Can MCT oil help you lose weight?
The weight loss industry is a billion-dollar one that’s replete with hype, pills, supplements, DVDs, fads, scams, etc. Most weight-loss products and their bold claims must be taken with a bucket of salt.
In the same vein, one should approach MCT oil with some cynicism too. This will help you answer the question, “Can MCT oil help you lose weight?” so you can evaluate it fairly and decide if it’s really what you need.
MCT oil has been hailed as one of the miracle ‘supplements’ that assists in weight loss and helps to boost overall wellness. The term ‘supplement’ is loosely used because MCT oil is an almost natural product.
Unlike whey protein and BCAA’s that are processed and have ingredients added to them, MCT oil is actually a particular type of fat (medium-chain triglycerides) that has been isolated to make it easier for the body to absorb.
In this post, we’ll look at several benefits of MCT oil and why it’s an indispensable tool in your arsenal if you’re doing the keto diet.
New to the keto diet? Start here! This will help you to figure out how to stick to this diet and make it a lifestyle for you
How does MCT Oil work?
For starters, MCT oil is NOT a fat burner. There are many misconceptions surrounding this issue. All fat loss is determined based on your caloric intake. This is the cornerstone of successful weight loss. If you’re at a caloric deficit every day, it’s inevitable that you’ll lose weight.
Here’s how MCT oil works – firstly, it’s ideal that you be on the keto diet and reach ketosis when using MCT oil. When you’re in this state, your body will burn fat for fuel instead of glucose.
At this stage, your body is very receptive to fat and uses it as a fuel source to create ketones. Since MCT oil is a medium-chain triglyceride, it’s a fantastic fat for the body. When you consume it, it’s quickly assimilated by the body and used for energy.
Your metabolism gets a boost and now you burn even more calories when at rest. This translates to increased fat loss.
What MCT oil does is that it encourages the body to burn fat for fuel. So, fat is used for all your energy needs. Since your carb intake will be no more than 20-50 grams while on the keto diet, your body has no choice but to burn fat for fuel.
MCT oil helps you to reach this stage faster. This is the main reason why so many keto dieters keep mentioning how potent MCT oil is. It doesn’t burn fat, but it encourages fat burning. Here’s how to keep track of your ketosis levels.
5 Benefits of MCT Oil
When you consume MCT oil, your body that’s primed to burn fat (while in ketosis), gets a very good source of fatty acids. It feels satiated and doesn’t get hungry for hours.
This is one of the best benefits of the keto diet and MCT oil. The biggest problem people on conventional diets face is hunger and cravings. Because their bodies are burning glucose for fuel, when glucose levels are low, they desperately crave carbs.
Carbs cause blood sugar spikes and raise insulin levels in the body. This prevents the body from tapping into the fat stores for fuel. To make matters worse, if you’re insulin insensitive, your body releases more insulin than necessary.
The excess insulin ends up getting stored as fat and your weight loss progress is impeded. This is why so many people struggle to lose weight. The body is fighting their efforts.
The keto diet prevents this from happening by adapting the body to use fat as a fuel source, and MCT oil is a high-grade fat that’s healthy and exactly what the body needs.
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2. Aids in ketosis
While coconut oil is good and rich in fat, MCT oil doesn’t contain the extra strains of fat that coconut oil has. It only contains one type of fat that’s rapidly assimilated by the body.
This translates to faster ketosis. In the beginning stages of the keto diet, many beginners struggle to achieve a state of ketosis. Getting the body to burn fat (ketones) for fuel instead of glucose is an uphill task.
You want the body to rapidly use the fats you’re consuming in order to stimulate ketosis. With MCT oil, you can achieve this.
3. Increases metabolism
When combined with high-intensity interval training and intermittent fasting, MCT oil can help to boost your metabolism. This will mean that your body burns more calories while at rest… and it’ll be much tougher to regain the pounds you’ve painstakingly lost.
The thermogenic properties of MCT oil will help you to lose as much weight as possible. This will mean reaching your weight loss goals much faster.
4. Reduces hunger
It’s very common for people who are on a conventional diet to feel hungry about 2 hours after their meal. Since the body burns glucose for fuel, it needs a constant supply of glucose… which means that you need to keep eating. This leads to obesity, which has now reached epidemic proportions.
Often, the foods consumed are low in nutrients that the body needs. So, it craves more nutrients, but people keep feeding their bodies with processed foods that are high in carbs and sugar but low in nutrients the body really wants and needs… which is why they constantly feel hungry.
When you consume MCT oil, this is exactly the type of fat the body needs, and it quickly absorbs it. When mixed in bulletproof coffee that contains ghee or butter, the body feels satiated and has energy for hours.
MCT oil is a cleaner fuel source than glucose and the body easily uses it for energy. Your hunger and cravings will vanish.
5. Helps stabilize blood sugar levels
It’s almost impossible to lose weight when your blood sugar levels keep spiking. This often happens when you consume carbs throughout the day, and your body keeps releasing insulin.
Fat loss grinds to an abrupt halt when there’s glucose in your blood. When you’re consuming MCT oil and on a keto diet, your blood sugar levels will be stable, and you’ll be able to shed the excess pounds much faster.
To conclude, while MCT oil is not a miracle weight loss drug, when combined with a keto diet, it’s a very powerful tool for weight loss. Even if you’re not on the keto diet, consuming some MCT oil daily will be healthy for your body.
If you take a tbsp of MCT oil for lunch every day and halve your portions of food, over a few weeks, you’ll realize that you need less food and the oil gives you the energy and satiation you need.
Over time, fewer calories will be consumed, and weight loss will be easier. Make MCT oil a part of your weight loss diet and ensure that you’re at a daily caloric deficit of about 500 to 600 calories.
Can MCT oil help you lose weight?
Here’s what Dr. Berg has to say about the benefits of MCT oil.
Prefer to try MCT Oil Powder? Here’s how to add that to your diet.
MCT Oil VS MCT Powder – Which Should You Take?
This is one of the most common questions asked by people who wish to supplement their diet with medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). This is one of those questions where there is no right or wrong answer. It all comes down to personal preferences.
Before weighing the pros and cons of each product, it’s important to understand how these products work.
How to use MCT oil and MCT powder
MCT oil like the name suggests is an oil and comes in liquid form. It’s mixed in coffee or drizzled on salads as a salad dressing or just swallowed in liquid form.
MCT powder comes in powder form and is stirred and dissolved into coffee or sprinkled into curries, soup, etc. Despite being a powder, it’s still a medium-chain triglyceride and is as potent as the oil.
Now let’s take a look at the pros and cons…
Convenience
For starters, MCT oil is much more convenient. You can easily swallow it or mix it into coffee and drink it up. MCT oil is also absorbed by the body much more rapidly.
Absorption
Many people who are on a keto diet and following an intermittent fasting protocol, usually time their meals after their workouts. If you’re consuming MCT oil, the fats will go into the bloodstream and be absorbed by the liver quickly.
MCT powder, on the other hand, takes longer to be absorbed by the body. So, if you need a quick burst of energy, you’d be better off with MCT oil.
Mixability
MCT powder mixes better in coffee. This is one of the biggest bugbears that keto dieters have. MCT oil doesn’t mix well in coffee, and like any oil, floats to the top.
Some people have a difficult time adjusting to this, and drinking bulletproof coffee becomes more of a chore than a pleasurable treat. In cases like these, the powder will be better than oil.
MCT oil powder also comes in wonderful flavors that will boost the taste of your coffee, if you like flavored creamers. Try this birthday cake MCT Oil Powder.
Expiration
MCT oil usually lasts much longer than MCT powder. So, if you’re making your purchases in bulk, you’re better off with the oil. If you prefer powder, it’s better to buy what you can consume within the expiry period. This will prevent wastage.
Ease of use
When used with cooking, MCT oil is a breeze to use. However, for other uses such as mixing in coffee, etc. MCT powder is easier to use. It’s also not oily or greasy, easier to clean up and doesn’t have the same hassles that come from dealing with oil.
Your constitution
How your body responds to MCT oil will determine if you go with the powder or the oil. Some people’s constitution makes them have diarrhea or stomach problems when they consume oil.
For folks like these, MCT powder will be the best option. It’s worth noting that when you first start using MCT oil, it’s best to go slow and start off with half a teaspoon or 1 tsp a day and gradually build up until you can take 1 tablespoon a day.
Sometimes, building up to it will give your body time to adapt to the oil and accept it without much issue.
At the end of the day, whether you use MCT oil or MCT powder, the benefits to be gained are about the same. If you think this issue warrants further observation, you can try and test both out to find what works for you.
