There are now hundreds of MCT oils on the market right now. All of these products claim to be extremely high quality supplements, capable of delivering the kind of benefits that have become commonplace among MCT oil manufacturers: enhanced cognitive function, reduced hunger, better body weight management, enhanced physical performance, and more.
The amount of different MCT oil supplements on sale has grown exponentially in the last couple of years. About 5 years ago, you might have found some medium chain triglycerides in advanced weight gain supplements and a handful of pre-workouts. Today, coconuts are finding their way into every other food product on the shelf, and MCT-enriched supplements line the shelves of every supplement and health food store.
But with so many products on offer, finding the best MCT oil can be an extremely difficult process.
How do you know which MCT supplements are actually good and which ones are over-priced, under-performing, or likely to cause side effects?
How do you spot an MCT oil that does what it says on the tin?
Let’s go through the main things to look for in a high quality MCT oil supplement.
What makes a great MCT oil?
There are some things that you should always look out for when choosing an MCT oil supplement. These are the variables that distinguish a low quality, cheap coconut oil supplement from a professional, high-quality MCT supplement.
If you stick to these criteria then you will definitely avoid being completely ripped off with a cheap product loaded with the cheapest MCTs and lots of unnecessary substances.
Here are the things to look out for when choosing an MCT oil:
1. Exact MCT Composition
Not all MCT oils are the same. Even when two products are both 100% medium chain triglycerides, one can still be significantly better than the other. That’s because some medium chain triglycerides are more beneficial to humans than others.
The most beneficial MCTs are C8 (caprylic acid) and C10 (capric acid). Some MCT oils provide only C8 caprylic acid. However, C10 does have its own unique benefits, so it should be included. The other MCTs – lauric acid and caproic acid – are not associated with the same benefits as C8 and C10, and C12 lauric acid is known to cause digestive discomfort.
2. Presence of other substances
Make sure your MCT oil doesn’t contain a load of other substances. If you’re using a pre-workout or a protein powder enriched with MCTs, then obviously your supplement is going to have a lot of other ingredients. But if you are buying a straight MCT supplement, you really do want to stick with pure MCTs, and ideally just C8 and C10 acids.
Manufacturers are often tempted to stuff their products with all kinds of unnecessary garbage; caffeine, vitamins, nootropics, you name it. They give in to the temptation to try to make every product a “all in one” solution. But that’s not what we want from an MCT oil. An MCT oil is something we use to augment our diets; something we use as and when we need it. It is not a foundation of a supplement regimen. So chances are, you’re already taking a multivitamin, protein powder, a nootropic, or something else. MCTs full of other ingredients just make stacking your supplements more difficult!
Stick to a pure MCT oil that provides nothing but C8 caprylic acid and C10 capric acid, and you’ll be fine. Of course, make sure you aren’t paying over the odds, and do your research to make sure that the oil itself is good quality stuff. The best MCT oil will get all of its medium chain triglycerides from organic coconuts using cold presses and filtration.