Mayo In Coffee? Don't Knock It Until You Try It

You've probably heard of putting butter in your coffee, known as bulletproof coffee, but have you ever considered trying some mayonnaise with your cup? The suggestion sounds strange at first mention, but the unusual choice actually comes with its own many benefits and unique taste. If you're wary of the idea, we don't blame you — but don't knock it until you try it.

In lieu of cream or milk, mayonnaise provides an extra creaminess to coffee that makes it a satisfying addition. It brings forward the same benefits as other add-ins too, providing essential fatty acids, a thick and creamy mouthfeel, and many other health benefits like high levels of vitamin E and K. Plus, since there's salt in mayonnaise, the condiment can further mask the natural taste of bitterness in coffee much more than neutral options like milk.

But why mayo? Well, it isn't actually too far out of left field. Different cultures (from Vietnamese egg coffee to church basement coffee aka Swedish egg coffee) add egg to their morning brew. This is almost a way to blend that tradition with bulletproof coffee thanks to the egg and oil present in mayo.

While we know the benefits of this combination now, someone had to be the first to try it. Who would do something like that?

Many consider the official beginning of this trend to have happened in 2021 when football quarterback Will Levis posted a TikTok of himself indulging in it. The quarterback and his girlfriend made a joke about adding mayonnaise to their coffee after noticing it was the only thing available on the table at a restaurant.

@will_levis

I have a very sophisticated pallet. @omgiaaa #fyp #TakeTheDayOffChallenge #BenefitOfBrows

♬ original sound – Will Levis

After the video went live, mayonnaise brands such as Hellman's and Duke's quickly jumped on the trend and started making tweets about the promising new combination, with each even arguing about who had jumped on the trend first. Levis later addressed the virtual interactions saying that "creating beef between mayonnaise companies was not necessarily on my to-do list this week" in a Twitter post. Levis later used the coffee and mayonnaise idea again for a social media campaign with the NFL in 2022.

Allegedly, this combination was always just a joke for Levis, but while the idea was not as serious as many had initially thought, the trend exploded nonetheless. It wasn't until later that Levis admitted the satirical nature of the addition, but he also said he surprised himself by learning that the mixture "didn't taste half-bad" according to an NFL Twitter post.

While this tried may have started as a joke, not everyone sees it as such. Here is what those who have tried the trend have to say about it. Spoiler alert: The reviews are very mixed — just like your coffee should be if you put in mayo.

Maciej Kasperowicz, the director of Trade Coffee, shared his review via Instagram and gave it a big thumbs down. Another Reddit user who tried the invention was equally as unimpressed, saying the mayo added no additional flavor to the drink and dubbed it "a neutral combination." One user, however, was intrigued by the idea, citing the common combination of egg yolk in coffee as one other example of a successful unconventional ingredient for coffee. A Twitter user admitted to picking up a bottle of mayonnaise once when they were out of coffee creamer and claimed that it wasn't half-bad. Another user commented on the Tweet, saying that they were also once skeptical of adding mayonnaise to cake batter, but that one actually worked out, so they might just have to give this combo a try too.

Overall we'd say that there are very mixed feelings about this trend thus far, so this might just be something you'll have to try for yourself. And you could even try one of the many other unconventional ingredients you could add to your coffee while you're at it. Otherwise, sticking with the classic choices of cream, milk, and sugar is always a good option.