Post by steffanie3 on Feb 20, 2014 11:59:35 GMT -5
MCT oil is eight times more effective at creating a thermogenic rise in the body than coconut oil itself. It does not have a coconut oil flavor so it is the perfect creamer ingredient. The combination of MCT oil plus Whey and Gluccie is a powerful weight controlling tool. It fires the metabolism, nourishes, satiates, energizes and all the while provides you with healthy fiber that goes down creamy but makes you feel fuller and controls your blood sugar. Separately, these ingredients are brilliant but together they work synergistically to achieve something even greater. Even if they provided nothing other than a delicious creamer that wasn't bad for us then that would be enough. The fantastic news is now instead of guilt for our creamer, we can exchange it with something that carries a crazy long list of amazing benefits. I wish I had time to tell you just how AMAZING MCT oil is for your health. Pearl and I still include lots of coconut oil in our diets but have added this oil into our THM arsenal. Squeezing some of its benefits into a little list and tacking it here at the end of this post feels inadequate and lame. I need a whole chapter of a book… no, I need a whole book to share my enthusiasm about this medicinal superfood. I am long winded naturally and it goes against my grain to not give it justice... but here goes with the stunted list. *MCT stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides which are the fatty acids carefully extracted from coconut or palm oils. Virgin coconut oil is roughly 65% MCT's but the pharmaceutical grade MCT oil is 100% Medium Chain Triglycerides. It is the MCT's that have made coconut oil so famous and pure MCT oil is like coconut oil on steroids. *It is the LOWEST CALORIE fat of all oils. MCT burns three times more calories for six hours after a meal than other fats. It gets metabolized more like a carbohydrate without involving insulin. It provides INSTANT yet SUSTAINED ENERGY (especially to the brain). It converts into energy faster than glucose.....but with no sugar rush and subsequent lull. It counteracts the decreased energy production that results from aging. It is very difficult for MCT's to be stored as fat because of the way they accelerate the metabolism and are so quickly and efficiently converted into fuel for immediate use by organs and muscles. *It has a blood glucose lowering effect and an aid to diabetics or those in the category of having a tendency for pre-diabetes (which includes most of us over 35). In a study involving a group of overweight woman, researches noted that insulin profiles improved when MCT's comprised 24% of total consumed calories. (Scalfi L, Coltorti A, Contaldo F. Postprandial thermogenesis in lean and obese subjects after meals supplemented with medium-chain and long-chain triglycerides. Amj clin Nutr 1991 'May;53(5):1130-3) *MCT's suppress appetite and help to decrease body fat while increasing lean muscle mass. After our mid-thirties we lose muscle mass every year and replace it with adipose (fat) tissue. MCT and exercise can powerfully reverse this sign of aging. As women we do not want to strip our healthy feminine fat pads in the same way as rigorous body builders do who use this oil but we can use it to shed any unwanted, unhealthy fluff. MCT acts as a powerful antioxidant and reduces tissue requirements for vitamin E. It optimizes the production of thyroid hormones helps prevents atherosclerosis as MCT's have an anti-coagulation effect and has a positive effect on autoimmune reactions. *MCT’s Accelerate healing. They fights catabolism which is the breakdown of proteins. They also help absorption of amino acids (protein). They are used for AIDS patients and have found to be helpful for those with digestive issues, IBS, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, fungal infections and
celiac disease. If all of the above got you excited then hold onto your hat Mama (I'm actually wearing a beanie right now because I just came in from a brisk walk) because I ain't done yet… The latest rave and research dedicated to MCT's are revolved around its ability to produce ketones (preferred fuel for the brain) as a by-product of its digestion. MCT oil can produce ketones to provide fuel for your brain without having to stick to an extreme Ketogenic diet. These ketones repair, renew and revive the brain. MCT oil has shown to prevent and treats Alzheimer's. Did you know the FDA has recently approved a drug used for treating Alzheimer's disease that consists solely of MCT's? The Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle itself is super healthy for the brain as it is centered on controlling and limiting blood sugar spikes. Even small but regular sugar spikes make your brain more vulnerable to becoming resistant to insulin. When this happens your brain cannot receive nourishment from glucose anymore and your brain cells start dying unless you start feeding them ketones. The standard western diet promotes brain aging, damage and dullness. Controlling your blood sugar is more about your brain than even your weight. Alzheimer's is growing at a rampant rate. A THM approach to eating plus MCT supplementation is a double edged sword against brain deterioration. In one study, Alzheimer's patients consumed a beverage containing MCT's or a beverage without MCT's. Those who drank the beverage with the MCT's scored significantly better on cognitive tests. This study showed cognitive improvement even after a single dose... I'm in!.. I mix up my children's names far too often...eeek! (Reger, M.A., et al. Effects of beta-hydroxybutyrate on cognition in memory impaired adults Neurobiol aging 2004;25:311-314). Last piece of interesting information. While studying ketones and brain growth and repair, I stumbled across a site that talked about how the brains of breast fed babies are fueled by ketones. This is hard to fathom considering all the milk sugar that human breast milk contains. However the studies revealed the energy needed by the baby for growth was so high that the sugar was zapped up and burned. Mother’s milk is naturally very rich in MCT's and produces ketones to be used for this fastest season of brain growth in a human being. FASCINATING! I want my brain back with MCT ketones. Please do not think that being fueled with MCT furnishing ketones puts you in the same boat as the dangerous diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Nutritional ketosis or keto-adaption is something very different than this life threatening condition. THM with its consistent juggling of (S) and (E) meals can involve MCT supplementation safely. THM is not extreme like a ketogenic diet and plasma ketones are kept in gentle margins. I could keep going but I am smart enough to know that my big sis Pearl will give me her lecture about torturing you with long posts. Go to Nutritionreview.org if you want to learn more about Medium chain Triglycerides (MCTs). I have to sign off now and make my afternoon TRIMMACHINO- LIGHT.....I can't decide between the Ginger Chai Cream or Chocolate Jaffa.....mmmmm.......? Whichever one I have, I know it will be ever so creamilicious and may turn me into a Trim Healthy Genius Mama. I actually might try a double MCT whammy and have a TRIMMACHINO with a square of Skinny Chocolate on the side. Love Serene
NOTE: Many of you have asked us to carry MCT oil in our soon to launch THM food line. We have been sourcing the globe for a spectacular stevia and many other items that our readers have requested. So in the not too distant future we will also be including our own THM MCT oil for your convenience, affordability, purity and quality. For now, Pearl and I buy Now Brand online or at our local health stores. Last note: Some individuals may have a little upset tummy or diarrhea if they use too much MCT oil too soon. This can also happen with regular coconut oil. MCT is very safe but potent. People can work their way up to larger quantities but at first it needs to be taken by teaspoons not Tablespoons. Many athletes and body builders in the lead up to competition consume 2000 calories of MCT oil a day so do not be scared of a tsp. here and there. If you have liver cirrhosis, or hepatitis then you will need to be advised by your doctor.
~Posted on THM Facebook, taken from Hot Chocolate Trimmaccino