You may have seen people adding MCT oil to their smoothies or mixing it into coffee. Bullet proof coffee is the best example of this. But what exactly is MCT oil, what do you use it for and how does it work? We'll give you the answer to that in this article.
MCT oil is a quality fat derived from coconuts. You can use it as an oil to make salad dressings but it is also available in powder form as a dietary supplement. It offers multiple benefits such as better energy balance, more brain power and you keep a satiated feeling for a long time. Here's how it works, how to use it and how to make it work best for you.
What is MCT Oil?
"MCT" is short for medium-chain triglycerides (medium-chain triglycerides). Triglycerides are the molecules that make up most fats. They occur naturally in coconut oil, palm oil, goat's milk and breast milk.
Your body turns MCTs into molecules called ketones. Studies have shown that ketones help burn fat. They also reduce food cravings and provide your brain with energy. Some MCT oil is extracted from palm oil. This has a negative effect on the environment because of deforestation and decrease in wildlife habitat. For this reason Ekopura MCT oil made from pure and sustainable coconut oil extracted from coconuts.
If you follow a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, such as the ketogenic diet, supplementing your diet with MCT oil can ensure that you get enough fat to enter or stay in ketosis. Ketosis is the state in which your body burns fat, rather than carbohydrates, to generate fuel. The ketone-boosting effects of MCT oil also help you maintain a feeling of fullness longer and a good energy balance. In addition, it has other benefits that we will discuss below.
The benefits of MCT oil
MCT oil increases energy, endurance, metabolism, satiety and brain function. Especially compared to normal coconut oil or other forms of healthy fats. MCTs are largely lacking in the typical Western diet. Therefore, adding MCT oil to your daily routine can be a powerful way to enjoy the benefits of smart fats.
Here's why MCT oil is so good for you:
Weight Management and Weight Loss
MCTs cause your body to burn fat, no matter what type of diet you follow. Your body does this by converting MCTs into alternative forms of energy called ketones, which increase your metabolism and burn the fat you already have.
And no, you don't have to follow the keto diet to benefit from the effects of MCT oil. People following the standard "Western diet'' can still lose weight through MCT oil because of the positive effects it has on hunger hormones and the boost in metabolism. However, the weight loss will not be as significant as someone following a full ketogenic diet. We will come back to this in another article.
Suppressed Hunger
High quality fats have a satiating effect, which is why MCT oil helps you feel full longer without having to think about a mid-morning snack. This is scientifically proven: MCTs increase ketones. Ketones suppress ghrelin (also known as the hunger hormone) and increase cholecystokinin (CCK), making you feel full.
More Brain Power
High-quality MCT oil turns into ketones within minutes, giving your brain a quick jolt of energy and mental clarity. If one's carbohydrate level is low enough, MCT oil can be converted into ketones, which unlike glucose can cross the blood-brain barrier and be used as a fuel source for brain cells.
This means that if your body has low energy reserves, your own metabolic system can quickly convert the MCT oil into a fuel that is immediately available to the brain. Some people describe this feeling as if "the lights go on in their brain."
Supports the Stomach
When the protective effect of the intestinal wall does not work as well as it should, toxins, bacteria and food particles can enter your bloodstream through the intestines. This delivers an increased risk of serious disease. Studies have shown that MCTs help make the digestive tract and intestines more selective. Which keeps unhealthy toxins and bacteria from entering the bloodstream.
Increases Endurance
One of the main benefits of MCT oil is that it increases energy quickly, combats fatigue and provides an extra boost. This makes it an excellent choice for athletes - especially runners or cyclists with high endurance - because it is a fast and efficient fuel source. It has also been shown to improve recovery in endurance athletes.
How does MCT work in your body?
MCT oil is digested differently because it is absorbed directly from the intestines into the liver, bypassing the physiology of storage as fat. That means your body breaks down MCTs faster than the long-chain triglycerides found in other fatty foods. Your liver converts MCTs into ketones - the fuel source your body creates when it burns fat for fuel.
What is the triglyceride chain and why is it so important?
What is better about "MC" or "medium-chain" triglycerides compared to short-chain (SCT) or long-chain (LCT) triglycerides as the tail of the end of the fat molecule. The longer the chain, the longer it takes your body to convert the triglycerides into energy. That means the shorter the chain, the better, but only up to a point.
In a study of 17 overweight women, those who received MCT oil supplements showed improved fat burning compared with those who received LCTs. While these results may indicate a "the shorter, the better" rule for triglyceride chains when it comes to burning fat, there are some pretty big problems with SCTs.
First, they tend to smell pretty foul, but most worryingly, they can cause disastrous digestion. Depending on your sensitivity, even ingesting a small amount of concentrated SCTs can upset your stomach. Ekopura MCT oil powder is different. As long as you start with a small dose (1 teaspoon) and work your way up to a larger dose, you get the benefits of MCT oil, without the side effects.
MCT Oil vs. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is great for cooking and baking, but if you want fat-burning ketones that stimulate the brain, MCT oil is better. That's because coconut oil contains different types of fats. Not all of these types are equally effective for energy storage and fat loss.
You may have heard that coconut oil is a source of MCTs. The reality is that you are not getting enough of the really useful MCTs (C8 and C10) just by eating coconut oil.
Summary: Yes, you can add coconut oil to your coffee, but this will not give you enough MCT. MCT oil gives you more of the useful MCTs that your body can use to boost your metabolism most efficiently.
Ekopura MCT Powder
Ekopura Vegan MCT Powder is completely plant-based and sustainably produced. With no artificial additives, palm oil free and contains the perfect balance C8/C10 MCT to reap all the benefits that MCT Powder has to offer.
We hope that through this blog you have a better understanding of what MCT oil is, what you use it for, what it is good for and how it works in your body. In our next article on MCT oil, we will discuss the usefulness of MCT oil as an addition to your coffee.
Check out Ekopura MCT Oil powder below.
