MCT - is oil or powder better?


#1

I’m in early days of this WOE and bought some Keto MCT powdered oil in salted caramel flavour to add to my once or twice daily coffee. I’m finding it quite sweet now (stevia is an ingredient) probably because I have nothing else at all sweet now. Have given up decades of artificial sweeteners :innocent:.

Coming to the bottom of the tub now and would like to ask other’s opinions of MCT supplementation. It’s been super useful in keeping me on track but feel I could drop the sweetened taste for sure. Everything else I’m eating is ‘real’, this clearly is processed.

Is it worth continuing?


(Allie) #2

You don’t need either but generally the powder causes less side-effects for people.


(Robert C) #3

You could try not getting the next tub for a few days and see if Keto compliance holds anyway (I bet it will).

I was a large artificial sweetener user and I always regret not stopping sooner.


#4

I think you’re right and I think I’m going to drop it for now. I would rather have no artificial sweeteners at all and I’ve constantly been positive on the urine ketones. I wonder whether having this might mask when I’m getting close to coming out of Ketosis. I don’t have a blood or breath meter at present and don’t feel the need to get either. I know once fat adapted I might not be positive on the sticks anymore but it reassures me that I’m going the right way for now.

Plus, it’s expensive!


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #5

Depends what you want to use it for. If you don’t use a blender, powder mixes better into coffee. If you use a blender the oil has slightly higher % fat. If you go for powder why not buy unflavoured and nonsweetened? I use both. When my work schedule allows, I make my morning coffee at home where I have my blender, so use oil with other ingredients that require blending. Otherwise, I use powder and other ingredients that don’t require blending to mix well.


(Full Metal KETO AF) #6

https://ketosource.co/mct-powder/amp/

Be aware of the ingredients. I can’t confirm or not but powdered oils usually have maltodextrin to absorb the oil and make it a powder. A starch/sugar manufactured product from taro root or corn starch that absorbs fat. I think that why they add it to a lot of high fat sausages and where the Sausage carbs come from. That way they aren’t oozing fat all over your plate grossing out the fat challenged. MCT powder has carbs, MCT oil doesn’t. :cowboy_hat_face:


(Allie) #7

Even these are often mixed with dextrose. I found out the hard way as I never thought to check ingredients before buying powder :roll_eyes:

This one I had -


#8

Interesting, I have been counting 2g carbs per scoop, had no idea the oil was carb free.

I’ll have a look to see what MCT oils are available in the UK but did like the fact that the powder dissolved so easily. I haven’t been using a blender, just a stainless steel flask that I shake to mix.

Thanks for your input :blush:


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #9

@David_Stilley @Shortstuff Thanks for the links. Yes, most/all(?) MCT powders use maltodextrin to encapsulate the oil. Is that good or bad? Bad if you think maltodextrin is something that should never pass your lips. Good if you think that it enables you to take MCT oil when the other option is not to. Of course that opens up the discussion about whether or not MCT oil, in either form, is a desirable addition to one’s diet. To add more grist to the mill:


(Scott) #10

I put about a teaspoon of oil in my first cup of coffee and just let it sit on top. I don’t know why but I like it. I go through two large bottles in about a year and a half.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #11

@Chezza Scoop? If you want good consistent coffee, with or without MCT oil/powder, measure the ingredients in grams. Including the water! IMHO :nerd_face:


(Allie) #12

Maltodextrin is certainly not something I want to consume, especially not on keto. The Quest MCT oil powder doesn’t use it, at least it didn’t when I bought it in the past. I don’t bother with MCT at all now.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #13

@Shortstuff It’s interesting to read the blurbs about MCT powders from various producers, which I have just spent the past few minutes doing. Oil does not magically become a powder, it must be first reduced to microscopic droplets and the droplets then encapsulated in something to prevent them coalescing again into a liquid. The first step is generally accomplished by spraying the oil through a fine mesh screen. There are multiple methods for encapsulating those resultant droplets, but all involve adding some sort of water soluble powder that forms a barrier between the droplets to prevent them coalescing again.

The more honest producers name the powder used, whether it be maltodextrin, corn starch or whatever in the list of ingredients. The misleading producers just say ‘powdered MCT oil’ and hope you won’t wonder just how MCT oil became a water soluble powder. To distract you further, they then wax eloquent about the wonderful properties of powdered acacia root which they’ve also added to the mix for some reason that is never made clear. I suppose the most misleading ones hope you will mistakenly think the encapsulating powder is the wonderful acacia root.


(Boston_guy) #14

FWIW, on the latest HPO Podcast (121) with Dr. Paul Mason, he recommends strongly against MCT’s as he believes they cause leaky gut. Don’t remember the mechanism.


#15

What does HPO stand for? Want to listen to the podcast if possible. Thanks


#16

I’m confused now as I thought they’d have to label it accurately.

Have I been misled?


(Boston_guy) #18

Human Performance Outliers – https://humanperformanceoutliers.libsyn.com/episode-121-dr-paul-mason

He talks about MCT’s at 24:38.


(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #19

Somewhat. Notice that the label says ‘MCT Oil Powder (with Acacia Fiber)’. Does that make you think MCT oil powder is some alternate powder form of MCT oil that is water soluble; or, that the encapsulating powder is acacia root? My bet is that the USDA labeling law allows them to use ‘MCT Oil Powder’ as an alternative to listing the specific ingredients used to convert an oil to a water soluble powder. So they don’t have to list maltodextrin or whatever other substance was used to accomplish it.

To be honest, I was surprised to see Perfect Keto do that. Nutiva, on the other hand, lists its ingredients thus:

Nutiva Organic MCT Powder delivers digestible fatty acids that quickly convert to ketones, giving the brain, muscles and other tissues fast and sustained energy. A creamy alternative to Nutiva Organic MCT Oil, NuMCT™ is easier to blend in beverages and is more gentle on the digestive system. 3g of fiber from prebiotic acacia fiber keeps your gut happy and healthy, while maintaining 0g net carbs.

Ingredients: Organic Medium-Chain Tryglyceride Powder, Organic Acacia Fiber, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin

But even here, the tapioca maltodextrin has carbs even if not sugar, which the labeling law requires them to list specifically as sugar. My guess is they add the acacia fiber not only for all the wonderful benefits of prebiotic gut happiness, but also so they can claim zero net carbs.


#20

Wow, that’s really sneaky. Lesson well learned to stick to real food. Thanks very much for the link.


(Bob M) #21

My opinion based on what happens with my body is I can tolerate the powdered version but have a very difficult time with the oil. This is the powdered version I bought, which lists 2 grams carbs per serving, and I only ever took one serving per day:

Personally, I don’t think they are worth the expense. However, if you have cancer, cardiomyopathy, or other issues (I have cardiomyopathy), they are something to try. Otherwise, I don’t think they are useful.