MCT oil: The brain-boosting and weight loss-promoting extract you should know about

MCT oil is a main ingredient in the popular bulletproof coffee wellness beverage. Maybe you’ve come across MCT oil in your wellness literature travels (like when reading about bulletproof coffee ), or maybe you haven’t. Either way, we’re here to tell you what it’s all about. MCT stands for the very scientific term “medium-chain triglyceride,” which means that fats, because they’re shorter in length, are more easily digested and tied to a whole slew of health benefits, according to Healthline . MCT oil is a coconut oil extract, with MCTs making up more than half of the fat in coconut oil. RELATED READ: No, drinking kombucha doesn’t ‘speed up’ your metabolism, experts agree According to Medical News Today : MCTs are found in coconut oil and are processed by the body in a different way to long-chain fatty acids. Unlike other fats, they go straight from the gut to the liver. From here, they are used as a source of energy or turned into ketones. BENEFITS Here’s where the health benefits begin to kick in. Ketones, created when the liver breaks down a lot of fat, can be used as fuel for the brain instead of sugar, according to Medical News Today, which explains that the the calories found in MCT oil are used immediately, meaning that it is highly unlikely that they’ll be stored as fat. Preliminary research suggests the oil might have promising effects on the brain function and memory in those with Alzheimer’s disease, Medical News Today reported. The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation adds that it is also thought to potentially prevent Alzheimer’s and even enhance learning capabilities. Healthline notes that MCT oil may be beneficial for children with autism. Some studies have shown promise that higher-fat and gluten-free diets can improve behavior in autistic children […]

Click here to view full article