5 February 2016 in Healthy, Nutrition, Nutrition tips

MCT – WHAT IS IT ACTUALLY?

MCT oils are fatty acids, medium chained triglycerides. Their chemical compostion and characteristics are different than in long chain fatty acids that dominate our everyday diet.

The digestion of MCT oils is different than the digestion of other fatty acids. They are absorbed by portal vein directly from our digestive tract to our liver. This is why they are so beneficial for our health and diet – thanks to its specific way of digesting. Firstly, they are absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly. Then as they are transported they transform into chylomicrones. Thus – they don’t increase the risk of atherosclerosis for instance. They are also a good idea for those who have fat absorption disorders, liver problems or are malnourished. What is more, they are antibacterial and thermogenic. Finally, they require half the amount of oxygen than other fatty acids to burn off.

The use of MCT oil is highly recommended for professional athletes and those physically active. Quick absorption and trasformation lets you save muscle glycogen during a training. It’s good to use it during exercises as it’s a source of energy and helps you regenerate after a training. It can be used both during the time of muscle building and weight loss. It can also be of help when you’re on a ketogenic diet.

Usage

10-50 ml a day, according to personal needs

Coconut oil – which I highly recommend – is a natural source of MCT oils!

A curiosity:

A research conducted on rats, proved that the process of thermogenesis increases when you combine MCT with chilli.

I’ve also found a more detailed reserach, conducted on humans. It was an experiment by Miriam E. Clegg, Mana Golsorkhi i C. Jeya Henri.

Control group, consisting of healthy people, was served an omelet for breakfast in four combinations: with chilli + MCT oil, chilli + sunflower oil, bell pepper + sunflower oil and bell pepper + MCT. Glucose was added to bell pepper to increase its nutritional and energetic value (in comparison to chilli pepper). Energy consumption was increased after all of the meals. The peak for chilli + sunflower oil and bell pepper + sunflower oil happened after an hour. While for chilli + MCT and bell pepper + MCT it happened after 2 hours. Energy consumption for chilli + MCT had the highest value, whereas for bell pepper + sunflower oil – the value was the lowest. The highest energy consumption happened 2 to 6 hours after the meal.