Using MCTs And MCT Oil To Boost Your Health
What Are MCTs?
MCTs (short for Medium Chain Triglycerides) are pretty hot on the nutrition scene now. They are a special type of fat and the theory is that they are metabolized differently from other fats - your body absorbs and utilizes them much more efficiently than it does other fats.
Here's how it works....
Normal fats and oils are LCTs (short for Long Chain Triglycerides). The difference between LCTs and MCTs lies in their chemical structure. MCTs are much shorter in length and have a unique chemical structure that makes them resemble a carbohydrate and allows them to be digested quickly.
It is believed that by consuming these quick-digesting fats, the body rapidly absorbs and metabolizes them so they act like a super fuel for your cells.
It is this rapid and simple digestion that is said to:
help boost your metabolism and aid in weight loss
help curb sugar cravings
decrease gut inflammation
improve brain function
How To Incorporate More MCTs Into Your Diet
There are two ways you can increase your intake of MCTs - through food and through using MCT oil.
Food
You can find MCTs in the following foods*:
coconut oil
palm kernel oil
milk
butter
*Note: These foods are rich in MCTs but the MCT composition varies.
MCT Oil
MCT oil provides a highly concentrated source of MCTs. It is man-made through a process called fractionation - which involves extracting and isolating the MCTs from coconut or palm kernel oil.
MCTs And MCT Oil In Coffee
Adding MCTs to your coffee have recently become a big health and wellness trend. The basic idea is that you add these easily digested fats to your coffee (in the form of butter, coconut oil and/or MCT oil) in lieu of cream and sugar to give your morning coffee a health boost, raise your metabolism and curb cravings.
Recipes for using MCTs in coffee (aka fat coffee and bulletproof coffee) are making quite the appearance on the fitness and nutrition scene.
This, however, has some disadvantages. One of the biggest downsides that I see with clients is that they often use these coffees in place of a healthy breakfast. I talk all about the importance of starting your day with a healthy breakfast here. When you replace a healthy breakfast with one of these coffees, you miss the opportunity to fuel your body with very valuable nutrition.
Additionally, many recipes call for a lot of this type of fat - many times over 2 tablespoons per cup which can really pack on the calories. The signature bulletproof coffee is made with 1 to 2 tablespoons of MCT oil and 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter which delivers approximately 230 calories on the low end and approximately 440 calories on the high end. And while I am certainly not an advocate of counting calories (see my blog post on this topic here), I do believe you are going to be far better off to actually eat a balanced breakfast of 230-440 calories than drink it in the form of bulletproof coffee.
The Best Ways To Use MCTs And MCT Oil
I believe the best way to use MCTs and MCT oil are to use them as the source of healthy fat in a meal or to replace some of the other fats in your diet with MCTs. For example, cook with coconut oil or use butter to flavor your vegetables. Use MCT oil as a base for a salad dressing or the fat source in a smoothie.
Many people find these fats very satiating so they could very well curb your cravings between meals and help you make supportive food choices throughout the day.
It should be noted that MCT oil has a fairly low smoke point so I would recommend using it without heating it. It is flavorless so that makes it easy to add to a variety of recipes as your healthy fat.
Where To Buy MCT Oil
You have probably noticed MCT oils and powders popping up on store shelves. Like everything else, you will want to check the ingredients and go for quality. I have been using this one by Viva Naturals and have really enjoyed it. You can buy it through the Viva Naturals website or on Amazon.
Introduce MCT Oil Mindfully
Continued research needs to be done to fully understand the impact of MCTs but if you are interested in experimenting with MCT oil, I recommend starting small to see how your body responds.
In addition to the benefits listed above, MCT oil also promotes movement in your digestive tract. Which can be awesome sauce if constipation is ever an issue for you. Too much, too quickly though may create a laxative effect so you will want to introduce it mindfully.
Play around with quantity to see if you notice a change in your energy and satiety levels. I recommend starting with about 1 teaspoon and working your way up to about 1 tablespoon - unless you find your sweet spot in between.
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Sources/Additional Reading:
MCT Oil 101: A Review of Medium-Chain Triglycerides by Mary Jane Brown, PhD, RD and Rachael Link, MS, RD