to their morning routine when traveling.</p><p>We analyzed all the answers we've received, and from these answers, we uncovered some key tips and habits that anyone can do to help keep a successful morning routine while traveling for work.</p><h2>1. Do some smart scheduling before you leave</h2><p>Some of the successful businesspeople we interviewed advocate for scheduling flights around your morning routine, and focusing on getting enough sleep.</p><p>If you know you sleep well on planes, choose to take an overnight flight so you can wake up refreshed in your destination and ready to go.</p><p>If sleeping on planes is something that doesn't come as easy as you would like, choose instead to schedule your flight to land in your destination the evening before, so your sleep and morning the next day aren't affected.</p><p>Peter Balyta, president of education technology at Texas Instruments, who told us he travels a lot, said, "On the road, I make it a point to find time to rest, even in short intervals-especially when I'm working through jet lag."</p><h2>2. Embrace the forced productivity of your hotel room</h2><p>"I find hotels to be a great place for quiet, mindful morning moments, as there is no temptation to clean out the refrigerator or reorganize my desk," said Andy Hayes, a premium tea seller.</p><p>Hotel rooms are great places to get work done, especially if you're traveling alone, because you're less likely to face the same distractions you would at home.</p><h2>3. Come up with a personal travel routine, and stick to it</h2><p>If you travel a lot, try to come up with a standard, personal routine that you always stick to while away. This can be a pared-down version of your at-home routine - where you run on the hotel treadmill instead of around your local park, for example - or a different routine altogether.</p><p>"My schedule is dynamic, so I have to be prepared to adapt. I keep a suitcase packed with thin gym shoes and socks and workout stuff so I can weave that into my schedule when I travel. I'm pretty disciplined about sticking to it," said Kevin Warren, chief commercial officer at Xerox.</p><p>But, with that said…</p><h2>4. Recognize that you're only human</h2><p>While you should try your best to stick to a personal travel routine, you shouldn't beat yourself up if things don't always go as planned.</p><p>Fashion model and cultural activist Cameron Russell said, "I travel a lot for work, so my days are always different. Having a morning routine really means fitting things in around everything else."</p><p>If you skip your morning meditation for a couple days in a row, don't feel like you failed; just get back to it when you return home. And if you can't get your morning workout in when traveling, that's OK. The creator of Bulletproof Coffee, Dave Asprey, told us,"With the stresses of sleep deprivation, airplane travel, new time zones, and not being in complete control of the quality of my food, my body doesn't need the extra stress of vigorous exercise."</p><p>While it's good to try to find the time to fit in your morning routine when traveling, recognizing that you're only human allows you to treat your body with the gentleness it needs.</p><p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://benjaminspall.com/">Benjamin Spall</a>is the co-author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Morning-Routine-Successful-Inspired/dp/0735220271/?tag=insider-safetynet-20">My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired</a>, and the founding editor of <a href="https://mymorningroutine.com/">mymorningroutine.com</a>.</span></em></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-klansman-cop-infiltrated-kkk-spike-lee-ron-stallworth-2018-8">How a black cop infiltrated the KKK - the true story behind Spike Lee's 'BlacKkKlansman'</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

I've interviewed hundreds of successful people - here are their 4 best tips for sticking to a morning routine while traveling

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Picnik</span></p><p class="caption">Picnik is bringing the first bottled, buttered coffee to stores.</p></div><p></p></div></div><strong>• Picnik, a specialty coffee retailer based in Austin, Texas, is bringing a first-of-its-kind bottled, buttered coffee to market.</strong></p><p><strong>• Butter Coffee will roll out to nearly 400 Whole Foods stores nationwide in August.</strong></p><p><strong>• The drink taps into a Silicon Valley diet craze that has techies eating lots of fat.</strong></p><p>"How do you take your coffee: with milk, sugar, or butter?"</p><p>You won't hear baristas asking that question in San Francisco coffee shops just yet - but a growing number of tech workers are drinking coffee with butter for a unique kind of jolt. They say the creamy blend <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3032635/bulletproof-coffee-the-new-power-drink-of-silicon-valley">gives them a boost in energy</a> and productivity, among other perks.</p><p><a href="https://picnikaustin.com/">Picnik</a>, a specialty coffee retailer based in Austin, Texas, is capitalizing on the trend by introducing a bottled version of its "butter coffee" to Whole Foods stores nationwide, starting in August. The drink comes in three flavors: Mocha Latte, Cappuccino, and Dirty Chai.</p><p>In 2013, when Naomi Seifter, founder and CEO of Picnik, first started serving buttered coffee out of a shipping container she had converted into a coffee kiosk, she got a lot of questions.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Picnik</span></p><p class="caption">Naomi Seifter, founder and CEO of Picnik.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>"I had to stand behind the counter every day and say, 'I know this sounds scary and it seems super weird, but just give it a shot,'" Seifter told Business Insider.</p><p>For the first year, she gave free upgrades on black coffee so customers could try it. Back then, the coffee was blended with a Cadbury Egg-like truffle of butter. Over time, buttered coffee became a bestseller.</p><p>Seifter has since changed up the recipe to include whey protein, MCT oil (a high-fat concentrate derived from coconut oil), and grass-fed butter - no blender required.</p><p><strong>"But how does it taste?"</strong></p><p>First, I tried the most plain flavor: Cappuccino. It only has one gram of sugar.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"></div></div></p><p>It tasted like watered down coffee. I preferred my regular iced coffee.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"></div></div></p><p>A few days later, I tried the Mocha Latte - the sweetest flavor thanks to a dose of organic maple syrup. It has 21 grams of sugar, which makes it off-limits for anyone watching their sugar intake. The drink tasted more like Nesquik chocolate milk than coffee, and I downed a bottle in minutes. It was delicious. But I don't know that it made me any more alert or focused.</p><p>Some people working in Silicon Valley take their coffee with butter as a way to inject more fat into their diet. A recent diet craze,<span> </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-keto-diet-ketosis-2017-3">known as the ketogenic diet</a>, has techies cutting carbs and filling up on fat as a way to improve focus and avoid sugar crashes. Studies suggest a high-fat diet may also<span> </span><a href="http://time.com/4609015/ketogenic-diet-explained/">promote weight loss</a><span>, </span><a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/2/276.long">dull hunger</a><span>, and </span><a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/the-fat-fueled-brain-unnatural-or-advantageous/">stave off age-related diseases</a><span>.</span></p><p>Picnik's iteration of buttered coffee might be more indulgence than weight-loss secret.</p><p><span>The science behind buttered coffee is spotty, and it has </span><a href="http://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/inside-personal-health-laboratory-bulletproof-coffees-dave-asprey-worlds-most">drawn</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-04-21/buttered-coffee-could-make-you-invincible-and-this-man-very-rich">public</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/style/the-cult-of-the-bulletproof-coffee-diet.html">skepticism</a><span> from doctors. There <a href="http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/buzz-behind-bulletproof-coffee">are no studies</a> showing this combination of ingredients is safe, and eating too much saturated fat <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/sallytamarkin/the-best-part-of-waking-up?utm_term=.pkDdkz5kY#.icXpkrnkl">could present risks</a> for people with elevated cholesterol levels.</span></p><p><span>There's also no evidence that a pat of butter in your coffee achieves the same effect as a diet made up of 80% healthy fats. A bottle of Picnik's flavored, buttered coffee contains 21 grams of sugar, which is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/i-tried-keto-diet-beginners-guide-2017-6">nearly a day's allowance of carbohydrates on the ketogenic diet</a>.</span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Picnik</span></p><p class="caption">Picnik's flavored drinks - Mocha Latte and Dirty Chai - contain organic maple syrup and have a whopping 21 grams of sugar.</p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p>But for some, that's all right.<span> </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/i-tried-keto-diet-beginners-guide-2017-6">I tried the keto diet for two months</a><span> </span>last spring and fending off cravings was the hardest part. A sugary drink that packs in the benefits of fat might be a worthwhile "cheat."</p><p>Picnik isn't the first to tap the buttered coffee market. Dave Asprey, a cloud computing executive turned biohacking guru, has built a multimillion-dollar empire around his ideas - the most famous of which is Bulletproof Coffee.</p><p>Made with grass-fed butter and a proprietary "Brain Octane" oil,<span> </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bulletproof-coffee-dave-asprey-2017-4">Bulletproof Coffee claims to give drinkers</a><span> </span>a "mental edge," satiate hunger for hours, and promote weight loss. The company, which sells the Bulletproof ingredients online, said it sold 48 million "cups of coffee" in 2016.</p><p><span></span><span></span>Picnik's Butter Coffee arrives in nearly 400 Whole Foods stores in August. It sells for $4.99.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-oil-on-top-of-all-natural-peanut-butter-2017-8">Why oil collects at the top of some peanut-butter jars - and how to prevent it</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

We tried the high-fat, buttered coffee drink that's taken Silicon Valley by storm - here's the verdict

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://standdesk.co/press-kit.html">Stand Desk</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>We finally found the standing desk that has everything and won't destroy your wallet.</p>
<p>Billed as the "most affordable automatic standing desk," Stand Desk <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2036834894/the-most-affordable-automatic-sit-to-stand-desk">has launched a Kickstarter campaign</a> to get its product out to the market.</p>
<p>Already, 209 people have pledged $84,608 to the project. </p>
<p>It has an impressive array of features: Standard up and down controls (or deluxe memory control system), a number of different surface types and colors, and cable management in the back. But perhaps what's most impressive is the price: $399.</p>
<p>Standing desks of this caliber typically range anywhere from <a href="http://www.thehumansolution.com/uplift-900-electric-sit-stand-desk-silver.html" target="_blank">$700</a> all <a href="http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-standing-desks/" target="_blank"> the way up</a> to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stir-kinetic-desk-investment-2014-3" target="_blank">$4,000</a>.</p>
<p>"[The] 'traditional' sit-to-stand desks are designed way more complicated than they should be," said Steven Yu, in an email to Business Insider. "I just simplified everything while finding the perfect balance between function, quality, and price."</p>
<p>The benefits <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/proof-standing-desks-you-more-productive-2013-9">of standing desks in general</a> are noteworthy, with increased productivity, energy, and reduced lower back pain. <a href="http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/national/the-health-hazards-of-sitting/750/">A January article in</a> The Washington Post even showed plenty of the health hazards to sitting.</p>
<p>Back pain, and more specifically, a motorcycle accident, was what pushed founder Steven Yu to create the product.</p>
<p>"After my motorcycle accident, I wanted a natural solution for my back pain," he told us. "But I didn't want to spend thousands of dollars for an automatic standing desk."</p>
<p>Yu teamed up with a number of people that provided help and testing, to include Dr. Joan Vernikos, former Life Sciences Director at NASA, <a href="http://go.toutapp.com/e1ae59b0c3450768d5" target="_blank">Dave Asprey</a><span>, CEO of Bulletproof Executive, <a href="http://go.toutapp.com/155171d164c4928d03" target="_blank">Bing Howenstien</a><span>, CEO of Backjoy, and <a href="http://go.toutapp.com/88ebfa2c1ffbba54a3" target="_blank">Robert Yung</a><span>, former CTO of Intel and Oracle.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Here's the result:</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/89278219">Meet StandDesk!</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user15204716">steven</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

We Found The Only Standing Desk You Will Ever Need

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Nootrobox</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>To prepare for his long day of Monday meetings, Andreessen Horowitz partner Chris Dixon has a ritual.</p><p>Dixon drinks Soylent, the chalky nutrition drink favored among startup workers, then ingests another startup favorite: nootropics.</p><p>The so-called "Smart Drugs" produced keep Dixon alert as everyone else is sagging after a heavy lunch.</p><p>On a Monday, it's a combination called "Sprint" to power him through the day.</p><p>Dixon likes them so much, he is leading a $2 million funding round for a startup that makes them, <a href="https://nootrobox.com/">Nootrobox</a>. </p><p>It's an unusual bet for the firm that's preached "<a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903480904576512250915629460">software is eating the world</a>" and has placed successful bets on tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Airbnb.</p><p>After all, powdered supplements to boost your brain sounds more like a scam than a software company.</p><h2>Inside the world of "smart drugs"</h2><p>At face value, all Nootrobox is doing is selling powdered supplements in pill packages.</p><p>Instead of boosting your Vitamin C levels, these pills "biohack" your brain. All of the ingredients used are labeled by the FDA as GRAS ("generally regarded as safe") or acceptable, <a href="https://nootrobox.com/faq">the company says</a>. Some of the main ingredients are caffeine and L-Theanine, a derivative from green tea.</p><p>Together, in what's called a "stack", the combination becomes a pill that is sold to biohackers like Dixon. </p><p><span class="s1">Biohacking is a DIY-movement springing up in Silicon Valley in which people experiment with various supplements or devices that they believe lead to increased productivity, mental acuity, and other benefits. There's <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nootropics">an active group on Reddit of more than 60,000 people</a> who discuss which nootropics to take and their results on the body. </span></p><p><span class="s1">That's where Dixon found Nootrobox. He had been looking for startups in the space, but most were marketing-driven and sounded "too much like an infomercial," he told Business Insider. </span></p><p><span class="s1"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Nootrobox</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p>"Some very high percentage of college students are taking Adderall," Dixon said. "I think the nootropics movement is a much healthier alternative to a lot of this stuff. Everything that Nootrobox sells is all well-known."</p><p>The startup has three "stacks" of pills called Rise, Sprint, and Yawn. Rise is your everyday mental booster while Sprint is made largely of caffeine for short spurts of productivity. Yawn is for going to bed. </p><p>The company's newest products are "Go Cubes" of chewable, gummy coffee bits for those who like a caffeine boost without taking a pill.</p><p><span class="s1">Nootrobox had been panned in the biohacking community because it sells well-known and easy combinations - at least if you're an expert in <a href="https://nootrobox.com/biohacker-guide/nootropics">nootropics</a>. </span></p><p>But to Dixon, it's like the Homebrew Computer Club of the 1970s getting upset that IBM made PCs. If you don't know what you're doing, the barrier to entry is high, and the result of misuse can be dangerous. </p><p>"If you go to a random website, you don't know the quality and content of these ingredients or where they're coming from," Dixon said. </p><p>It's not only going to be a supplement shop. This is an <a href="http://a16z.com/">Andreessen Horowitz</a> investment, after all, so Nootrobox will have a softwre component: The company plans to release an app in the next month, so users can start tracking how they feel when they take nootropics and without them, as well as tracking how things like exercise affects their overall mood. </p><p>"Think of it as MyFitnessPal for your brain. It's like a fun way to keep track of how you feel, what you ate, whether you exercised, all those kinds of things that might affect your mood," Dixon said. </p><p>While it's taken venture capital money, Dixon sees the company operating more like another of his investments, Soylent. The startup rakes in a little bit of cash - in this case a $2 million seed round - to jump start its path to profitability. Once it becomes a cash positive business, it then invests that money back into R&amp;D.  </p><h2>Not just a fad</h2><p>But what if this is just an obsession of techies on places like Reddit? What if normal consumers never bite?</p><p>"Any of things we invest in could be a fad and not a trend, and that's totally the risk we take," Dixon acknowledges.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Dylan Love</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>But he does see nootropics gaining a foothold because their effects are increased happiness and productivity.</p><p>His investment also coincides with the rise of fitness trackers, like Fitbit, where consumers are excited to know more about their health and be in charge of it. </p><p>Other investors have taken notice, as well. </p><p>Earlier this year, another venture capital firm, Trinity Ventures, made a big bet on Bulletproof. Known mostly for the coffee-with-butter craze, <a href="https://www.bulletproofexec.com/">Bulletproof </a> uses oils and other ingredients to increase mental acuity and brain performance. Its founder, Dave Asprey, is a well-known biohacker who takes more than 30 pills a day, some of them of questionable legality, to hack his brain.</p><p>"This movement towards having control of your own health and well-being is not a fad," said <a href="http://www.trinityventures.com/team/gus-tai/">Gus Tai</a>, a partner at Trinity Ventures who joined the board of Bulletproof.</p><p>"Bulletproof's core philosophy is empowering people to take control of their own health and well-being to reach the level of mental acuity and performance that they're desiring."</p><p>Dixon and Nootrobox acknowledge that there is still little information on the health benefits of it, despite being labeled generally as safe by the FDA. Part of the investment will go towards commissioning a study so that the startup can submit it to the FDA and get permission to make claims of efficacy. </p><p>Small, software-enhanced steps, like tracking your mood via an app, will play a role in helping consumers determine if one pill made by Nootrobox makes them feel better than a can of soda.</p><p>"I believe 30 years from now people will look back on our consumption of soda like they look back on 'Mad Men' and are like, 'I can't believe they're chain-smoking and drinking at work!'" Dixon said.</p><p class="tagline">Disclosure: Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, is an investor in Business Insider.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/health-benefits-drinking-coffee-2015-8">4 health benefits of coffee, the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pxMmltdjoyD0nSdFQWDMarGysCdOjg27" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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