If you are a health buff, you’ve probably heard the MCT oil getting on Tiktok, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media channel. Health gurus and enthusiasts swear by the health benefits of this oil, showing you excellent results. Here’s the MCT Oil in Foods: Your Guide to a Healthier Diet.
Quick highlights about MCT Oil in Foods
- Understand How MCT Oil is Used in Cooking.
- Acquire High-Quality MCT Oil.
- Add Low Quantities of MCT Oil to Your Food.
- Incorporate Dairy and Other Foods Rich in MCTs into Your Diet.
- Use the Right Types of Fats When Cooking with MCTs.
- Select Organic Produce for Maximum Nutritional Benefits Alongside the Power of MCTs.
- Monitor your Oils’ Expiration and Quality Regularly to Ensure You Enjoy their Benefits Fully.
What is MCT?
MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides and is usually found in coconut and palm oil. Through fractionation, the MCT was separated from the original oil and concentrated it. Since MCT contains smaller fat molecules, it can be easily digested; hence, it is healthier than other fats.
Over recent years, MCT gained popularity as a supplement. Usually, MCT is mixed with long-chain triglycerides [LCT], the kind of fats that you can find in most foods, such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Another that also belongs to a healthy diet is grass-fed butter, yet it only has approximately 8% MCTs, while dairy products, like full-fat yogurt, contain about 8% to 9% MCTs. But you can also find pure MCT oil in the market.
According to Jackie Newgent, registered dietitian nutritionist and 2021 Forbes Health Advisory Board Member, “MCT oil consists mainly of saturated fats, yet it is considered heart-healthy.”
MCTs offer protective effects on cardiovascular health by improving serum lipid profiles, and since you digest MCT quickly, it’s available for energy use fast.
MCT Oil in Foods: Your Guide to a Healthier Diet – Health Benefits of MCT Oil
Aid in Weight Loss
MCT oil helps promote satiety, the feeling of fullness, and satisfaction after meals. In a European Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, overweight men who consumed MCT oil during breakfast ate less at lunch.
See: Weight Loss Struggle: 5 Surprising Factors That Could Be Sabotaging Your Efforts
Boost energy and brain function
MCT is a good energy source that is needed throughout the day. The fats are converted into ketones like beta-hydroxybutyrate, which helps in brain concentration and focus.
Improve metabolism
MCT oil helps improve metabolism, the body burning calories to produce heat. It was proven that there was an increase in thermogenesis after eating when the LCT found in olive oil and avocados was replaced with MCTs in the meal.
Improves athletic endurance
A 2009 study in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminolgy found that athletes who took 1.5 teaspoons of MCT oil before their workouts experienced to have lower rates of perceived exertion during exercises, referring to how hard they feel when their body is working.
Helps control bacterial and yeast overgrowth in the gut
MCTs, improve gut health because of their antibacterial and antifungal properties. This healthy oil can be part of a treatment plan for a person with microbiome imbalances, and it also helps reduce the feeling of bloating and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Boosts heart health
In a 2018 study published in Nutrients, MCTs provide protective effects on cardiovascular health by improving serum lipid profiles.
When taking MCT, you may experience loose stools, diarrhea or, at worst, soiling of underwear due to incontinence of stool, accompanied by gas, bloating or abdominal pain or cramping. These side effects are manageable by taking MCT slowly and in small dosages.
MCT Oil in Foods: Your Guide to a Healthier Diet – MCT is worth a try
If you cannot forego the fats in your diet and always craves sugary sweets, MCT is a good try. This MCT Oil in Foods: Your Guide to a Healthier Diet has proven in several studies and researches the health benefits of MCT, which are far better than the usual fats found in food.
