Oct 13, 20212 min read

Does MCT Oil Break a Fast? [Intermittent Fasting Tips]

If you're making Keto Coffee/Tea to help satiate you during your Intermittent Fast, you're probably wondering if MCT oil will break your fast. Today, I'm diving into the details of MCT oil and Intermittent Fasting!

Does MCT Oil Break a Fast?

MCT stands for "medium chain triglycerides". As a triglyceride, MCTs are pure fat sources. If you're using a fasting mimicking approach where you're focused on not spiking the storing hormone insulin, then MCT can be used during the fast. Pure fat sources do not raise insulin and therefore will keep the body in the "fat burning" state and not break the fast. However, if you're following a "true" fast, then anything other than water, unsweetened tea or coffee (and electrolytes) will break a fast.

Does MCT Oil Help You Lose Weight?

MCT oil has gained massive popularity because it has been found to aid in weight loss and boost satiety.(1) In fact, it appears to help with both of these factors more than coconut oil, which is typically what MCT oil is derived from. Because MCT is "medium" sized, it also can provide direct energy to the body faster than long chain fatty acids (think olive oil and omega-3s) can.

However, simply adding MCT oil to your meals will not automatically lead to weight loss. In fact, if you're pairing MCT oil with sugars or starches that raise insulin, the MCT oil is very likely going to be immediately stored. However, if you're adding MCT oil to your morning Keto Coffee/Tea that only contains pure fat sources, then this can be a useful tool for boosting satiety and keeping the body in a fat burning state.

How Do You Use MCT Oil For Weight Loss?

As mentioned above, it's important to not pair MCT oil with foods rich in starches or sugars. For example, sweet potato, grains, honey, maple syrup and fruit juices. Instead, for maximizing fat burning in the body, MCT oil is great to pair with other fat sources, such as grass-fed butter. Some AENpeeps use MCT oil in their Keto Coffee instead of coconut oil.

I personally prefer coconut oil as my source of MCT, as it's a more whole food product. However, coconut oil doesn't have as high of a concentration of MCT's. So if you find that you struggle with hunger during the fast and coconut oil alone isn't cutting it, you can experiment with a high quality, organic MCT oil, like the one pictured above.