Coconut oil, time to take a back seat. MCT oil is here and it’s taking over as one of the most popular and trending fat burning solutions.
In the past year, coconut oil has received a little bit of bad press. Just last summer, new research emerged that coconut oil actually increases the levels of LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol with experts going so far as to say that people should drop it from their nutrition routine.
“Because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, a cause of CVD [cardiovascular disease], and has no known offsetting favorable effects, we advise against the use of coconut oil,” the American Heart Association noted.
But when it comes to MCT oil, the difference could just bring the change that’s needed.
What is MCT oil?
Because our systems and organs need nutritional healthy fats to perform their functions, getting those fats from our diet is key. And MCTs, or medium-chain triglycerides fatty acids—of which coconut oil is one of them—are gaining ground.
A concentrated form of MCT, which comes in pure MCT oil, is digested easily by your system and delivered to your liver. In that step of the process, the oil has the ability to power up your metabolism, which uses the fats as they transition to energy in your body.
MCT oil, in particular, different from palm and coconut oils—which on their own have longer-chain triglycerides—and includes the healthy types of saturated fats. On their own, we’ve come to fear saturated fats, but there are several benefits to consuming them on the regular.
Since MCTs are much smaller than longer-chain triglycerides, they are absorbed easier and quicker by your body and can work more efficiently in creating a fat-burning state.
How it can help your health
MCT oil has been specifically hailed for its fat burning and metabolism boosting powers. Since it encourages your body to burn the fat that has been stored over time, it promotes a healthy burn and loss of body fat.
But more than just a way to burn fat, MCT oil can also help to manage cravings and appetite, and an earlier study even showed that people who consumed a high MCT diet consumed fewer calories over the course of a day than people who consumed a low-MCT oil diet.
For endurance athletes or people who are performing high-intensity workouts, MCT oil can also be beneficial since it quickly metabolizes and spreads through the system, converting the food and oil you’ve consumed into energy for your workout.
But its benefits go a bit beyond just the physical. According to research, MCTs have the ability to power up your brain throughout the process. When you consume MCT oil, your body produces ketones from the oil, and these ketones specifically feed your brain, and have been hypothesized to improve brain function, memory, and possibly even fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
If you want a boost of heart health, MCTs are here for that, too. The same study has also shown that MCTs lower blood sugars through regular use, possibly helping with the management of cardiovascular disease.
How to add it to your diet
If you’re ready to make the switch to MCT oils and are looking for ways to add it to your diet, think of its applications similar to coconut oil.
1. Make a salad dressing—use just as you use olive oil and drizzle over your favourite greens.
2. Add it to coffee and tea to create super coffee—just add a tablespoon to your favourite brew.
3. Add it to smoothies—add one to two tablespoons for the optimal boost.
