If you’re a health and wellness enthusiast, you’ve likely heard the buzz about MCT oil. But what is it, and can it actually improve your health? Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are a type of fat found in abundance in coconut oil, palm oil, goat milk, and breast milk.
Many people use MCT oil, a product made from extracted MCTs to improve different aspects of their health.
For example, MCT oil can increase energy and curb food cravings. MCT oil is flavorless and odorless, making it easy to add to your morning coffee and many other recipes.
What is MCT Oil?
Typical forms of MCT oil found at local stores are processed using coconut oil and palm oil. These oils are refined until they have only the pure MCT molecules. By taking MCT oil, the body absorbs MCTs and converts them into ketones.
Ketones have been known to help burn fat, decrease cravings, and improve energy levels while speeding up your metabolism. How can a fat accomplish all that? The unique properties of MCTs are a result of their molecular structure.
Understanding MCTs and Other Fats
On a molecular level, MCTs are much smaller than other fats, such as long-chain triglycerides (LCTs). As their names suggest, MCTs have shorter chains of carbon atoms than LCTs.
If you’re wondering how MCT oil works when it comes to energy levels and weight management, it has to do with how the body metabolizes the fat once consumed. Due to the comparatively small size of MCTs, the body metabolizes them faster than other fats. The quickness of this process is what gives you a boost of energy after consuming MCT oil.
Again, because the body breaks down MCTs quickly, your uses the MCTs immediately, unlike LCTs that take longer the body to process. Because the body uses MCTs quicker, they are less likely to be stored; it’s the storage of excess fat that often leads to weight gain.
Taking in more MCTs and fewer LCTs can help you manage your weight directly. By consuming MCTs, you’ll burn the calories as they come in, resulting in immediate energy and less excess fat.
Proven Benefits of MCT Oil
Beyond supplying energy and making weight management easier, MCT oil has a lot of other associated health benefits. For example, MCT oil can:
- Help You Feel Full: MCT oil boosts peptide YY and leptin, two hormones that help the body to feel full. This helps to curb your appetite.
- Support Gut Health: MCTs protect the gut from harmful bacteria while promoting healthy bacteria growth.
- Improved Memory and Brain Function: MCT oil has also been shown to increase memory and brain function because of the speed at which it breaks down within the body. Metabolized MCTs serve as backup fuel for the brain and help boost mental clarity.
- MCT oils have also been linked to helping lower blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. MCTs help to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and promote higher levels of good cholesterol.
How to Take MCT Oil
Another great benefit of MCT oil is that it’s odorless and flavorless, making it easy to add to your diet in a variety of ways.
It’s easy to add to your morning smoothie or coffee; or, you can add it into salad dressings and yogurt. The possibilities of how to use MCT oil are endless.
You can find MCT oil in many forms, and they are all readily available at your local grocery store, health and wellness store, or online.
Some of the most common MCT products are:
- MCT oil
- MCT powder
- MCT capsules
All of these options provide a quick and easy solution to increasing your MCT intake. Take your MCT oil by the spoonful, or mix it with your food. Powder is useful to add in smoothies. If you need an even more convenient option, capsules provide an easy way to get your MCT oil on the go.
Before adding MCT oil or any other supplement to your health regiment, have a conversation with your doctor.
Backed By Science, MCT Promotes Wellness
The benefits of MCT oil are substantial and backed by scientific studies and research. Considering the numerous benefits of MCTs and how easy it is to take MCT supplements, it’s no wonder MCT oil has risen in popularity. Whether you want to lose weight, feel more energized, focus on gut health, or manage your cholesterol, taking MCT oil is a great way to get started on your health goals.
