What Is MCT Oil And How to Use It

While you may pay attention to the foods you consume and the calories they contain, how closely do you really read the nutrition labels? Estimates show that many Americans are not consuming certain key nutrients in their diets, nutrients that have significant health benefits. Among these key nutrients that are missing from many American’s diets are medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).

Medium-chain triglycerides are types of saturated fatty acids that offer a variety of health benefits: They boost your energy level, improve your memory and cognitive abilities, and even strengthen your immune system. Many people today are adopting diets, such as the “Ketogenic Diet”, that are based on consuming high amounts fats. These diets aim to facilitate fast weight loss by obtaining high amounts of bodily energy (sometimes up to 70% of your physical energy) through the consumption of healthy fats, such as MCT oil and MCT-rich coconut oil. Not too long ago, many diets were based on eating lesser amounts of fat or were based on trying to cut fat out of one’s diet altogether. We now know that the biggest problem with eating a “fatty diet” is that it had the word “fat” in it. However, it has become quite clear that consuming healthy fats, such as MCTs, actually help the fat disappear from our bodies.

This article will discuss how to obtain the benefits of MCTs and MCT oil, what foods contain high amounts of MCTs, and how to properly use concentrations of it in your meal preparation to ensure you're consuming a healthy amount.

What MCT Oil Can Do for You

The consumption of fatty acids like medium-chain triglycerides is especially vital to the health of the body.

Here's an overview of some of the benefits that can be realized from the regular consumption of MCT oils:

Weight Control

MCTs help to stimulate what’s called “thermogenesis.” This term refers to the production of heat in the body through the consumption of food. MCT oil is able to stimulate high amounts of thermogenesis and, so, help speed up the rate of metabolism. Moreover, MCT oil also helps to control and curb appetite, reducing the craving for excess food.

Energy Production

Unlike most saturated fatty acids, MCTs are not stored as fat. They are transported straight to the liver, where they are then transformed into energy. So, they are actually used by the body as a fuel, helping to boost your energy. You just need to know the right foods and the right amounts of these foods to eat to achieve the best results for boosting your energy.

Cognitive Function

MCTs are not just important for helping people to maintain a desired weight or for enhancing their energy levels, but they also can serve other key purposes for the body, such as enhancing cognitive thinking and function. According to a 2004 entry in the Journal of Neurobiology of Aging, MCT oil consumption was discovered to help improve people’s memory, even the memory of those who were suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Digestion

MCTs are easy to digest. These saturated fats are easier for the body to digest than other saturated fats; specifically, they are easier to digest than long-chain triglycerides.

Immune System Efficiency

When MCTs are ingested, they help to fend off harmful viruses and bacteria, strengthening the efficiency of the immune system. This translates to a healthier overall you, making you less likely to contract head colds and infections. MCTs are also good for heart health, not only because they produce energy for the body but also because they reduce the possibility of obesity.

Better Mood

All of the good nutrients and vitamins that are found in MCT oil have helped people not just feel more energetic, but also feel more positive as well.

How to Use MCT Oil

MCTs are in common foods and drinks such as coconut oil, butter, cheese, milk, yogurt and palm oil. In fact, up to 65 percent of the fatty acids that are in coconut oil are MCTs, a fact that makes coconut oil a great source for consuming these important fatty acids. However, there are a number of key benefits for consuming concentrated MCT oil. One of these benefits is the simple fact that MCT concentrate doesn’t have any taste or smell, so you're really not sacrificing anything when you incorporate this beneficial ingredient into some of the foods that you regularly consume. For the best results, it is important to know how to incorporate MCT oil into the foods you eat. Here are a few tips on how to incorporate MCT oil into your everyday life:

Mayonnaise

You can use MCT oil in homemade mayonnaise. To make, simply mix 1 egg, 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup MCT concentrate, and 2 teaspoons of lemon.

Salad dressing

You can make salad dressing with MCT concentrate in the same way you make mayonnaise. Simply substitute any conventional oils you use on your salad with MCT concentrate.

Regular cooking

To cook with an MCT concentrate, simply replace one-third of the oil you regularly use when cooking. This is a great way to consume this all-important oil with your meals.

Sushi

Don't be afraid to lightly drizzle MCT concentrate over foods such as sushi. Just drizzle it over your sushi in the same way you'd drizzle salad dressing on a salad.

Performance drinks

Any healthy lifestyle also includes regular exercise. And yes, MCT concentrate can be mixed in with sports drinks to give your workouts that extra oomph. Some people like to mix it into their coffee in the morning too, not only for its health benefits but also for the extra energy it provides.

Breads

It's common to use oils when baking bread. Instead of using the conventional oils that you normally use to bake bread, try substituting them with MCT concentrate.

Straight up

As was said earlier, MCT concentrate is odorless and tasteless. For this reason, some people choose to ingest their MCT oil by pouring it into a spoon and drinking it straight. It's probably the fastest way to take in your daily consumption.

Are you getting the MCTs that you need out of your diet? Knowing now how crucial MCTs can be for your health and your overall energy, now would be a good time to analyze what you eat and make the appropriate adjustments to include it into your diet. All it takes is a few minor modification to your meal planning to realize all of the benefits that MCT oil has to offer.