How to Sleep Better, Even When You’re Stressed

Sleep is more than just a time machine to breakfast. It’s your body’s chance to reboot, repair and revitalize its systems. We all know the feeling when we’re running low on sleep: a foggy head, sluggish demeanor and irritability are just a few of the side effects of sleep deprivation. Add stress into the mix and it’s a Molotov cocktail for some serious health concerns.

“Lost sleep is lost health, because sleep is required to repair from the previous day and rest for the next,” says Dr. Martha Cortes of the TMJ Sleep Center in New York. And when you’re losing sleep on the regular, say, because of a high-stress job or a busy schedule, side effects can move from irritating to downright dangerous. 

You’re more accident prone, your neurological system can be damaged and, according to Cortes, your immune system will no longer have the ability to protect the body from harmful outside influences. Why? Because your body has not had the opportunity to repair itself through the vehicle of sleep. This means you’re more prone to becoming ill, and when illness hits, you will be less prepped to combat it.

To combat stress-induced sleep loss, Cortes suggests really focusing on your early evening routine, because it acts as a transition from day to night.

According to Cortes, the best ways to prep for a better night’s rest is to:

• Refrain from using electronics—if you must use them, use a blue-light blocker
• Leave electronics outside of the bedroom
• Don’t eat too close to bedtime
• Engaging in meditative or zen-like activities like reading or yin yoga
• Take a warm bath before bed, such as an epsom salt bath which aids in recovering from stress
• Dim the lights leading up to bedtime

Looking to prep for better ZZZs before you head home from work? According to Cortes, during the day it is important to remember the following:

• Drink a sufficient amount of water
• Exercise, but not too close to bed
• Eat nutritionally dense foods—stay away from processed, refined, synthetic or sugar filled ‘foods’
• Stop caffeine consumption several hours before bedtime.

For those overcoming stress-related insomnia, following a consistent sleep schedule can help. Go to bed and wake within the same hour window every day (yes, even on the weekends) and create a evening relaxing routine that will help signal to your body its time for sleep.

If you’re laying in bed and your mind is abuzz with a list of to-do’s, consider keeping a notepad by your bed where you can write these thoughts down. This will signal to your brain you’ve got these tasks covered, so you will be more inclined to mentally let them go until morning.

Add 3 Drops of Oregano Oil to Water and SEE What Happens to Your Lungs

Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs which is usually caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Prior to the discovery of antibiotics, one-third of all people who developed pneumonia subsequently died from the infection. Currently, over 3 million people develop pneumonia each year. Over half a million of these people are admitted to a hospital for treatment. Although most of these people recover, approximately 5% will die from pneumonia. Pneumonia is also known to be the 6th leading cause of death worldwide. 

The most common cause of a bacterial pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae. In this form of pneumonia, there is usually an abrupt onset of the illness with shaking chills, fever, and production of a rust-colored sputum. The infection spreads into the blood in 20%-30% of cases (known as sepsis), and if this occurs, 20%-30% of these patients die.

 Antibiotics as treatment

Antibiotics often used in the treatment of this type of pneumonia include penicillin, amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (Augmentin), and macrolide antibiotics including erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin. Penicillin was formerly the antibiotic of choice in treating this infection. With the advent and widespread use of broader-spectrum antibiotics, significant drug resistance has developed. Penicillin may still be effective in treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia, but it should only be used after cultures of the bacteria confirm their sensitivity to this antibiotic. 

Oregano oil been used for centuries in Far Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures to treat respiratory infections, chronic inflammation, urinary tract infections, dysentery, and jaundice. Laboratory studies in which the oil was applied directly to food-borne pathogens showed that oregano oil has strong antibacterial properties (Dadalioglu I et al 2004). Medicinal oregano has a high mineral content that enhances its therapeutic benefits, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, copper, boron, and manganese. This oil is considered safe for humans and may be used in conjunction with antibiotics to fight bacterial infection (Preuss HG et al 2005).It is also known as an excellent early defense mechanism when you feel cold or sore throat coming on. 

>Simply take 3 drops of Oregano Oil once per day (you can mix it into a glass of orange juice) and you should notice results within a few hours. Repeat this once per day for up to 5 days until the symptoms are gone. 

 Baking Soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate) is also use as home remedy. It is a substance that is found naturally in all living things. It acts to neutralize acids and break down proteins.Its purpose is to maintain pH balance in the bloodstream, which is necessary to sustain life. Take note that, one of the most important processes in our body is the process by which the pH balance is maintained. Body pH measures the number of hydrogen ions in solution within the body. The pH scale ranges from 0-14. The neutral or balanced pH is 7. Anything lower is acidic and anything higher is basic. An acidic pH has a low ability to attract hydrogen ions, while an alkaline solution has a high ability to attract hydrogen ions.

If you wonder, “p” stands for potential and “H” stands for hydrogen; henceforth, the potential of the body to attract hydrogen ions to secure balance and health. 

If we keep our body with an alkaline pH between 7.3 and 7.4 we will remain free of disease. And by raising pH increases the immune system’s ability to kill bacteria. Since Viruses and bacteria that cause bronchitis and colds and secondary infection such as pneumonia, thrive in an acidic environment, rising the pH will destroy this pathogens. 

To fight a respiratory infection and dampen symptoms such as a runny nose and sore throat, taking an alkalizing mixture of sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate will certainly help. and to reverse pneumonia, asthma, sinusitis, do some nebulizer with water and two drops of liquid sodium bicarbonate, 2 or 3 times a day. 

As an acid neutralizer, baking soda has long been favored for its various first-aid applications. Dissolved into a lukewarm bath, it will soothe the discomfort of sunburn and the itch of poison ivy. Made into a paste with cool water and applied directly to the skin, it will ease the pain of bee stings. One-half teaspoon baking soda mixed into 4 ounces (120 ml) of water can be taken as an antacid.

51 Amazing Wheatgrass Benefits for Health, Hair, and Beauty

If you haven’t jumped on the wheatgrass bandwagon yet, it’s not too late. Now, don’t just scrunch your nose and bow out of the conversation just yet. Wheatgrass juice is perhaps the most health-generating food out there, so keep reading. I do get it, though – wheatgrass is the kind of health trend you chalk up to hipsters, tree huggers, and more-or-less-obsessed health and fitness enthusiasts. Plus, it can appear to be inaccessible, expensive, and downright gross. But with so many benefits of wheatgrass on the line in terms of energy levels, overall health, and head-to-toe beauty, why not compromise? Learn about wheatgrass, its origins, how to use it, and 51 reasons why you will walk away happy, healthy, and glowing!

Wheatgrass 101

Wheatgrass is a young grass of the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum, a subspecies of the familyPoaceae.

Wheatgrass can be cultivated outdoors, but is commonly grown indoors on trays filled with potting mix. As the leaves grow, they eventually split. At this so-called “jointing stage” point, the wheatgrass has reached its greatest nutritional value and the blades can be snipped off, allowing for a second round of leaves to grow. After the second round grows to the point of splitting, the crop is usually finished, although a third round is sometimes possible.

For those of you who struggle to ingest wheat grass juice, have no fear! You too can experience the glory inherent in the superfood without pinching your nose and taking a swig. Wheatgrass is available in many different forms.

To make powder, tablets, or capsules out of wheatgrass, the blades are harvested, dehydrated at a low temperature or freeze-dried, and sold as a dietary supplement. Schnabel and his successors found dehydrating the wheatgrass at low temperatures to be the best and most beneficial way to dry out the wheatgrass, although today many producers claim freeze-drying is better for quality and taste. Freeze-drying removes all moisture by placing frozen wheatgrass in a vacuum and turning the ice into vapor. However, traditionalists argue that nothing can compare to the natural dehydration of wheatgrass as it grows slowly under natural conditions in glacial soils through the often-freezing temperatures and bright sunlight of winter, just as Schnabel had grown it. However, freeze-drying is far more convenient for producers and consumers alike.

Homegrown fresh wheatgrass can skip the drying process and be juiced directly after cut from the soil. Wheatgrass juicers are sold just about everywhere nowadays. Amazon.com features a good bunch of them. Cut wheatgrass can be placed into an airtight container and survive about 7 to 8 days in the refrigerator.

History of the Benefits of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass consumption goes way back, some 5,000 years to ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. Egyptians held the wheatgrass’ leafy blades as sacred and honored them for their health benefits.

In the 1930s, American agricultural chemist Dr. Charles Schnabel worked hard to popularize wheatgrass by documenting its amazing nutritional benefits. One of his most famous studies centered on the livelihood and egg output of 106 hens. When Schnabel received the hens, they were sick and dying. Schnabel restored their health by feeding them a mixture of fresh cut, young oat grasses and greens. On July 31, 1930, his efforts proved fruitful – he got 126 eggs from 106 hens! Hens generally can only lay one egg per day and often they lay no egg at all, which is why Schnabel’s feat was so remarkable. Schnabel and his team compared wheatgrass to other nutrient-dense vegetables, like spinach, broccoli, and alfalfa, and found wheatgrass to be dramatically superior in improving the health of livestock. In the 1940s, Schnabel, now dubbed “Father of Wheatgrass”, debuted a wheatgrass powder on the market. By the 1950s, cereal grass tablets were America’s bestselling multi-vitamin and mineral supplements.

In the 1950s, Lithuanian-American nutritionist and whole-foods advocate Ann Wigmore began to juice wheatgrass. It is said that Wigmore turned her hair from dark grey to jet black in her late years by way of her wheatgrass-fueled dietary protocol. Later, Wigmore would form the Hippocrates Health Institute in Boston, where she would educate thousands on the benefits of wheatgrass and plant-based living.

Nutritional Analysis and Benefits of Wheatgrass

One ounce of wheatgrass contains 120 calories, 8 grams of dietary fiber, 240% of the RDA of vitamin A, 93% of the RDA of vitamin C, 356% of the RDA of iron, and 12% of the RDA of calcium. It also contains 8 grams of protein.

Wheatgrass is overflowing with vitamins, amino acids, liver enzymes, and chlorophyll. It contains 98 of 102 earth elements found in soil, including phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium as well as essential enzymes and 19 amino acids. It also bears more vitamin A and C than oranges and carrots and is rich in vitamins E, K, and B.

Chlorophyll, a phytochemical that is what gives dark leafy greens their color, is essentially the blood of plants and is what makes wheatgrass so powerful. Chlorophyll reverses aging, suppresses hunger, cleanses the blood, combats odor, and prevents cancer. Wheatgrass is 70% chlorophyll, making it a concentrated carrier of the sun’s life force energy.

These qualities make wheatgrass as beneficial for your skin, hair, and figure as it is for your general health. Consider it an all-purpose solution to just about every health problem you may have.

How Much is Enough?

You shouldn’t underestimate wheatgrass – it’s very potent. Consuming too much at any given time can render you nauseous and feeling sick. First, you have to build up your serving sizes. For instance, when you are incorporating wheatgrass juice into your diet, start with 1 ounce per day and slowly graduate to 2 ounces per day. You don’t need more.

Equally important as the amount you take is when you take it. Wheatgrass should always be consumed on an empty stomach or with other fruits and vegetables. It should never be consumed after a meal, otherwise it will make you feel nauseated.

Young children, pregnant women, and elders should consult their doctors before adding wheatgrass to their diets.

51 Incredible Benefits of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is overflowing with essential vitamins and minerals, quite unlike any other food in the world. It can be consumed or applied topically for both health and beauty benefits. Here are 51 convincing ways to incorporate wheatgrass into your daily dietary lifestyle.

1. Treat Skin Diseases

Wheatgrass can be used to cure skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. There are several ways you can go about using wheatgrass for your skin. Pour wheatgrass juice into a few holes in an ice cube tray, freeze, and rub a cube across blemishes on your skin as well as on any scars or damaged areas. Alternatively, you could pour a cup of wheatgrass juice or powder into a warm bath and soak your body in the bath for at least 30 minutes. Your body will be cleansed and odor-free.

2. Lose Weight

If you have a few pounds to lose, wheatgrass may be the answer. This requires drinking wheatgrass juice or taking wheatgrass supplements, and it’s well worth it. Wheatgrass is effective in managing thethyroid gland, whose function is crucial in avoiding weight gain.

3. Reduce Food Cravings

Wheatgrass is loaded with so many nutrients that your body isn’t lusting for other foods to compensate for any lack of vitamins or minerals. This goes hand-in-hand with wheatgrass’ ability to help you lose weight, but it is also critical in your efforts to avoid unhealthy, sugar and fat-laden snacks. Take a wheatgrass supplement (or juice shot) each morning on an empty stomach and it may prevent overeating throughout the day.

5. Detox Your Cells

If you think a regular juice cleanse is the pinnacle of detoxification, you’re wrong. Wheatgrass may appear like a simple, dull grass, but it is actually among the most powerful natural detoxifying agents due to its high alkalinity. In fact, it has been said that just about one ounce of wheatgrass is equivalent in nutritional value to more than 2 pounds of leafy green vegetables. Talk about an alkaline overload!

6. Improve Immunity

Wheatgrass has exhibited the ability increase red blood cells in the body, which is why it is so effective in staving off disease and boosting immunity.

7. Stimulate Circulation

Wheatgrass has the ability to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood, making it a great way tostimulate circulation. In addition to taking a wheatgrass supplement, you could also use a cotton ball to rub wheatgrass juice around your face and neck to dilate blood vessels and allow more circulation to the surface of the skin. After applying, rinse off the wheatgrass and pat your face dry with a towel.

8. Improve Digestion

Instead of reaching for antacids to relieve heartburn or indigestion, introduce wheatgrass into your daily regimen and benefit from its vitamin B, amino acids, and enzyme content. From irritable bowel syndrome to ulcers, wheatgrass is a great tool to improving digestion. Wheatgrass even goes as far as cleaning your bowels of impacted matter and mucous.

9. Treat Arthritis

Health experts believe wheatgrass is effective in treating arthritis. Chlorophyll is thought to benefit arthritis and wheatgrass contains tons of it! Chlorophyll fights inflammation, which is associated with joint pain.

10. Reduce Fatigue

When you experience fatigue, your body is likely deprived of rest and is dealing with a weakened immune system. Chlorophyll helps to increase oxygen supply in your body’s cells and tissues, contributing to cell regeneration, which heals the body and reduces fatigue symptoms.

11. Get Rid of Body Odor

Wheatgrass is a natural body deodorizer and regular consumption or application of wheatgrass can help to get rid of the stench naturally. Its juices have the ability to wash toxins from the mouth, skin, and body.

12. Treat Skin Wounds

By regenerating cells, wheatgrass juice can treat skin wounds and help them heal faster. Dab wheatgrass juice to the skin with a cotton ball and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing and patting dry with a towel.

13. Prevent Tooth Decay

Gargle a shot of wheatgrass juice in your mouth for a few minutes and it will draw out toxins and re-mineralize teeth. Replace harsh mouthwash with wheatgrass juice. No, your teeth won’t turn green!

14. Cleanse the Liver

Wheatgrass is probably best known for its effects on the liver. The liver processes what the body ingests, and with its detoxifying properties, nutrients, and enzymes, wheatgrass is able to restore and revitalize the liver.

15. Treat Sunburn

Just as wheatgrass is able to treat wounds, it is also able to accelerate the healing process of burnt skin. Dab wheatgrass juice to the skin with a cotton ball and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing and patting dry with a towel.

16. Stabilize Lipid Levels

Wheatgrass improves lipid levels, which means it’s a great tool for managing high cholesterol.

17. Clear Sinus Congestion

Consuming wheatgrass or snorting wheatgrass juice through the nose helps to clear the sinuses by pulling toxins and breaking up mucus.

18. Get Rid of Acne

Wheatgrass has the capacity to regenerate skin cells and is thus helpful for the complexion. Take a wheatgrass supplement daily or apply the juice straight to the skin to get rid of acne.

19. Prevent Cancer

Due to its potent detoxifying properties, wheatgrass works to keep the blood clean and oxygenated as well as the red blood cell count high. Cancer thrives in a low-oxygen environment, so the wheatgrass contributes to cancer prevention.

20. Fight the Common Cold

Steer clear of colds with wheatgrass supplements. If you aren’t keen on taking wheatgrass supplements year round, instead home in on the cold-weather seasons, where the chances of contracting the common cold is much higher.

21. Treat a Hangover

The abundance of alkalinity in wheatgrass offsets the acidity caused by alcohol consumption. Wheatgrass also hydrates cells, which can be dehydrated after a night of drinking.

22. Improve the Mood

Wheatgrass is rich in iron. A deficiency in iron can cause fatigue, which worsens mood and makes you feel blasé and unenthused. Wheatgrass turns the tide!

23. De-Stress

The vitamin B in wheatgrass is effective in helping you to overcome anxiety and achieve a better state of mental health. Many of us have stressful careers and family lives, so a little support is always welcome!

24. Fight Depression

Wheatgrass helps to keep your iron levels stable, which is particularly important for women. Iron deficiency is linked to apathy and depression.

25. Improve the Appearance of Nails

A glance at your nails can give you a pretty good idea of the state of your health. A lack of iron in your diet or poor circulation are often the main reasons why your nails are weak, have white spots, or are rough in texture and yellow or blue in color. Wheatgrass boosts circulation, allowing blood to reach the ends of your fingers and giving life to otherwise lackluster nails. Meanwhile, wheatgrass offers a substantial amount of iron to the body.

26. Ease Menstrual Pains

Irregular and painful menstrual cycles can be attributed to malnourishment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Wheatgrass is so chockfull of nutrition, it helps to fill in the blanks where your diet hasn’t already. This includes helping you weather through “that time of the month” with more ease.

27. Combat Inflammation

Wheatgrass is exceptionally powerful in fighting inflammation, a condition that is closely linked to disease in the body.

28. Get Rid of Bad Breath

Much in the same way wheatgrass works to neutralize body odors it also helps to get rid of bad breath.

29. Neutralize Infections

The chlorophyll in wheatgrass helps to fight off bacterial infections and bring the body into equilibrium, avoiding an overly acidic state that makes it susceptible to disease-causing bacteria.

30. Repair Damaged DNA

The amino acid chains in wheatgrass can be absorbed directly into the blood and promote cell metabolism. These amino acids provide material for the formation of the nucleic acids RNA and DNA. Damaged DNA can wreak havoc in your body, causing sterility, genetic abnormalities, and abnormal aging.

31. Improve Your Exercise Regimen

The high amount of oxygen in chlorophyll helps deliver more oxygen to the blood, which is particular helpful prior to strenuous exercise, when you want all the oxygen you can get.

32. Slow Down Aging

Wheatgrass is brimming with antioxidants, which help to neutralize free radicals in the body. Free radicals are essential what age us, from head to toe and from inside to out. Antioxidants help us to slow down the aging process and reveal a more youthful vitality in our appearance and mood.

33. Fight Radiation

In one study, wheatgrass extract proved successful in topically treating acute radiation-induced skin reactions. We are exposed to radiation on a daily basis, from our iPhones to iPads, and wheatgrass makes for a useful tool in offsetting overexposure. Like all other pollutants, radiation is equally vulnerable to wheatgrass’ detoxifying prowess.

34. Refine and Renew Bodily Tissues

Wheatgrass refines and renews bodily tissue by improving circulation, boosting the blood’s oxygen levels, and detoxing tissue cells from harmful toxins.

35. Flush Drugs out of the System

Flush your liver of over-the-counter and prescription drugs by consuming wheatgrass. Wheatgrassprotects the liver from oxidative stress and helps to cleanse it of any foreign substances that come its way.

36. Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels

Wheatgrass has been shown to be a powerful anti-hyperglycemic agent. This makes it a fitting supplement for those with diabetes or who are trying to reduce blood sugar levels.

37. Be Smarter

The chlorophyll in wheatgrass fuels the body with oxygen. Oxygen is vital to many body processes, especially for the brain, which uses 25% of the oxygen supply. A better functioning brain means you can make smarter decisions and operate in a more diligent fashion in your day-to-day life.

38. Balance Your Diet

Just 1 ounce of wheatgrass juice is equivalent to 2 pounds of vegetable produce. If your diet is subpar, consider wheatgrass a necessary addition to your lifestyle. It fuels your body with the veggies it needs, only in a single shot!

39. Improve Oral Health

Rinsing the mouth with wheatgrass juice draws toxins out of the gums and improves oral health. Wheatgrass juice also treats bleeding gums.

40. Clean the Bowel (enema style)

If you conduct enemas on yourself to draw impacted matter out of the colon, add a shot of wheatgrass to the water in order to attract even more acidic waste and shepherd it out of the body.

41. Heal Skin Irritation

The high alkalinity of wheatgrass helps to comfort and soothe skin irritations. Both topical application of wheatgrass juice and consumption of wheatgrass supplements work well.

42. Get Rid of Dandruff

Dandruff thrives on a dry, unhealthy scalp, and topical application of wheatgrass juice can help to balance the pH of your scalp and ultimately repair it.

43. Enjoy a Better Douche

Remove odor down under with a wheatgrass juice douche. It will not only get rid of unwanted smells but also improve the overall health of your nether regions.

44. Improve Your Sex Life

A healthier lifestyle equates to increased libido and better sex. Regular wheatgrass supplements will have you feeling and looking your best, so you can get under the sheets with more confidence and stamina.

45. Eliminate Heavy Metals from the Body

Wheatgrass is popularly known for its ability to detox heavy metals from the body. Heavy metals are toxic and can interfere with bodily processes.

46. Diversify Your Gluten-Free Diet

Wheatgrass is gluten-free because it is harvested when young, before it ever has the chance to grow grains.

47. Boost Energy

Decreased energy is closely related to diet and often a result of nutritional deficiencies. Wheatgrass helps to put your body in balance so your energy levels soar!

48. Improve Your Smoothies

Add wheatgrass powder or juice to your morning, post-exercise smoothie for an extra health kick. Just add 1 teaspoon of wheatgrass powder of 1 ounce of wheatgrass juice to each serving. Try this green smoothie recipe as a start:

Wheatgrass Green Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients:        

1 ½ bananas, peeled, chopped, and frozen

Small handful of fresh spinach

1 teaspoon wheatgrass powder

2 Medjool dates, seeded

Dash of ground cinnamon

Directions: Place all the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

49. Increase Fertility

P4D1 is a compound found in wheatgrass that impacts sperm cells and DNA, ultimately increasing fertility.

50. Improve and Create a More Discernible Palate

Wean off of unhealthy, nutritionally-devoid foods with wheatgrass. By balancing your body’s pH and satisfying your nutritional needs, wheatgrass steers you away from bad food cravings and doesn’t leave you craving for foods packed with sugar, excess fat, and preservatives. Wheatgrass trains your taste buds to start craving healthier foods and to appreciate subtle flavors more fully.

51. Reduce Appearance of Scars

Wheatgrass juice helps to rebuild damaged skin. Topically apply wheatgrass juice to the affected area and let sit for 20-30 minutes before rinsing clean.

The Science Behind the Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Interest in medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) has grown rapidly over the last few years. This is partly due to the widely-publicized benefits of coconut oil, a rich source of them.

Many advocates boast that medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) can aid in weight loss. In addition, MCT oil has become a popular supplement among athletes and bodybuilders. 

Here is everything you need to know about MCTs, including what they are and what health benefits they may have.

What is MCT?

MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides, which are fats found in foods like coconut oil. They are metabolized differently than the long-chain triglycerides (LCT) found in most other foods.

MCT oil is a supplement that contains a lot of these fats and is claimed to have many health benefits.

Triglyceride is simply the technical term for fat. Triglycerides have two main purposes—they are transported into cells and burned for energy or stored as body fat.

Triglycerides are named after their chemical structure, more specifically the length of their fatty acid chains. All triglycerides are made up of a glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acids.

The majority of fat in your diet is made up of long-chain fatty acids, which contain 13–21 carbons. Short-chain fatty acids have fewer than 6 carbon atoms.

In contrast, the medium-chain fatty acids in MCTs have 6–12 carbon atoms.

These are the main medium-chain fatty acids:

• C6: Caproic acid or hexanoic acid.

• C8: Caprylic acid or octanoic acid.

• C10: Capric acid or decanoic acid.

• C12: Lauric acid or dodecanoic acid.

Some experts argue that C6, C8 and C10, which are referred to as the “capra fatty acids,” reflect the definition of MCT more accurately than C12 (lauric acid) (1).

Bottom Line: Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) are types of fatty acids containing 6–12 carbons. They include caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10) and lauric acid (C12).

Medium-Chain Triglycerides are Metabolized Differently

Because of the shorter chain length of the fatty acids, MCTs are rapidly broken down and absorbed into the body.

Unlike longer-chain fatty acids, MCTs go straight to the liver.

There they can be used as an instant energy source or turned into ketones, which are substances produced when the liver breaks down large amounts of fat.

Unlike regular fatty acids, ketones can cross from the blood to the brain. This provides an alternative energy source for the brain, which ordinarily uses glucose for fuel.

Because the calories contained in MCTs are more efficiently turned into energy and used by the body, they are less likely to be stored as fat.

Bottom Line: Due to their shorter chain length, medium-chain triglycerides are more rapidly broken down and absorbed into the body. This makes them a fast energy source and less likely to be stored as fat.

Sources of Medium-Chain Triglycerides

There are two main ways to increase the amount of MCT in your diet—through whole food sources or supplements such as MCT oil.

Whole Food Sources

These foods are the richest in medium-chain triglycerides, shown as the percentage of fatty acids that are MCTs (2):

• Coconut oil: Greater than 60 percent.

• Palm kernel oil: Greater than 50 percent.

• Dairy products: 10–12 percent.

Although the sources above are rich in MCTs, their compositions vary. For example, coconut oil contains all four types of MCTs, plus a small amount of LCTs.

However, its MCTs consist of greater amounts of lauric acid (C12) and smaller amounts of the “capra fatty acids” (C6, C8 and C10). In fact, coconut oil is about 50 percent lauric acid (C12), making it one of the best natural sources of this fatty acid.

Compared to coconut oil, dairy sources tend to have a higher proportion of capra fatty acids (C6, C8 and C10) and a lower proportion of lauric acid (C12).

In milk, capra fatty acids make up 4–12 percent of all fatty acids and lauric acid (C12) makes up 2–5 percent (3).

Bottom Line: Whole food sources of MCTs include coconut oil, palm kernel oil and dairy products. However, their MCT composition varies.

MCT Oil

MCT oil is a highly concentrated source of medium-chain triglycerides.

It is man-made, through a process called fractionation. This involves extracting and isolating the MCTs from coconut or palm kernel oil.

MCT oils generally contain either 100 percent caprylic acid (C8), 100 percent capric acid (C10) or a combination of the two.

Caproic acid (C6) is not normally included due to its unpleasant taste and smell. Lauric acid (C12) is often missing or present in only small amounts (4).

Given that lauric acid is the main component in coconut oil, be careful of manufacturers who market MCT oils as “liquid coconut oil,” which is misleading.

Many people debate whether lauric acid reduces or enhances the quality of MCT oils.

Many advocates market MCT oil as better than coconut oil because caprylic acid (C8) and capric acid (C10) are thought to be more rapidly absorbed and processed for energy than lauric acid (C12).

Since C13 is a long-chain fatty acid and lauric acid (C12) is quite similar in structure, some experts argue that it might act more like a long-chain fat, making it less valuable.

Although evidence supports that lauric acid is more rapidly absorbed in the body than LCTs, one study suggests that lengthening the carbon chain by 2 carbons can slow down the rate of diffusion by 100 times (5, 6, 7).

Therefore, compared to other medium-chain triglycerides, lauric acid may be a slightly less efficient way to obtain energy. However, it also has unique health benefits.

For example, lauric acid has even more anti-microbial properties than caprylic acid (C8) or capric acid (C10), meaning it can help kill harmful bacteria and viruses (8, 9).

Bottom Line: MCT oil is an easy way to get large concentrations of certain MCTs. It usually contains C8, C10 or a combination of the two.

Which Should You Choose?

The source best for you depends on your goals and the amount of medium-chain triglycerides you want.

It is not clear what dose is needed to obtain potential benefits. In studies, doses range from 5–70 grams (0.17–2.5 oz) of MCT daily.

If your aim is to achieve overall good health, using coconut oil or palm kernel oil in cooking is probably sufficient.

However, for higher doses you might want to consider MCT oil.

One of the good things about MCT oil is that it has virtually no taste or smell. It can be consumed straight from the jar or alternatively mixed into food or drinks.

Bottom Line: Coconut and palm kernel oils are rich sources of medium-chain triglycerides, but MCT oil supplements contain much larger amounts.

MCT Oil May Help With Weight Loss in Several Ways

There are several ways that MCTs may help with weight loss, including:

• Lower Energy Density: MCTs provide around 10 percent fewer calories than LCTs or 8.4 calories per gram for MCTs versus 9.2 calories per gram for LCTs (10).

• Increase Fullness: One study found that compared to LCTs, MCTs resulted in greater increases in peptide YY and leptin, two hormones that help reduce appetite and increase feelings of fullness (11).

• Fat Storage: Given that MCTs are absorbed and used more rapidly than LCTs, they are less likely to be stored as body fat (10).

• Burn Calories: Studies in animals and humans show that MCTs (mainly C8 and C10) may increase the body’s ability to burn fat and calories (12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17, 18).

• Greater Fat Loss: One study found that an MCT-rich diet caused greater fat burning and fat loss than a diet higher in LCTs. However, these effects may disappear after 2–3 weeks once the body has adapted (18).

• Low-carb Diets: Very low-carb or ketogenic diets are a effective ways to lose weight. Given that MCTs produce ketones, adding them to your diet can increase the number of carbs you can eat while staying in ketosis.

Bottom Line: MCTs may aid in weight loss through reduced calorie intake, increased fullness, less fat storage, improved calorie burning and increased ketones on low-carb diets.

Do MCTs Actually Cause Weight Loss?

While many studies have found positive effects of MCTs on weight loss, other studies have found no effects (19).

In a review of 14 studies, 7 evaluated fullness, 8 measured weight loss and 6 assessed calorie-burning.

Only one study found increases in fullness, while 6 studies found reductions in weight and 4 found increased calorie burning (20).

In another review of 12 animal studies, 7 reported a decrease in weight gain and 5 found no differences. In terms of food intake, 4 detected a decrease, 1 detected an increase and 7 found no differences (21).

In addition, the amount of weight loss caused by MCTs is actually very modest.

A review of 13 studies found that on average the amount of weight lost on a diet high in MCTs was only 1.1 lbs (0.5 kg) over 3 weeks or more when compared to a diet high in LCTs (19).

Another study found that a diet rich in medium-chain triglycerides resulted in a 2-lb (0.9-kg) greater weight loss than a diet rich in LCTs over a 12 week period (22).

Further high-quality studies are needed to determine how effective MCTs are for weight loss and what amounts need to be taken to experience benefits.

Bottom Line: A diet high in medium-chain triglycerides may help with weight loss, although the effect is generally quite modest.

Evidence for MCTs Enhancing Exercise Performance is Weak

MCTs are thought to increase energy levels during high-intensity exercise and serve as an alternative energy source, sparing glycogen stores.

This may positively affect endurance and have benefits for athletes on low-carb diets.

One animal study found that mice fed a diet rich in medium-chain triglycerides did much better in swimming tests than mice fed a diet rich in LCTs (23).

Additionally, consuming food containing MCTs instead of LCTs for 2 weeks resulted in longer duration of high-intensity exercise among recreational athletes (24).

Although the evidence seems positive, there are not enough studies available to confirm this benefit and the overall link is weak (25).

Bottom Line: The link between MCTs and improved exercise performance is weak and more studies are needed to confirm these claims.

Other Potential Health Benefits of MCT oil

The use of medium-chain triglycerides and MCT oil has been associated with several other health benefits.

Cholesterol

MCTs have been linked to lower cholesterol levels in both animal and human studies.

For example, calves consuming MCT-rich milk had lower cholesterol than calves fed LCT-rich milk (26).

Several studies in rats have linked coconut oil to improved cholesterol levels and higher antioxidant vitamin levels (27, 28).

A study in 40 women found that consuming coconut oil along with a low-calorie diet reduced LDL cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol, compared to women consuming soybean oil (29).

Improvements in cholesterol and antioxidant levels may lead to a reduced risk of heart disease over the long term.

However, it is important to note that some older studies report that MCT supplements had no effects or even negative effects on cholesterol (30, 31).

One study in 14 healthy men reported that MCT supplements negatively affected cholesterol, increasing total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (31).

Bottom Line: Diets high in MCT-rich foods like coconut oil may have benefits for cholesterol levels. However, the evidence is mixed.

Diabetes

MCTs may also help lower blood sugar levels. In one study, diets rich in MCTs increased insulin sensitivity in adults with type 2 diabetes (32).

Another study in 40 overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes found that supplementing with MCTs improved diabetes risk factors. It reduced body weight, waist circumference andinsulin resistance (33).

However, evidence for the use of medium-chain triglycerides in diabetes is limited. More research is needed to determine its full effects.

Bottom Line: MCTs may help lower blood sugar levels by reducing insulin resistance. However, more research is needed to confirm this benefit.

Brain Function

MCTs produce ketones, which act as an alternative energy source for the brain and can therefore improve brain function.

Recently there has been more interest in the use of MCTs to treat or prevent brain disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia (34).

One major study found that MCTs improved learning, memory and brain processing in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. However, this was only effective in people containing a particular gene, the APOE4 gene (35).

Overall, the evidence is limited to short studies with small sample sizes, so more research is needed.

Bottom Line: MCTs may improve brain function in people with Alzheimer’s disease who have a particular genetic make-up. More research is needed.

Other Medical Conditions

Because MCTs are an easily absorbed and digested energy source, they’ve been used for years to treat malnutrition and disorders that hinder nutrient absorption.

Conditions that benefit from medium-chain triglyceride supplements include diarrhea, steatorrhea (fat indigestion) and liver disease. Patients undergoing bowel or stomach surgery may also benefit.

Evidence also supports the use of MCTs in ketogenic diets treating epilepsy (36).

The use of MCTs allows children suffering from seizures to eat larger portions and tolerate more calories and carbs than on classic ketogenic diets (37).

Bottom Line: MCTs are effective at treating a number of clinical conditions including malnutrition, malabsorption disorders and epilepsy.

Dosage, Safety and Side Effects

MCT oil appears to be safe for most people.

It is not clear what dose is needed to obtain potential health benefits, but many supplement labels suggest 1–3 tablespoons daily.

There are currently no reported adverse interactions with medications or other serious side effects.

However, some minor side effects have been reported and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and an upset stomach.

These can be avoided by starting with small doses, such as 1 teaspoon and increasing intake slowly. Once tolerated, MCT oil can be taken by the tablespoon.

Type 1 Diabetes and MCTs

Some sources discourage people with type 1 diabetes from taking medium-chain triglycerides due to the accompanying production of ketones.

It is thought that high levels of ketones in the blood may increase the risk of ketoacidosis, a very serious condition that can occur in type 1 diabetics.

However, the nutritional ketosis caused by a low-carb diet is completely different than diabetic ketoacidosis, a very serious condition caused by a lack of insulin.

In people with well-controlled diabetes and healthy blood sugar levels, the amount of ketones remain within a safe range even during ketosis.

There are limited studies available that explore the use of MCTs in type 1 diabetes. However, some have been conducted with no harmful effects (38).

Bottom Line: MCT oil is safe for most people, but there are no clear dosage guidelines. Start with small doses and gradually increase your intake.

Take Home Message

Medium-chain triglycerides have many potential health benefits.

While they are not a ticket to dramatic weight loss, they may provide a modest benefit. The same can be said for their role in endurance exercise.

For these reasons, adding MCT oil to your diet may be worth a try.

However, remember that whole food sources like coconut oil and grass-fed dairy have additional benefits that are not found in supplements.