Not sure how to use MCT oil but want to start?
Of course you do! You’ve probably heard of all the great benefits you can gain from using MCT oil and want in – like everyone else.
From suppressing your appetite and helping you lose weight to giving you more energy; you are seriously losing out if you are not taking advantage of MCT oil in your diet.
We covered some of the great benefits in our article on the best mct oils and if you’ve here, you probably don’t need to be convinced of MCT Oils great benefits.
However for those who don’t know a great deal about MCT Oil, I am going to briefly go over what it is and why it’s worth your time.
For those who don’t need this you can skip right on ahead to our section on how to use it.
A Quick Overview On What MCT Oil Is & Why It’s Amazing
Before getting to how to use this stuff, I figured it would be helpful to briefly go over what it is and why it’s worth your time. If you already know and want to know how to use it – you can skip this section.
So for those new to MCT oil – MCT stands for medium chain triglycerides which are a form of saturated fatty acids.
Medium chain fatty acids are easily digested by the body and send directly to your liver where they have a thermogenic effect. Your body uses them as energy, rather than storing them as fat. They don’t need digestive enzymes to break down – they are a readily available energy source your body loves.
As a result MCT oil gives you a nice energy boost and its steady over time rather than fluctuating like glucose – so no crashes here. Having more energy is just one of the benefits of MCT oil.
Here are some other benefits from adding this little miracle into your diet:
- Aids weight loss and reduces appetite
- Increases energy levels
- Improves athletic performance
- Improves mitochondrial function
- It’s anti-bacterial and anti-viral
- Improves cognitive and neurological function
To get these great benefits, MCTs must be extracted from whole foods. Generally MCT Oil is derived from coconuts as it is a great source of MCTs – in fact 65% of the fatty acids in coconuts are MCTs.
Although MCT oil is generally the form people choose to try – you can also get MCT oils in powder and pill form too.
So now you know how great MCT Oil can be, you now need to know how to use it. When I first heard of it I was similarly confused about how best to utilize the oil.
How To Use MCT Oil
There are 3 ways to use MCT Oil. You can:
- Blend it – Mix your oil into drinks and smoothies. This is the easiest and simplest way to use it.
- Drizzle it – You can easily drizzle MCT oil over your salad or food.
- Cook with it – MCT oil has a low smoke point so you need to be careful how you cook with it but you can. If you use MCT oil in too a high a heat it will damage the fats. You can alternatively use a powdered form to cook with instead which has a higher smoke point.
How MCT oil can come in liquid form, pill form and powdered form – so we have broken them down below so you can see the different ways to use each.
The Quick & Easy Option – Pills
If you didn’t know, MCT Oil can be bought in capsule form – so instead of working out how to incorporate the Oil into a drink so you can guzzle it down, instead you could just pop a few pills and be done with it.
MCT Oil pills will be odorless and flavorless so perfect if you have tried MCT oil and do not like the flavor (even when it is mixed in with other ingredients).
They are also a better option to travel with as you don’t have to worry as much about oil spills.
Using The Liquid Form (The Reason You’re Probably Here)
Mct oil is quite versatile and it can be added to a variety of things in order to spice up your drinks and smoothies. If you haven’t been living under a rock the past few years then you probably have heard of bulletproof coffee and similar.
MCT oil can be added to your morning coffee. Simply add a spoonful and mix in. If you choose to try this out make sure you use a quality oil. To help you out we reviewed the best mct oil for coffee to make the choice easier.
MCT oil can also be added to your salad dressings or just drizzled over salad.
Concerns About The Taste
MCT Oil should be pretty tasteless and therefore won’t add any weird tastes to your food or drinks. This is something that most people do not realize at first – I didn’t. As most MCT oil is derived from coconuts, it isn’t surprising we default to thinking it will taste like coconuts! It doesn’t though – so have no fear.
Of course, the idea that its tasteless might actually be disappointing to you – after all lots of people love coconut.
Other Considerations
MCT Oil can be difficult for some people to digest, particularly at first – so building up your tolerance may be a very good idea. You could start with adding a quarter of a teaspoon and working up to a full teaspoon. If this isn’t helpful than pill or powder form maybe a better option.
MCT Oil has a low smoke point so can only really be added to drinks rather than being more versatile and being able to be added to baked recipes.
If you intend to mix it in your smoothie with other supplements (powdered), you may find it doesn’t mix so well. It can clump up your smoothie.
What About A Flavored Powder
Despite MCT Oil being flavorless, you may still be worried about using it. Another great alternative is powder. You can get unflavored powder to add to smoothies in the same way as the oil; however you can also get FLAVORED powders too.
This may be a better approach for some people as you can use the powders quite easily and not worry so much about getting your ahead around using the oil.
If you are already having a daily smoothie it can be added to this, or simply stir in water and gulp down. This may feel easier than gulping down oil. You will also be able to mix it with other powdered supplements you are taking too.
You can also add powder to hot drinks too – so it can still be added to your morning coffee or tea but with an added punch of flavor.
You could also add the powder to baked recipes like muffins – experimentation is key.
Powder is also easier to travel with than oil. Oil can be a such a pain if you spill it too. Equally as mentioned above, pills can also be a great alternative for travelling too.
However some powders on the market may have a lot of additives of ingredients you would rather not put into your body. If you want to try the powder option make sure you read the labels carefully. To help you we have written an article about the best mct oil powder so you don’t have to figure it out yourself.
When To Use MCT Oil?
Part of knowing how to use MCT Oil is knowing when to use it. Generally, MCT oil can be used whenever you need some energy. As mentioned your body will instantly burn it for fuel so its perfect for a quick energy boost when you are low.
If taking it whenever you need an energy boost doesn’t sit right with you then there are specific times you can take it for energy.
You could take it before your workout – this is worth testing in case your stomach doesn’t like it beforehand. If not, take it afterwards as a pick me up.
Some of us experience an afternoon slump (which can be caused by a pretty crap diet). MCT Oil can be the perfect pick me up for afternoons when you are feeling really lethargic. An afternoon cuppa with added MCT oil will give you the boost you need to get through the rest of the day.
You can add it to your meals if you feel you aren’t getting enough fats into your diet. It will help keep hunger at bay too.
If you are still unsure where to start, below are some recipe ideas to get you started.
Recipes and Ideas for Using Your MCT Oil
Bulletproof Coffee
The easiest way to get MCT oil into your stomach is the famous bulletproof coffee way. Traditionally the bulletproof coffee adds in a lump of butter too but you don’t need to do that.
Simply make your coffee as you normally would and stir in a spoonful of MCT Oil. You may find this quite heavy at first if you aren’t used to consuming fats but it will eventually feel normal.
You can do this later in the day too when you need an energy boost. It is the simplest way to add it in.
Of course not everyone drinks coffee – I don’t! – so this won’t fit with everyone’s lifestyle choices.
Instead if you want to use in a hot drink you have other options too. You could add it to a hot chocolate, to tea or even to some bone broth.
For a more frothy and creamy texture use MCT powder instead of oil.
Smoothies
Smoothies can be another great way to get your oil in. Smoothies are another popular choice among most people because they are easy to make and delicious. You could just add MCT oil to your normal smoothie as its flavorless.
An example recipe is here:
Simple Strawberry and Banana Smoothie
- 16 ounces of water
- 1 ripe banana
- 3/4 cup strawberries, frozen
- 1 teaspoon MCT oil or alternatively 1 serving of powdered MCT oil (vanilla flavored or unflavored)
- Optional: 1 serving vanilla protein powder
Blend all the ingredients apart from the oil. The oil can stick to the sides of your blender because of the cold ingredients. Add the oil last and put it in the middle and blend on low at first.
Roasted Vegetables
As long as you roast your vegetables on a heat lower than 350°F, you can drizzle MCT oil over them to cook. Alternatively cook in avocado or extra virgin olive oil and drizzle some MCT oil on once they are cooked. This way you don’t have to worry about damaging the MCT oil in the cooking process.
Use As A Pre Workout
MCT Oil is great as a pre workout because it gives you instant energy that will be a great boost for your workout. Blend a teaspoon with your normal pre workout drink or stir in water and drink. Some people even have a bulletproof coffee as their pre workout drink. Experiment and see what works for you.
Use In Your Normal Meals
What do you eat for breakfast? Eggs? Oatmeal? Sometihng else? MCT oil can easily be added to these – you can mix it into your oatmeal or put a sponful over your eggs once cooked.
You don’t need to recreate your entire diet to fit it in – it will fit wherever you want it to.
Hopefully this article has inspired you to start using MCT oil for its wonderful benefits. Let us know how you use MCT oil in the comments below.