Five Benefits of MCT Oil in Coffee

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are health-promoting fatty acids that enhance ketone production, support metabolic balance, and can help prolong your fasting periods. 

Discover the impressive health benefits of MCT oil in coffee and learn why you should put MCTs on your keto diet plan. 

What is MCT oil?

MCT oil is a rich source of medium-chain triglycerides, a group of fatty acids with profound benefits for metabolic health. 

Most MCT oils are derived from coconut oil, which contains exceptionally high concentrations of MCTs such as lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid. 

MCTs are extracted from coconut oil through fractionation, which involves cooling the oil to trigger its crystallization. 

Different fatty acids have different crystallization points, which helps selectively harden and separate the MCTs from the other fatty acids in coconut oil.

Watch the video below to learn why you should be putting MCT oil in your coffee. 

Why are MCTs important?

As their name implies, MCTs have a shorter carbon chain than long-chain triglycerides, making them easier to digest and allowing for rapid intestinal absorption. 

Because MCTs are shorter, they require significantly less bile for digestion than other dietary fats.  

MCTs are rapidly absorbed and converted into a group of acids called ketones, a by-product of fat metabolism, and a readily available energy source. 

MCT oil’s ketone-boosting properties promote ketosis, a metabolic state that burns fats instead of sugars as a primary fuel source. 

Maintaining ketosis is a crucial goal of the ketogenic diet, which explains why MCT oil is a popular choice for individuals on keto and those practicing intermittent fasting.

Five health benefits of MCT oil in coffee

MCTs have a shorter carbon chain than most other fatty acids in the body, and your liver can metabolize them quickly, which is linked to various metabolic advantages. 

While you can use MCT oil in salad dressings and smoothies or mix it into dips and spreads, many people enjoy adding this healthy fat to their coffee. 

Not only does this create a delicious wellness-promoting drink, but it also enhances the health benefits of black coffee.  

Here are five MCT oil benefits!

1. Boosts energy  

Your liver rapidly converts MCTs into ketones, providing a readily available energy source for your body. 

In fact, your heart, brain, and muscle cells prefer using ketones to generate energy rather than relying on carbs and sugar as a fuel source. 

Athletes, individuals following a low-carb ketogenic diet, and those practicing intermittent fasting often use MCT oils to boost their energy levels. 

2. Enhances brain health

Adding MCTs to your morning coffee is an excellent way to promote a healthy brain. 

A study published in BMC Geriatrics confirms that substituting healthy fats like MCTs for carbohydrates is associated with improved mental clarity, enhanced cognitive function, and better memory.¹

“Ketones aren’t just a preferred energy source for brain cells; they also promote blood flow to your central nervous system, ” explains Dr. Berg. “This supports healthy tissue oxygenation and nutrient exchange, which has neuroprotective effects.”  

3. Helps reduce appetite 

Research published in Fats and Satiety found that MCTs are amongst the most satiating fatty acids, and adding MCT oil to your coffee can reduce appetite and help diminish hunger sensations.²

Ketones have been found to reduce the release of the hunger hormone ghrelin while, at the same time, stimulating the production of leptin, also known as the satiety hormone. 

4. Supports weight loss

Regular MCT intake has long been recognized to promote weight loss and support long-term weight management.  

MCT’s ability to suppress appetite and curb cravings and hunger may explain why dietary intake of these fatty acids is linked to a healthy body weight.

In addition, MCTs are commonly used to support a low-carb or ketogenic lifestyle and may influence how quickly the stomach empties, which some people find helpful for managing appetite and promoting longer-lasting fullness.

5. Promotes longer fasting periods 

Because MCT oil increases satiety and curbs hunger, MCTs can help prolong your fasting periods.

Prolonged caloric restriction is associated with the activation of autophagy, a natural cellular process that recycles old or damaged components, which researchers are exploring for its potential role in supporting overall cellular maintenance.

According to Eileen While and Joshua Rabinowitz, research scientists and authors of Autophagy and Metabolism, “Autophagy preserves the health of cells and tissues by replacing outdated and damaged cellular components with fresh ones. In starvation, it provides an internal source of nutrients for energy generation and, thus, survival.”³

How much MCT oil should you add to your coffee?

While MCT oil can help you burn more fat, it’s important to remember that consuming too many calories from fats slows down fat loss. 

Most standard bulletproof coffee recipes call for one to two tablespoons of MCTs, which provide 14 to 28 grams of fat.   

Depending on your overall fat intake, you may need to adjust the amount of MCT oil in your coffee, especially if you are trying to lose weight or notice that your weight loss plateaued after introducing MCTs to your routine. 

MCTs are generally easy to digest. However, MCT oil can trigger mild gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with sensitive digestive systems. 

To minimize the risk of intestinal discomfort, it’s best to start with half a tablespoon of MCT oil in your coffee and slowly increase your daily intake to allow your digestive system to adjust.  

Quick keto coffee recipe

Bulletproof coffee, or keto coffee, is a mixture of black coffee, unsalted butter, and MCTs. 

Because of its fat content, bulletproof coffee doesn’t break a fast and keeps your metabolism in fat-burning mode. 

Making Bulletproof coffee is simple and takes just a few minutes! Here’s how. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons grass-fed, unsalted butter or grass-fed ghee 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons MCT oil 

Directions:

1. Use a blender to combine coffee, butter, and MCT oil for 20 to 30 seconds or until mixture has the consistency of a creamy latte.
2. Bulletproof coffee can be served warm or iced and topped with cinnamon, nutmeg, or Himalayan salt.   

Key takeaways

MCTs have a unique chemical structure that enables rapid intestinal digestion and quick conversion into ketones, an efficient fuel source for heart, brain, and muscle cells. 

There are several impressive health benefits of MCT oil in coffee, including enhanced mental clarity, the potential for more extended fasting periods, and appetite reduction. 

While you can use MCTs for cooking and salad dressing, mixing it into coffee is a convenient way to consume this healthy fat in a delicious drink that won’t break a fast.  

FAQ

Sources

1. https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-022-03521-6 ?
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53550/#:~:text=Within%20a%20controlled%20environment%2C%20yes,are%20more%20satiating%20than%20others. ?
3. https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.1193497 ?

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