Medium Chain Tryglycerides (MCT)

rischott · Post by **rischott** » Fri 26 May 2006 19:04

Coconut Oil is a MCT, and MCT's are shorter chained and almost always go directly to the liver to be burned for energy, correct? If this is the case, shouldn't we not eat Coconut oil along with other sugars since MCT's have no storage capacity? And if we ate coconut oil alone, wouldn't that supply sufficient energy for a period of time?

johndela1 · Post by **johndela1** » Fri 26 May 2006 19:42

That is a big part of what I do. I eat some for of coconut most everyday. I take the oil as a liquid and add a little bit of maple syrup to give it a better flavor then as it thickens I make little balls (about 1tlbs) on a tray I keep in the fridge. I eat them from time to time and sometimes add them to my smoothies. I also add shreaded coconut to my smoothies.

YouTube · Post by **RRM** » Fri 26 May 2006 19:47

rischott wrote:Coconut Oil is a MCT

No, coconut oil is not "a medium chain triglyceride"; A triglyceride is 3 fatty acids chained to eachother.

Coconut oil contains many different fatty acids, and the majority are short chain saturated fatty acids (84% are fatty acids 16:0 or shorter)
In coconut oil, according to the USDA database:

Saturated
0.6% (06:0) Caproic acid
7.5% (08:0) Caprylic acid
6.0% (10:0) Capric acid
44.6% (12:0) Lauric acid
16.8% (14:0) Myristic acid
8.2% (16:0) Palmitic acid
2.8% (18:0) Stearic acid

Unsaturated
5.8% (18:1) Oleic acid
1.8% (18:2) Linoleic acid

MCT's are shorter chained and almost always go directly to the liver to be burned for energy, correct?

MCT's are created in the body, so im not sure what you are getting at.

shouldn't we not eat Coconut oil along with other sugars

There is no kind of sugar/carb in coconut oil.

if we ate coconut oil alone, wouldn't that supply sufficient energy for a period of time?

We also need sugars, in small numbers, very frequently.

rischott · Post by **rischott** » Fri 26 May 2006 22:11

Why is coconut oil listed as a triglyceride then?

I was also reading that coconut oil is not stored but sent right to the liver and used right away for energy, a similar process to glucose. Isn't this correct?
If this is true, I am suggesting that Coconut oil shouldn't be used as a 'storage' fat as olive oil and avocados are used for on this diet. Coconut oil should be used as an energy booster.
????

johndela1 · Post by **johndela1** » Fri 26 May 2006 22:27

If coconut is not a MCT there are many errors on some sights that I trust or maybe I'm just not understanding what I'm reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil says :
" Its high lauric acid content means that it is rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCT)"

Is this wrong?

avo · Post by **avo** » Sat 27 May 2006 00:44

Good points and questions this brings up. I am also curious, as I've read coconut oil increases weight loss, not stored in the body as fat. I'm trying to gain weight, so I'm not sure how that will work out. So is coconut + fruits a bad thing to do? I definately feel different having coconut + banana instead of OO + banana.

OT: What other oil is there that I should use besides coconut and olive?

avo · Post by **avo** » Sat 27 May 2006 01:16

From this thread: viewtopic.php?t=550

"Following rapid breakdown and absorption in the intestinal tract, MCTs [medium-chain triglycerides] are transported directly to the liver. Once there, they freely enter the mitochondria (the energy-producing elements of the cell) and are rapidly converted to ketones, which are almost immediately converted into energy. On the other hand, long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which compose most other oils, are transported from the intestines as chylomicrons (relatively large fat droplets). They are eventually dumped into the bloodstream near the heart through the thoracic duct. These fat droplets must then be transported through the entire body before they reach the liver.

"This difference in metabolism means that the body treats MCTs in a completely different manner than the way it deals with other fats. LCTs are slow to be metabolized in the body, and as a result, are more easily stored as fat. MCTs, on the other hand, rapidly burn for energy use, thus are less likely to contribute to fat storage. If you consider your body's metabolism to be like an oil furnace, eating LCTs is like adding oil to the storage tank, whereas consuming MCTs is like pumping fuel from the delivery truck right into the furnace. Less is stored; more is burned.

"The fatty acid chains in polyunsaturated oils are LCTs, while the fatty acid chains in coconut oil are MCTs. It has been known for a long time in the scientific community that LCTs tend to produce fat in the body, while MCTs promote weight loss. People in the animal feed business have known this truth for quite some time as well. If you feed animals vegetable oils, they put on weight and produce more meat. If you feed them coconut oil, they will be very lean and active."

avo · Post by **avo** » Sat 27 May 2006 01:52

This site has some good info.

http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdr ... 0172.shtml

Medium-chain triglycerides, commonly abbreviated MCT or MCTs, are medium-chain fatty acid esters of glycerol. Medium-chain fatty acids are fatty acids containing from six to 12 carbon atoms. These fatty acids are constituents of coconut and palm kernel oils and are also found in camphor tree drupes. Coconut and palm kernel oils are also called lauric oils because of their high content of the 12 carbon fatty acid, lauric or dodecanoic acid.

avo · Post by **avo** » Sat 27 May 2006 04:01

I found some interesting information on one particular site, beyondhealth, that I have not found elsewhere. If this information is accurate and has good research, I think coconut oil can be just as good as olive oil, if not better in some ways.

Weight Control

Coconut oil helps you to lose, maintain, or gain weight depending on your body’s need. It contributes to weight loss by speeding metabolism and being used as fuel rather than stored as fat. For underweight people, coconut oil helps to gain weight, especially useful to those suffering from AIDS or cancer.

Among other properties, coconut oil:

-Regulates blood sugar and prevents hypoglycemia by providing a supply of fuel not affected by insulin.

Post by **Oscar** » Sat 27 May 2006 11:28

LOL those are ridiculous claims! Or am I missing something?

Coconut oil helps you to lose, maintain, or gain weight depending on your body’s need.

Nice and vague. I think the keyword here is "helps".

It contributes to weight loss by speeding metabolism and being used as fuel rather than stored as fat.

I wonder how they want to explain this. Anyway, all fats are used as fuel, but can be stored as fat too, depending on what the body needs at that point.

For underweight people, coconut oil helps to gain weight, especially useful to those suffering from AIDS or cancer.

I thought it speeds up metabolism...oh wait, this person is underweight...

-Regulates blood sugar and prevents hypoglycemia by providing a supply of fuel not affected by insulin.

This basically holds true for fats in general, not just coconut oil.

avo · Post by **avo** » Sat 27 May 2006 13:31

Ok, so you think coconut oil is a good substitute for olive oil, but not particularly anymore helpful than that? As long as there is no negative reactions if I combine it with fruit, that is just fine with me. And as long as I don't start losing weight...

Post by **Oscar** » Sat 27 May 2006 14:32

Yes, I think so.

If you listen to your body's energy needs, I think you'll be always on your set weight, no more, no less. So you shouldn't lose weight if you do that.

YouTube · Post by **RRM** » Sat 27 May 2006 20:26

Why is coconut oil listed as a triglyceride then?

Ask that to the person who published that. (Wikipedia indeed says: "Coconut oil is a triglyceride containing 86.5% saturated fatty acids"), but coconut oil is a food, containing many different molecules.
A triglyceride is just one molecule.

I was also reading that coconut oil is not stored but sent right to the liver and used right away for energy, a similar process to glucose. Isn't this correct?

Too much incorrectness in one sentence.
Please try to understand that coconut oil is not one molecule, and that the body is far more sophisticated.

avo wrote:So is coconut + fruits a bad thing to do?

No.

What other oil is there that I should use besides coconut and olive?

You dont need any other.

johndela1 · Post by **johndela1** » Sat 27 May 2006 20:34

I understand you are saying coconut oil is not a MCT. I don't think anyone thinks it is %100 MCT.

Are you also saying it has no MCTs in it at all?

YouTube · Post by **RRM** » Sat 27 May 2006 20:54

Are you also saying it has no MCTs in it at all?

No, not at all, I guess I got confused by this statement:

Coconut Oil is a MCT

and when wikipedia did the same...