Why you should add MCT to your daily routine
About MCT
MCT oil is still rather unknown, but that will certainly change since more and more research proves the healthiness of this oil. Especially the benefits for our brains are amazing. Be the first to discover the great benefits! Since there are many inaccuracies on the internet, the moment has come to write a complete article about MCT. In my opinion, we will hear a lot more about MCT oil in the coming years…
MCT is a super-fast energy provider
You have probably heard of saturated and unsaturated fats: this classification is often used to distinguish facts from each other. Less known is the classification into short-chain, medium-chain and long-chain fatty acids. MCT stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides: medium-chain fatty acids. The number of carbon atoms determines the length of the chain: short-chain fatty acids have a maximum length of 5 atoms, medium-chain between 6 and 12 atoms and long-chain fatty acids more than 12. The shorter the chain, the smaller the molecules.
All healthy fats are good energy suppliers. Your mitochondria, the power plants in all your cells, can convert fat molecules into energy—the smaller the molecules, the faster the process of energy generation. Short- and medium-chain fatty acids are super-fast energy providers.
LCTs: long-chain fatty acids release their energy slowly
Long-chain fatty acids are also energy providers, but the process takes much longer. Only 6 to 8 hours after you have eaten them, they arrive at your mitochondria to convert into energy. If you want fast energy, you have to look for short and medium-chain fatty acids.
Where can you find it?
Unfortunately, almost all fats that we can eat (meat, fish, olives, avocados, nuts, seeds, seeds) fall under the long-chain fatty acids. The fact is, we cannot find short-chain fatty acids in our food; these are only produced in your body by healthy gut bacteria. What remains are the special medium-chain fatty acids, MCTs, mainly in coconut oil and Palm-oil and butter. Dairy and macadamia nuts also contain some MCTs, but coconut oil is the richest source.
MCT: smart molecules for immediate energy, not for fat storage
Coconut oil contains many of these special MCTs; its digestion is very different from the digestion of normal saturated fats. This is what many people, including doctors, do not understand well. Many scientists are still convinced that coconut oil is bad for us because it falls into the saturated fats category. Saturated fats would be bad for the heart and blood vessels (nowadays, this information is outdated by new insights).
However, about 65% of coconut oil consists of MCTs. Because these are small molecules, like glucose, they can be absorbed into our blood directly from the intestinal wall to be brought directly from there to the mitochondria as a source of energy. They are therefore easy to digest for our bodies. They are also clean, and fast fuel for your mitochondria and they are therefore not used for fat storage. MCTs also require no energy from the liver, bile, and pancreas to help with digestion, like all other fats. MCTs, therefore, have nothing to do with the cholesterol metabolism in your liver, and for this reason, they do not increase your cholesterol!
The difference between MCT and coconut oil
The MCTs in coconut oil are caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10) and lauric acid (C12). The lower the number, the shorter the chain, the smaller the molecule, the faster the fatty acid can be converted into fuel for energy. The majority of coconut oil consists of lauric acid. Officially this falls under the medium-chain fatty acids, but new research from biochemists shows that this fatty acid in our body, unfortunately, behaves like a long-chain fatty acid. Unfortunately!
To make better use of the benefits of the true medium-chain fatty acids, MCT oil has entered the market. This is an extract of the medium-chain fatty acids from (usually) coconut oil.
The benefits of MCT oil
Scientific research has been conducted for a long time into MCT oil’s special, positive effect on our body. If you want to know more about this, read on because this could change your opinion about fats, and you could leave your fear of healthy fats behind.
MCT oil can help you lose weight
Two hormones are responsible for a feeling of satiety: leptin and peptide. The more we feel saturated, the less we will eat. Several studies have shown that the use of MCT oil causes a feeling of satiety, so test subjects ate less. Several studies have shown that the use of MCT oil resulted in a lower weight, less belly size, and even that it can help prevent obesity.
MCT oil helps to improve insulin sensitivity and to keep blood glucose stable
Research has also shown that MCT oil provides a more stable blood glucose level and better insulin sensitivity. This is of great importance for diabetic patients and people who are insulin resistant. All this also helps to lose weight because the body cannot burn fat with too much insulin in the blood.
MCT oil can ensure a favourable, healthy intestinal flora
Health starts in your gut. The more healthy gut bacteria are in your intestines, the more powerful your immune system and the more energetic you will usually feel. MCT oil can help to stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria and also has a positive effect on your intestinal wall. This reduces the chance of a leaky gut or will for sure heal your gut. This also helps achieve a healthy weight: your intestinal flora largely determines your weight!
Taking MCT has a positive influence on our brain (think of Alzheimer’s!)
More and more research into dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: after diabetes 2, this is the next epidemic that awaits us. Alzheimer’s is also called diabetes 3: there is more and more evidence that Alzheimer’s has a relationship with food. Our body and our brain are not constructed in such a way to deal with these large amounts of sugars and carbohydrates we consume every day.
MCT oil is an immediately usable fuel for the brain
Our brains mainly use glucose as a fuel for energy, but they can also use ketones. Ketones are produced by the liver when the body uses the body’s own fats as a source of energy. Note now: MCT oil works just like ketones in our bodies. MCT oil is, therefore, directly usable fuel for our brains! This goes beyond being able to think clearly and to be able to work concentrated for a long time!
The benefits of using MTC oil to combat several diseases(Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and autism) are promising, but more research is needed.
The proportion of “good” and “bad” cholesterol
High cholesterol is almost always a sign of inflammation in the body. Cholesterol is not the culprit in itself but can signal that something is wrong. HDL is considered the “good” cholesterol and LDL the “bad” cholesterol. A study with overweight men showed that the intake of MCT oil in combination with flaxseed oil, among other things, reduced the LDL. Another study showed that “good” cholesterol, HDL, increased with MCT oil intake. Yet another study showed that the risk of cardiovascular disease in overweight women decreased slightly due to the intake of healthy fatty acids, including MCT oil. Moreover, new research shows that LDL itself is not bad either: only oxidized LDL means an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
For athletes
Fanatic athletes are always looking for more energy. MCT oil has been known in the sports world for a long time as an extra energy provider: it counteracts the acidification of muscles.
I have been using MCT oil almost daily for over a year now and feel great about it. Good quality MCT oil is liquid and tasteless to use everywhere. I pour a dash in my coffee, matcha and pour it over salads. Because MCT oil helps provide your brain with fast energy, it helps you concentrate better and longer. My tip: don’t use it in the evening, as your brain will be working at full speed and you will be awake for hours!
Where do you buy good quality MCT oil?
MCT oil is not for sale at supermarkets, but ordering online, for example, at Amazon, is no problem. The more popular MCT oil is going to become, the more important it is to pay attention to its quality. Preferably choose MCT oil made exclusively from coconut oil. An MCT oil mix of caprylic acid (C8) and capric acid (C10) or only C8 is best. Always opt for oil packed in glass and not in plastic.
Make the switch from a glucose burning to fat burning
When you are going to eat more and more healthy fats, Make sure that you reduce sweetness and carbohydrates. These are the molecules that your body and brain cannot cope with. Make the switch from a glucose burning to a fat-burning body. If you want to learn more about this, you can check out our Ketocosmo Beginners Guide, available on our webshop.
If you find this article valuable for your health and vitality, then help spread it by sharing it. You can do this through social media(Instagram & Facebook), or it is also very nice when you leave a comment on our website. Do you already use MTC oil? Let us know your experiences.
Stay healthy!
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