July 31, 2017
If you’re anything like me, coffee is already quite the superhero. But what If I told you, you could simply add one ingredient to your coffee to make YOU the superhero? Yep, that’s right. You will get instant energy for your brain and muscles that lasts for hours (without a mid-day crash). You’ll feel satiated longer, and you can enjoy your normal coffee without changing its flavor. I know it all sounds too good to be true, but if this isn’t the cherry on top, it’s all natural!
How To Boost Your Coffee With A (Natural) Superpower
So here it is, all you have to do is add a little MCT oil to your current cup of coffee – and that’s it! Seriously, it takes two seconds! I’m sure you have a million questions right now, what is MCT oil and how does it work? How much do I need to put in my coffee and can I put it in anything else? How much is too much, do I need to blend it? So let’s get into it, and I’ll try and keep this as simple as possible – because how it works, sounds too complicated for the simple and quick results that follow.
What is MCT oil?
MCT stands for “medium chain triglyceride.” So what the heck does that mean?? Agreed, let’s further break this down. To make any sense of this, we need to get a little bit in the weeds here and start with fats. Fats, or Lipids (these words are used interchangeably) are a critical dietary need for us to survive and thrive. Fats actually pack twice the energy potential of proteins and even carbohydrates. The role of fats (or lipids) is NOT to stack up fat around your waist and give you a “tire.” Language is confusing and we associate these terms meaning the same thing, but it’s just not true. So from here on out lets call fats “lipids“ so people stop hating and misinterpreting their greatness.
Lipids are critical for energy storage, they’re required to transport other vitamins and nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, and K). They are a major comment of the cell membrane, and protect vital organs. Lipids provide energy, help regulate the digestive system, assist in the production of hormones, and help to promote clear skin and healthy hair. Like I said, please don’t misinterpret their greatness!
So what does it mean when I say “fat has twice the energy potential of protein or carbohydrates?” And this is important. It means fats (lipids) are 9 calories per gram, opposed to 4 calories per gram like protein and carbohydrates. Calories, actually means the energy potential of a given food. A calorie is really only a unit of measurement, like a meter or millimeter. NOT how much weight that food is going to make you gain – see the confusion of language here also??
To understand fat quality, (because there is a difference) we need to take a look at fat components called fatty acids. Taking you back to chemistry class, fatty acids are essentially like chains of consisting links. In terms of fatty acids, these links are made of carbon atoms. Fatty acids are categorized by their chain length and their saturation.
In terms of chain length, this is referring to the number of carbon atoms linked together in the fatty acid (affecting their solubility in water). There can be short chains (4-6 carbons), medium-chains (6-12), and long chains (13 and higher). So that’s the first part of MCT, referring to its chain length being “Medium Chain.”
The “T” in MCT stands for triglyceride. Triglycerides make up 95% of the lipids in food and in our bodies. They all have a similar structure, being composed of three fatty acids (hints the name), attached to a glycerol molecule (making it soluble in water). Caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric, and lauric acid are all medium chain triglycerides. The best source of MCT’s is coconut oil and palm kernel oil – the MCT oil is just derived from coconut oil!
How does it work?
So what makes the MCT’s stand out from the rest? Digestion for these fatty acids are different depending on length. Unlike longer-chain fats, these can be absorbed directly from the digestive tract, opposed to the longer, more complicated route involving the lymphatic system. MCT’s are absorbed directly to the liver where they are most likely to be burned as fuel, instead of stored as fat. This is why you get immediate energy to your brain and muscles and can avoid that mid-day crash!
How much do I need to put in my coffee, can I put it in anything else?
Like I’ve said, you can feel this stuff immediately, so a little goes a long way. I’d suggest starting with a teaspoon and working your way up to a tablespoon per cup of coffee. I doubt you’d be inclined, but try not to exceed two cups (when adding up to a tablespoon of MCT oil). It is likely your body will be somewhat sensitive starting out and this can slightly aggravate your stomach.
The more you use it, you will begin to develop a “higher tolerance,” in which you can start adding more (up to a tablespoon) to your cup of coffee. Let me warn you now, do NOT exceed three tablespoons a day. It does affect your stomach and could redirect you to a restroom if you overindulge. Trust me, I’ve found out the hard way!
You don’t have to limit MCT oil to your coffee. If you’re not a coffee drinker, you can put it in your tea. You can put it into your morning smoothie, or even cook with it – your options here are endless! I just prefer to put it in my cup of coffee to ensure I start my day with some healthy fats to wake up my brain and muscles, and to help keep me satiated.
How to add MCT oil into your coffee:
Don’t worry, it’s quite simple. I brew my cup of coffee like normal, then measure out a tablespoon of MCT oil, put it into my cup of coffee, and stir with a spoon – that’s it! Now, it is oil, so it does separate and sit on top. Although you can somewhat notice the texture, it doesn’t change the flavor. If you’re weirded out by it, you can blend it into your cup of coffee. I have found that blending it actually changes the flavor more, and doesn’t quite hit you the same, as if it were stirred.
I get my MCT oil at Whole Foods, but you can purchase it at any natural food market, or even off of Amazon.
I hope this helps you to feel incredibly vibrant and enthused throughout your day. Because I know some days, we all wish we had superpowers to get us through.
XO,
Danae
