MCT oil is a promising candidate for the title "Superfood 2019". What makes the healthy fat so special, you will learn in this article.
MCT oil is the new miracle weapon against everything. You only have to take a little of it every day and your whole life changes. You can eat what you want and still become slimmer. In addition, you become an absolute man magnet.
All these effects are (unfortunately) fictitious, even if advertising gurus would like to have it otherwise. Nevertheless, MCT oil can have a positive influence on your health. More and more studies prove the health-promoting effects of MCT oil.
You'll learn in this post,
- What MCT oil is and how it is made
- What health benefits MCT oil has
- how it helps you lose weight
- what you should consider when buying
Table of contents
What is MCT oil?
It is almost colorless, odorless and tasteless - yet there is a lot of hype about medium-chain fat.
MCT is an English abbreviation and stands for "medium-chain triglycerides". In German, this means medium-chain fatty acids. They are so special because they have between 6 and 12 carbon atoms. These are not found in any other fat.
MCT fats are easily soluble in water and can be better absorbed and broken down by the body.
There are 4 different medium chain fatty acids:
- Caproic acid (6 carbon atoms)
- Caprylic acid (8 carbon atoms)
- Capric acid (10 carbon atoms)
- Lauric acid (12 carbon atoms)
The four fatty acids are found primarily in tropical fruits. But also in coconut fat and palm kernel oil. MCT fats are actually also found in milk. But they are destroyed by heating and homogenization.
The four fatty acids differ in their effect on your body.
How is MCT oil produced?
MCT oil does not occur in nature, but is an industrial product. In some foods are the medium-chain fatty acids, but they do not occur alone.
MCT is mainly obtained from coconut fat and palm oil. Coconut fat has the largest proportion of medium-chain fatty acids. Up to 70 percent of the vegetable fat consists of MCTs. The remaining 30 percent are long-chain fatty acids.
To produce pure MCT fats, the medium-chain fatty acids are separated from the long-chain fatty acids. This process is called fractionation.
How are MCTs and the ketogenic diet related?
When you eat a ketogenic diet, you lower your carbohydrate and protein intake. When the glycogen store is depleted, the body adjusts its metabolism.
The body takes the necessary energy from the fats in the ketogenic diet. These become ketone bodies in the liver. If the body takes its energy mainly from the ketone bodies, this condition is called ketosis.
During the transition you often suffer from headaches, fatigue and have little energy. But if you take MCT oil, the body will switch to ketosis faster and the health problems will not occur.
The ketogenic diet is said to offer many health benefits. Some scientists even believe that this Dietary form for cancer can help.
7 reasons why MCT oil is healthy
At first, medium-chain fatty acids were waste products from the production of long-chain fatty acids. In the meantime, there are companies that have specialized in the production of high-quality MCT oils. The reason for this are the health benefits.
MCT oil keeps your gut healthy
MCT oil has a great influence on intestinal health. It has an antibacterial effect and is especially recommended for digestive disorders.
In the intestine there are countless different bacteria that perform various tasks. MCT helps to keep these intestinal bacteria in balance.
The good intestinal bacteria are supplied with nutrients by the MCT oil. This makes it more difficult for the bad bacteria to spread.
With MCT oil you can fight flatulence and diarrhea.
Tip: With Bacterial cultures capsules you can rebuild your intestinal bacteria.
Healthy slimming
MCTs reach the liver very quickly and are converted into energy there. The body therefore does not need bile acid and hardly any enzymes. As a result, the fatty acids are not stored as reserves.
This is not possible with long-chain fatty acids, and the body stores them more frequently as energy reserves.
Whether you can really lose weight with the MCT oil, tested Scientists in a study. They divided 78 healthy men and women into two groups. The first group received medium-chain and the second group long-chain fatty acids. The period was 12 weeks.
Both groups lost weight and body fat. However, the success of the MCT diet was greater than that of the LCT diet. The MCT diet caused a greater decrease in abdominal fat.
MCT fats are also responsible for heat production. Through the formation of heat, your body can maintain a constant body temperature. For this purpose, the body metabolizes carbohydrates and fats.
MCTs stimulate the formation of heat more than long-chain fatty acids. You burn more energy without having to do anything.
In addition, MCT oil should have a positive effect on appetite. This can help you lose weight. Because if you have less appetite, you automatically eat less carbohydrates.
But you can not lose weight with MCT oil alone. You should also eat healthy and get enough exercise.
TipTake the oil in the morning. There it has the best effect.
MCT prevents heart disease
MCT oil has a positive influence on blood lipid levels and cholesterol. Poor blood lipid levels or high cholesterol promote diseases of the cardiovascular system. With the oil these can be prevented.
Provided you also eat healthy.
Better performance with MCT oil
MCT oil is taken by many top athletes and amateur athletes to achieve peak physical performance. It also works. Namely, the body can quickly absorb MCTs and convert them into energy.
When you lose weight and eat MCT fat, you lose weight and body fat, but hardly any muscle mass.
But not only your physical performance can benefit from the fast energy. Your brain also needs a lot of energy. The ketone bodies provide you with this energy. This makes you more concentrated and you can remember things better.
Tip: If you often suffer from concentration problems, why not try Concentration tablets.
Good mood with the oil
MCT oil not only improves your concentration, but also lifts your mood. Your well-being depends strongly on whether the brain is properly supplied. MCT oil with its medium chain fatty acids is the best source for a better mood.
Stronger immune system
MCTs can protect the body from diseases. The two fatty acids caprylic acid and lauric acid play a major role in this.
Caprylic acid is effective against fungal infections. The fatty acid is especially effective against bad intestinal fungi.
Poor nutrition, antibiotics or permanent stress lead to an imbalance of the intestinal flora. Harmful intestinal fungi then grow unhindered.
Caprylic acid counteracts this. It attacks the cell membranes of the fungi. Thus, they can no longer harm our body.
It is similar with lauric acid. It penetrates harmful bacteria and fights them from within.
Tips for a strong immune system
MCTs as a beauty product
The all-rounder is also used in beauty products. MCTs are said to help with dry skin, prevent split ends or make a good mouthwash.
Science partially supports these effects. A study from 2008 found that MCTs are an effective remedy for atopic dermatitis. This is a skin disease in which sufferers suffer from itching, redness and dry skin.
Coconut oil is also said to moisturize the skin. If you have dry skin, you can use MCT oil to moisturize.
Does MCT oil have side effects?
So far, no side effects are known. However, every body reacts differently. The digestive tract must first get used to it. Especially vegetarians and vegans are not used to high-fat food.
At the beginning you may experience bloating, abdominal pain or diarrhea. But after a while your body gets used to the fat.
TipInitially, take one teaspoon of the oil. When you get used to it, slowly increase the dose.
With energy into the day - "Bulletproof Coffee
A Bulletproof Coffee is not just an ordinary coffee. It is a coffee that gives you real power in the morning. The secret ingredients of the miracle coffee are:
- 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
- 2 tsp butter
- 2 tsp MCT oil
The three ingredients are then put into the blender and your power coffee is ready. The hot drink provides you with an extra portion of energy and you can concentrate better. What else the power coffee can do, you can learn in our article "Bulletproof Coffee".
What do I need to consider when buying and storing?
When buying, make sure you buy a highly concentrated MCT oil made from pure coconut. Because most oils are a mix of Coconut oil* and palm oil. You should avoid oils that are made from palm oil.
Also make sure that the proportion of caprylic and capric acid, the two is at least 90 percent. Then you have a good quality product.
MCT oil is not Coconut oil*!
Oils must be stored in a dark and cool place. If oil is exposed to too much sunlight, it will heat up quickly and become rancid. MCT oils should not get warmer than 20 °C. It is best to store your oil in the cellar, where it is cool and dark.
Unopened, most oils will last up to 2 years. However, use up the bottle within 1 to 2 months after you open it.
Our conclusion
MCT oil is a real all-rounder. It provides quick energy, helps with weight loss, has countless health-promoting effects and has no side effects. The liquid all-rounder is actually a small miracle.
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* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
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