MCT Oil aka Medium-chain triglycerides. Ring a bell? This stuff is pure gold and if this is the first time you are hearing of it, you’re welcome.

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MCT oil has rapidly gained some serious popularity in the health/wellness/fitness world due to its claim to help improve cognitive function, boost your energy levels out the roof and curb your appetite/speed up your metabolism.

Now, if you’re like me and you’re a fan of Joe Rogan try everything he suggests, chances are you might have heard of MCT oil on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast or maybe you follow a ketogenic diet ( a diet designed to help the body run on ketones aka fats rather than glycogen aka carbs (this state is called ketosis).

Side note: For anyone on a ketogenic or low carb diet, MCT oil is the bee knees!

As your needs those slow-burning fuels to power through the long days. Keto or not, this oil is a game changer. Bulletproof Coffee is another thing that helped MCT gain its hype, people swear by it. But that’s another post for another day. Bottom line – No lie, this stuff is legit.

Needless to say, you gotta try. Today we are here to explain why. Some MCT oils are much higher quality than others, and that is one reason why we chose to go with Onnit Labs. Onnit’s MCT oil is by far one of the best out there and we were eager to get our hands on it.

Now for the full scoop…

What Exactly is MCT Oil?

MCT stands for Medium-Chain-Triglycerides. Triglycerides are more commonly known as trans-fats, and trans-fats have been argued for years. That’s because most triglycerides consumed by Westerners are what’s called Long-Chain Triglycerides (LCTs). LCTs are more difficult for the body to fully digest. As a result, they end up raising LDL cholesterol levels, blocking up arteries, and increasing your risk of heart attacks/strokes.

Trans-fats=bad, healthy fats=good.

MCTs, on the other hand, are absorbed into the body much faster and are converted into energy rather than fat. MCT’s are a particular type of healthy fat that requires very minimal action from the liver to convert directly into fuel in the form of ketones. Ketones are one of the brain’s two primary fuel sources, and also a vital source of ATP energy for the body. ATP energy is what allows your muscles to move inside your body.

What makes Onnit’s MCT oil surpass the rest is that it is derived from 100% Coconuts and processed at the purest level possible. Many MCT oils are harvested from Palm Oil, which is not only less quality for you, it is harmful to our environment.

If you’re not familiar with the Palm Oil conflict, long story short, it comes from plantations that are found in tropical rain forests in places like Indonesia. The harmful side effects include high c02 levels (hello global warming) depleted wildlife, and massive forest destruction. So, be a good human and choose wisely.

 As a result of using 100% pure coconut oil, it delivers approximately 30% Lauric Acid, an important form of MCT that acts as a slower burning fuel source in your body. With a slow-burning, constant fuel source your brain will be able to maintain focus and concentration throughout the day, maintain steady energy levels, etc.

MCT Oil vs Coconut Oil: What’s The Difference?

If you are wondering what the difference is here, not to worry, you are not alone.

MCT oil is the main component of coconut oil, which has multiple benefits for energy, metabolism, and cognitive function. Coconut oil contains MCT’s, but only in small quantities.

The main MCTs are as follows:

• C6 (Caproic Acid) – There isn’t a high quantity of C6 fatty acids in coconut oil and it might be a good thing. Despite being a ready source of ketone energy for your body, it can cause throat irritation and gastrointestinal distress. Studies on piglets showed how effective C6 can be for energy in the brain [1].
• C8 (Caprylic Acid) – This is a rare type of MCT, which is rare (only 6% of coconut oil) and useful for energy metabolism. It seems the value of C8 might be inflated by Dave Asprey because of his selling Brain Octane Oil.
• C10 (Capric Acid) – Another major MCT is C10, which is approximately 9% of coconut oil and is considered a useful tool for energy metabolism because (like other MCTs) does not require bile salts for digestive purposes. In short, it’s easy to digest and convert to energy.
• C12 (Lauric Acid) – This is technically considered a medium-chain triglyceride and thus a source of debate in health and biochemistry communities. It is with lauric acid that the question of MCT oil vs. coconut oil becomes most present.

Coconut oil is amazing on its own and has many of its own uses and benefits, however, if you are really wanting to reap the benefits from MCT’s, then choosing Onnit’s MCT oil is the right move.

How Does MCT Oil Work? Where Can I Buy?

As a dietary supplement, the suggested use is 1-4 tablespoons per day. You can do all at once or spread out your dosage throughout your day.

WARNING: For those with sensitive stomachs/digestive systems — start off small with 1 tablespoon and work your way up from there once you are in the clear! May cause upset stomach, etc.

How you add it to your diet is up to you. Many people like to add it into their smoothies, or mixed into their morning coffee for that extra boost. You can also add it to a salad dressing, or even take it straight from the spoon. Keep in mind, it is not recommended for cooking oil (coconut oil, YES- MCT oil, NO).

You can purchase Onnit MCT Oil directly from their site here for only $19.51! You’ll get a 24 fl oz. bottle and you can even save more if you sign up for auto-delivery. You can also purchase it at your local Sprouts, Lazy Acres Market, or Whole Foods.

Conclusion

We really like this stuff. It helped stabilize energy levels throughout the day. Gave me a pep in my step. The particular one we tried was the flavorless one and it was truly flavor-free. It added no taste to coffee or smoothies. I even tried a spoonful on its own and it was flavorless! I was worried it would leave a super oily residue in my mouth but thankfully it did not.

If you’d like to purchase flavored ones, they have many flavors on their site to spice up your smoothies or coffees and they even have a “savory” flavored line for your salad dressings and such. Only not so great thing, it doesn’t mix too well into coffee, kind of just lingers at the top, but to fix that just add everything into your blender, pour it out into your favorite cup then enjoy.

Great product, ethically sourced, environmentally friendly, affordable price point, and overall great company. 5 out of 5 stars for Onnit’s MCT Oil. Gym Junkies Approved. Now, go getcha some.