What is MCT Oil?

What is MCT Oil?

MCT Oil stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides, a term that can be a bit of a mouthful! However, it's not that complicated! When you buy fat in its purest form(eg. Cooking oil, butter, or ghee, etc,) at a grocery store, it comes in various forms. Sometimes the fat is oily(olive oil), sometimes it's a spread(peanut butter) and sometimes, it can be a hard block(butter). The solid or liquid state of the fat depends on the fatty chains inside the fat. These fatty chains contain carbon atoms and the more carbons inside a chain, the more likely it will be solid at room temperature. Based on these chains, fats can have either short-chain(2-4 carbons), medium-chain (6-12 carbons), or long-chain (14+ carbons) fatty acids or triglycerides.

The major production source of Medium Chain Triglycerides(MCTs) is coconut oil. Coconut oil contains short, medium, and long-chain triglycerides. MCT Oil is then isolated from coconut oil. However, it is important to note that many fatty foods contain MCTs, albeit in smaller amounts compared to coconut oil.

There are many health claims and research around MCTs. Much of the science and research around MCTs is associative and is a tad overblown online. This research includes its use in ketogenic diets, boosting energy, enhancing cognition, and potential performance advantages. However, there is one key feature that we know for certain about MCTs that sets them apart from other types of nutrients. Unlike longer chain fatty acids, MCTs are not stored in the body. They are completely oxidized(in the context of a ketogenic diet, this means endogenous production of ketones) and do not contribute to weight gain. If anything, MCTs are compensated by a reduction of calories later throughout the day by suppressing hunger. This is why MCTs can be a fantastic tool on one's fat loss journey and is a key reason why we use them in our Energy Pods.

Another great feature, from a taste and culinary perspective, is that MCTs are stable and neutral when stored properly. They add the fatty texture without the extra aroma(eg. Duck fat, olive oil, or tallow) that can empower the food product. Due to their inert taste, they are a perfect fat for our product since the Energy Pods are designed to capture flavor without encumbering the Energy Pods with intense aromas and tastes.

Each of our Energy Pods, depending on the flavor, contains roughly 2-4 grams of MCT oil per Energy Pod. As always, we carefully research all of our ingredients, ensure their quality, obtain any possible test results, and only then do we add them to our Energy Pods.