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August 1, 2018

MCT Oil Uses: Improved Brain Function, Fat Loss, & More

You’ll find MCT oil in several recipes here on the blog, but are you familiar with other MCT oil uses? In this post sponsored by Perfect Supplements, I’ll share below all about how and why to use MCT oil, and how to find a good one you can trust.

MCT Oil Uses: Improved Brain Function, Fat Loss, & More | The Family That Heals Together

What is MCT oil and what does it do?

I remember the first time I tried MCT oil. I was at a dinner party and the host had used it in a recipe. I internally rolled my eyes. “Don’t people know it’s healthier to eat whole foods rather than latching on to these fads?”

I went on about my business, and when I remade similar recipes at home, I replaced the MCT oil with other ingredients. Thankfully, my ignorance didn’t last forever!

It turns out that although MCT oil is indeed a derivative of coconut oil, it really is whole food nutrition- and outstanding nutrition at that!

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What is MCT oil?

MCT stands for medium chain triglycerides or medium chain fatty acids. It’s a type of fat usually derived from coconut oil, but it’s also found in palm oil, butter, and grassfed beef.

The reason separating these medium chain fats from the rest of the coconut oil makes for such a superior food is because it isolates the very best benefits of coconut oil. While coconut oil is a wonderful, inexpensive source of good fats, it’s largely made up of lauric acid (which is also a beneficial component, but simply doesn’t do for your body what true MCTs can do).

While there are lots of fatty acids in coconut oil, there are only a handful of MCTs:

  • Caproic acid (C6)
  • Caprylic Acid (C8)
  • Capric Acid (C10)
  • Lauric Acid (C12)

It’s actually debatable whether lauric acid is a true MCT, because it doesn’t behave in the body the way the other MCTs do. The other MCTs (caproic acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid) are rapidly absorbed in your body, having essentially bypassed the digestive tract and gone straight to the bloodstream.

What does MCT oil do?

Because MCTs are readily absorbed by the liver and go quickly into the bloodstream, they are able to be converted quickly into ketones, a desired source of energy for the brain. (This is why so many of us swear by “bulletproof” coffee first thing in the morning: it wakes up your brain!)

Most of us are used to feeding our brains glucose for energy. Our modern diet lends plenty of starches, sugars, and carbs to make sure of it. However, new research is showing that ketones may be the brain’s preferred source of energy.

What are ketones? Ketones are produced when you don’t have enough insulin in your body to turn sugar (or glucose) into energy. Your body then turns to fat instead.

Your liver turns this fat into ketones and sends them into your bloodstream, where your muscles and other tissues can use them for fuel.

Because we fast overnight as we sleep (that’s why the first meal of the day is called break-fast), we wake up with low blood sugar, and many of us wake up in ketosis. Our bodies are primed for using ketones as fuel.

However, the average American loads up on sugary, starchy foods like cereal and oatmeal, thereby going back to glucose for energy.

When we instead turn to good fats like MCT oil to start our day off, we keep feeding our brain ketones, which helps it to function more efficiently.

How ketones benefit the brain

When your brain is able to start using ketones for fuel instead of glucose, a few things happen.

  1. GABA (a calming, inhibitory neurotransmitter) is increased in the brain, while aspartate (an excitatory neurotransmitter which can be neurotoxic) is decreased.
  2. Production of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the main source of energy for most cellular processes, becomes more efficient.
  3. The brain is able to use this energy more efficiently with less toxic waste that is likely to result in brain inflammation.

This more efficient energy usage can be beneficial for those with a variety of conditions that involve brain inflammation, including:

  • epilepsy/seizures
  • bipolar disorder and depression
  • migraines
  • dementia
  • & ALS

Most notably, ketogenic diets and MCT oil have been studied for the effects on seizure disorders, and have been found to inhibit seizure activity.

The benefits of ketones for weightloss

When our bodies start producing ketones due to lack of glucose to use for energy, they are producing them from fat. As you may have already figured out, this fat can come from two places: our diet or our bodies.

This is good news if you’re trying to lose weight, as your body can begin to used stored fat as energy. Cutting out carbs and sugars from your diet and increasing good fats will assist your body in using fat as energy.

This is one reason incorporating MCT oil into your daily diet can be so helpful.

Is MCT oil good for you?

MCT oil uses expand beyond losing weight or fueling the brain.

In addition MCT oil may:

  • increase your overall energy
  • keep you healthier by combating viruses and bacteria
  • improve cardiovascular health
  • & lower bad cholesterol.

How do you take MCT oil? MCT oil uses you can try everyday.

It’s so easy to get MCT oil into your daily routine! The obvious way to use MCT oil is to add it to foods and drinks you’re already eating and drinking. MCT oil is totally tasteless and colorless, so you won’t even know it’s there (which is especially helpful if you’re trying to get it into kiddos).

There’s the ever-popular “Bulletproof Coffee.” Mr. Incredible drinks this every single day and swears by it for waking up his brain and getting him going in the mornings. I prefer drinking a bulletproof latte.

Whether you’re drinking coffee or tea, simply add up to a tablespoon of MCT oil, along with other goodies like ghee or butter and collagen to make your morning cuppa “bulletproof.”

Make keto ice cream. This delicious recipe is definitely one of the tastiest ways to use MCT oil!

Add it to salads. Instead of dressing, drizzle MCT oil over your salad, along with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Blend it into smoothies or shakes. Regardless of what you’re putting in a smoothie, you can add MCT oil without affecting the texture or flavor. I often make smoothies for myself and my kids with coconut milk, frozen fruit, a scoop or two of collagen, and a generous squirt of MCT oil. It’s delicious, filling, and packed full of nutrition.

Make popsicles. A favorite of my children, making popsicles at home allows you to not only avoid the junkie ingredients in store bought products, but also to customize flavors and sneak in extra nutrition. Try my healthy popsicles featuring extra fat and protein here.

Make fat bombs. Read about how and why you should here.

How do you choose a good MCT oil?

You know I do my research and try a variety of products before settling on something my family will use long-term, so the Mister and I have tried our fair share of MCT oils. Some were ok. Some were overpriced. Some caused major stomach upset. And none of them were organic (always at the top of my wish list for any product).

When Perfect Supplements reached out to let me know they were coming out with an all-new MCT oil, I was super excited.

Other products that I had used from the company had exceeded my expectations because Perfect Supplements:

  • sources organic ingredients where they can
  • third-party tests their products for contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides
  • & offers high-quality products for lower prices than competitors.

Keto Ice Cream Recipe (Bulletproof Ice Cream) | The Family That Heals Together

How Perfect MCT Oil is different

While many MCT oils on the market are made from lauric acid (which does not bypass the digestive tract or get converted quickly to ketones), Perfect MCT Oil is made only from c8 and c10 fatty acids (caprylic and capric). And while c6 (caproic acid) also converts to energy well, it can cause some stomach upset and may taste bad.

That’s why Perfect Supplements was picky when it came to creating an MCT oil: they wanted to offer something superior to what was available (otherwise why bother?). And the truth is, they delivered!

Perfect Supplements’ MCT oil:

  • is made from 100% organic sustainable coconuts
  • is USDA certified organic
  • contains 100% MCTs (C8 and C10)
  • is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and non-GMO
  • is batch tested (one of my favorite things about Perfect Supplements and their commitment to safe, quality products!)
  • uses low heat processing; no chemical extraction
  • is more affordable than lesser-quality MCT products

I’ve been so happy with Perfect MCT oil and use it every single day, whether for coffee, or smoothies, or in ice cream. And I really do notice a difference when I include it in my morning routine: I have better energy, am more clear-headed, and feel happier.

If you’re ready to give it a try, you can get Perfect MCT Oil here.

And as if their prices aren’t already affordable, they offer multi-item discounts and free shipping for orders over $99. If you buy 3-5 Perfect Supplements brand products, you’ll save 25% on your order, and if you order 6 or more, you’ll save 30%! Trust me, that adds up to huge savings.

Some of my favorites include Perfect Bovine Gelatin, Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen, Perfect Desiccated Liver Capsules, Perfect Acai Revive, and Perfect Rhodiola Rosea (read about how much I love Perfect Rhodiola here!). You can see all of their quality supplements here.

PLUS– the kind folks at Perfect Supplements have extended an offer exclusive to my readers to get an extra 10% off any order using the code FAMILYHEALS10, which can be combined with the multi-item discount.

Have you tried any of these MCT oil uses? What benefits have you experienced?

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog · Tagged: autism, bulletproof, coconut oil, fat loss, keto, ketosis, MCT oil, migraines, perfect supplements, weight loss

March 28, 2017

{Secret Ingredient} Bulletproof Tea or Latte Genuine Recipe

{Secret Ingredient} Bulletproof Tea or Latte Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

So here’s the thing. I’ve told y’all how I don’t like coffee ’cause I’m not a real grownup, which has lead me to create bulletproof tea and chocolate milk recipes.

And lately, with the craziness of adjusting to a hubby who travels a lot (which = really bad sleep for me), and having to show our house over and over with four kids underfoot (thankfully, we’ve all gotten pretty good at our “get the house show-ready” routine and I’m grateful for my boys’ help), I’ve been wishing I was a coffee drinker ’cause I’ve heard it can bring the dead back to life or something like that.

But I don’t like coffee. In fact, I hate the smell of it even, so using it to revive my dragging self in the mornings is a no-go.

I really do love a good bulletproof tea though. And after telling you about the energizing benefits of a special type of magnesium, which is the highest quality formula I’ve ever found, I decided to take my average bulletproof tea a step further.

Don’t get me wrong, making a drink bulletproof is anything but average, but you know how I like bumping up my nutrition any way I can, ’cause as a mom of four busy boys, I get little time to do a lot of fancy finagling for it. Not to mention I really like being sneaky with ingredients that my boys don’t suspect (like in this chili recipe), so when they steal a drink of my tea, which they inevitably do, I love that they get a hit of my secret ingredient.

The secret ingredient in my secret ingredient bulletproof tea latte

Before I reveal the secret, let’s talk about the usual bulletproof ingredients.

Collagen- You can get collagen into your tea or coffee in a number of ways.

  1. Use a scoop of hydrolyzed collagen. This is probably the easiest way, because hydrolyzed collagen dissolves in any type of liquid, hot or cold. It is, however, slightly more processed than regular gelatin, which is more of a whole food. It still offers protein + the gut-healing, hormone-supporting benefits of amino acids. Get grassfed hydrolyzed collagen here.
  2. Use a scoop of gelatin. An awesome option for hot drinks like this bulletproof tea, gelatin requires heat and lots of stirring to dissolve well. Though it’s less refined than hydrolzed collagen, gelatin can be difficult to dissolve well, but it’s an excellent source of nutrition, including protein and amino acids. Get grassfed gelatin here.
  3. Add a scoop of my DIY hormone-support supplement. Containing hydrolyzed collagen, as well as good fat in dehydrated coconut milk, and the extra nutrition of powdered greens, I often use this supplement in a bulletproof chai tea latte for ultimate nourishment in a mug. Grab the recipe for the DIY supplement here.

Fat- There are also a couple options for getting fat into your cuppa, so just pick what works for you (or use both):

  • MCT oil: I’ve always been cautious about using MCT oil, because it isn’t a whole food, rather the separated, liquid fat from coconut oil. MCT (short for medium chain triglycerides) contains fats that are easy for our bodies to quickly use, sending them directly to nourish the liver. After I bought Mr. Incredible some MCT oil for Christmas, I was convinced of the health benefits. He became energized, more clear-headed, and dropped a bunch of weight quickly. Our family uses Perfect MCT Oil, which you can get here.
  • Grassfed butter: I always have this on hand in my kitchen, so it’s an obvious choice. Grassfed butter is a good source of heart and brain-healthy saturated fat and omega 3 fats, as well as vitamin K. Plus, it adds a frothy creaminess to bulletproof tea.

Cream- Like butter, real cream is a good source of good fats and vitamin K. Make sure it’s grassfed, and, preferably, raw (though I use the best quality organic, grassfed cream I can get when I can’t get raw).

{Secret Ingredient} Bulletproof Tea or Latte Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

The not-so-secret secret ingredient

As I’ve already mentioned, the special ingredient is a special type of magnesium, which is formulated by the same folks who gave us Smidge, so you can bet it’s the best quality available, free of fillers and artificial ingredients.

I’ve been using this awesome type of magnesium that contains not one, not two, but three types of superior magnesium, along with the important cofactor boron for better absorbability. It’s called Morning Magnesium and it really wakes you up and gets you going.

Morning Magnesium is better than coffee for imparting clear-headed, clean energy in the mornings. The unique combination of magnesium malate, taurinate and orotate is designed to pep you up and keep you alert for the day ahead.

One scoop of Morning Magnesium provides 200mg of highly-absorbable magnesium as:

• Magnesium malate
• Magnesium taurinate
• Magnesium orotate
• PLUS 1.5mg of Boron

The days that I drink this bulletproof tea latte, I feel awake and energized, but more than that, I feel strangely euphoric. Happy and joyful. I know it sounds a little kooky, but I really believe it’s the brain-supporting nutrients in the magnesium and MCT oil.

Magnesium: the master mineral?

Magnesium really is one of the most needed minerals, as it’s used in nearly every function of our bodies, yet, it’s one of the most common deficiencies.

Magnesium deficiency may contribute to:

  • muscles cramps and spasms
  • headaches
  • poor sleep
  • anxiety and irritability
  • nausea
  • abnormal heart rhythms

We all suffer from the above conditions from time to time, but after suffering from all of them for years, I began researching magnesium supplementation. You may not be surprised to know there are a TON out there. Morning Magnesium is the first that I can actually feel a difference with, soon after taking.

Get Morning Magnesium here.

How to make a {Secret Ingredient} Bulletproof Tea or Latte or Coffee

You can add these ingredients to whatever you fancy in the mornings. For me, it’s chai tea, and I don’t get too complicated about it. I use either this organic chai tea or this organic Tulsi Chai Massala, which is made with an adaptogenic herb (tulsi = holy basil) and has slightly less caffeine.

Print Recipe

Bulletproof Tea Latte

Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 cup hot tea or coffee
  • 2 tbsp real raw grassfed cream
  • 1 scoop grassfed collagen
  • 1 scoop Morning Magnesium
  • Up to 1 tbsp. MCT oil
  • Up to 1 tbsp. grassfed butter
  • Up to 1 tbsp. raw honey optional

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients in a mug and stir well, OR use a
    stick blender to create a nice froth OR add to a blender to blend before returning to your mug to enjoy.

Nutrition doesn’t have to be tricky.

We don’t always have a ton of time to devote to preparing food or getting supplements down, but starting your day with a bulletproof tea, latte, or coffee can be an easy way to quickly get some goodness down your gullet.

Do you make bulletproof tea or other drink? What are your favorite ingredients to add?
Be sure to share using one of our links or pin the image below.

{Secret Ingredient} Bulletproof Tea or Latte Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Recipes · Tagged: bulletproof, caffeine, gelatin, latte, magnesium, supplements, tea

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