If it is in your plans to change your lifestyle, loose weight and become healthier, odds are you might have read or heard about “keto diets”. These eating regimes are designed to change the way in which the body uses energy, encouraging fat burning and being effective in reducing body weight.
While results vary from person to person, the fact is that ketogenic diets have shown promising results, as they are the result of a deep understanding of the human body and the energetic needs it must fulfill in order to function properly.
Ketogenic Dieting: More Fat, Less Carbohydrates
The primary source of energy of the human body comes from glucose, which is consumed every day in the form of carbohydrates. Bread, cereals and sugary drinks all provide your body with a boost of energy, which doesn’t sound bad, right?
Well, the issue is that foods which are high in carbohydrates often provide much more energy than the body actually needs, forcing it to transform them into reserves of fat and increasing body weight. Ketogenic diets are designed to change the body’s main source of energy from carbs to fat.
While on a typical keto diet, you will be cutting down on carbohydrates almost entirely and increasing your fat consumption. The ideal figures would be around 75% fats, 20% protein and 5% carbs. The strictest ketogenic dieters manage to reduce their carb consumption to as little as 20 grams per day.
The result of taking away the body’s main source of energy is that it begins looking for secondary alternatives to generate the cellular fuel it needs to function correctly. Without access to carbohydrates, the body will enter a state of ketosis and burn its reserves of fat to keep up with the energetic demand, making you lose weight effectively.
But weight loss is not the only reason for nutriologists to study ketogenic dieting. These food regimes are also useful to reduce chronic inflammation, lower blood sugar levels and prevent diseases such as Alzheimer´s, Parkinson´s and diabetes. Furthermore, when in a ketosis state, the body is able to create more mitochondria -the powerhouses of cells- and increase your energy levels naturally.
How is MCT Oil Useful When on a Ketogenic Diet?
Knowing that ketogenic diets take away the body´s main supply of energy and forces it to burn fat instead, you might be wondering if there is any downside or secondary effect of this change. The answer is yes: people who are not used to these food regimes often feel sleepy, tired or unable to focus throughout the day as their body is not able to generate all the energy it needs to function properly.
Considering that the body needs an extra boost of energy which cannot come from glucose or carbohydrates, the perfect alternative is Middle-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). These substances contain fatty acids such as caproic acid, caprylic acid and capric acid which are absorbed directly through the circulatory system and broken down by the liver into readily-available ketones.
As MCT oil is one of the most bioavailable extracts in the world, it is able to bypass the digestive system altogether and be absorbed by the bloodstream. Giving your body a regular dose of middle-chain triglycerides encourages it to produce larger amounts of ketones, making more fuel available for the cells.
Providing the body with readily-available ketones is not only effective to counteract the feelings of tiredness and sleepiness. It is also useful to curb down the high-carb food cravings that most people engaging in keto diets experience, as well as to reduce the levels of chronic inflammation and protect your brain against a wide range of neurological conditions.
But before purchasing your supply of MCT oil, you must consider that not all companies follow the same quality standards. MCT oil is typically extracted from coconut oil, and these two fats are by no means the same. The best middle-chain triglycerides are capric acid, caproic acid and caprylic acid, with the cheaper lauric acid commonly used as a filler but not recommended by expert nutriologists. A high-quality MCT oil contains up to 20 times more caprylic acid than raw coconut oil.
I see many CBD Oils Contain MCT. How do These Substances Work Together?
Middle-chain triglycerides, due to their impressive ability to be absorbed by the body without passing through the digestive system, are commonly used as “carrier oils” by other substances which need to reach the circulatory system. CBD Oil is perhaps the most popular of these extracts, with many cannabidiol tinctures containing MCT oil as a carrier to transport its beneficial components effectively into the bloodstream.
However, MCT is much more than a simple carrier when combined with cannabidiol. When consumed regularly, both substances are able to work together by preventing and curing a wide range of common ailments. As CBD balances the endocannabinoid system, it promotes a general sensation of calm and wellbeing while speeding up several crucial parts of the body such as metabolism.
Middle-chain triglycerides and cannabidiol can be used together when on keto diets. The combination of both substances will make you loose weight faster, but -perhaps most importantly- it will render the entire process easier for you. CBD and MCT effectively reduce the food cravings and boost the levels of energy in your body, making you burn fat without any secondary effects.
Are MCT-infused CBD Oils Legal in the United States?
Yes! While several state legislations in the US had taken steps to define cannabidiol as a non-psychoactive substance, the recent passing of the Farm Bill was the federal-level ruling that made this definition effective across the entire country. Currently, any hemp-derived extract containing less than 0.3% of THC can be legally sold and consumed across the 50 states of the US.
While MCT CBD oil becomes more widely available in retailers, the best option is still online shopping. Companies such as Florida-based Diamond CBD offer the best quality products with express delivery across the entire national territory.
