The Great MCT Oil Hype

By Betty Murray

Many times, people avoid eating any kind of fat because they have fallen prey to the belief that all fat is bad fat. In reality, there are some types of fat are good for your brain, and may even help with weight loss. Do you know what kinds of fats to look for?

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are one type of saturated fat that is good for you. In comparison to the long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) or long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) found in vegetable or seed oils, the body can easily break down and process MCTs, improving energy and increasing fat burn.

This is because MCTs are much smaller and therefore easily digested. The liver immediately burns them up as energy, whereas LCTs are much larger and more difficult for the body to breakdown. Instead, the body will store LCTs as fat.

Where to find MCT oils

One of the richest sources of MCT oils is organic coconut oil, which is 75 percent MCT oil. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, but it is good for you. That’s because the saturated fat in coconut oil is naturally occurring, compared to the man-made process that artificially creates vegetable and seed oil by adding hydrogen while heating the oil — a process that has no health benefits whatsoever.

Coconut oil has been used by centuries by people living in tropical regions, such as the South Pacific Islands, and though it is a saturated fat, studies have shown that heart disease is virtually non-existent in these parts of the world. Because the saturated fat in coconut oil is natural.

Benefits of coconut oil

There are health numerous benefits of coconut oil, including:

• Reduced risk of heart disease.
• Improved thyroid function.
• Increased metabolism.
• Promoting weight loss and health body composition.
• Boosting immune system health and response.
• Anti-aging, regenerative effects on the skin.
• Improved cognitive function and memory.

Vegetable oils are almost always genetically modified and produce toxic chemicals when used for cooking. Coconut oil is the only oil that can withstand heat when cooking and provides health benefits no other oil can.

By avoiding fats altogether, you are missing out on the health benefits of good-for-you fats, such as coconut oil. Look for organic coconut oil found at Whole Foods, Sprouts and in the organic section of most grocery stores.

Betty Murray, CN, HHC, RYT is a Certified Nutritionist & Holistic Health Counselor, founder of the Dallas-based integrative medical center, Wellness and founder of the Metabolic Blueprint wellness program. Betty’s nutrition counseling practice specializes in metabolic and digestive disorders and weight loss resistance. A master of the biochemistry of the body, Betty teaches her clients how to utilize nutritional interventions to improve their health. Betty is a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine and the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.