Top 5 Common Food Sources of MCTs
Looking to get more medium chain triglycerides in your diet? Look no further! My team and I have crunched the numbers and did all the math to determine the top 5 common food sources of this fat, per serving. Getting enough MCTs as part of a healthy balanced diet is important since a large collection of studies show that getting nutrients from dietary supplements or multivitamins doesn’t improve health outcomes compared to getting nutrients from foods!
| Rank | Food | Nutrivore Score | Serving Size (Raw) | MCTs (g/serving) | % Recommended Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coconut Milk or Cream1 | 175 | 1 cup | 37.8 | 630 |
| 2 | Coconut Oil | 112 | 1 tbsp | 7.4 | 124 |
| 3 | Coconut Meat | 179 | 1 oz / 28 g | 5.4 | 90 |
| 4 | Cheese, Soft, Average2 | 141 | 1.5 oz / 40 g or 1/2 cup | 1.4 | 23 |
| 5 | Cheese, Hard, Average3 | 130 | 1.5 oz / 40 g | 1.1 | 18 |
2Soft cheese, average includes blue, brie, camembert, cottage (lowfat, 2%), cream, feta, goat (semi-soft), goat (soft), limburger, mozzarella (whole milk), muenster, ricotta (whole milk), and roquefort.
3Hard cheese, average includes cheddar, cheshire, colby, edam, fontina, gjetost, goat (hard type), gouda, gruyere, Monterey, parmesan, provolone, romano, swiss, and tilsit.
Want to know more about this important nutrient including health benefits of MCTs do in the body, how much MCTs we need, what happens if we have low levels of MCTs or if we get too much, and even more awesome MCT rich foods? Keep reading to learn all there is to know about this healthy fat!
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What Are MCTs and What Do They Do?
Medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, are saturated fats composed of two more medium-chain fatty acids (that is, fatty acids with a 6 to 10 carbon atoms in their acyl chain). MCTs consist of caproic acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid; although lauric acid is often grouped in as well it’s not universally considered a “true” medium-chain fat since it displays some properties of long-chain triglycerides (LCTs). Compared to other fats, MCTs undergo an extremely rapid and direct digestive process, getting taken up by the intestine and shuttled to the liver (rather than undergoing bile exposure, enzymatic breakdown, passage through the lymph system, and entrance into systemic circulation like most other fats). This unique pathway gives MCTs an absorption rate similar to that of glucose, making them a quick energy source.
Numerous studies suggest that MCT supplementation can reduce body weight, improve body composition, induce spontaneous reductions in appetite and food intake, and increase resting energy expenditure—especially in people with higher initial body weight. These effects appear to stem from MCT’s ability to boost thermogenesis (heat generation), increase fat oxidation, and even increase the oxidation of other dietary fats. MCTs are also ketogenic, increasing serum ketone levels even in the absence of carbohydrate restriction (and potentially raising the carbohydrate threshold typically needed to induce ketosis).
There’s also evidence that MCTs could benefit diabetics by improving insulin sensitivity and increasing insulin production. And while more research is needed in these areas, some studies support a role of MCTs in boosting exercise performance (reducing lactic acid buildup and extending exercise duration) and boosting gut health (both by improving the composition of the microbiome and by protecting the architecture of the gut).
MCTs were initially used to help treat epilepsy; along with their independent effects, they can augment the effectiveness of anticonvulsants. They may also offer neurological benefits for Alzheimer’s patients, with some limited research suggesting MCTs can help improve cognition and memory, elevate the brain’s glutamate supply and GABA synthesis, and provide the brain with an alternative energy source to glucose.
Learn more about MCTs here.
MCT Deficiency
Since MCTs aren’t essential, there are no deficiency diseases or symptoms associated with a low intake.
Problems From Too Much MCTs
Research has shown that MCTs are generally safe, with daily doses of up to 1 g per kg of body weight considered safe for humans and other species. However, excessive long-term intake of MCT supplements can lead to gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea and gastric reflux. In animal studies, extremely high MCT consumption (constituting 25% of total energy intake) resulted in liver fat accumulation, despite beneficial effects like reduced body fat and improved insulin sensitivity. While it’s unclear if the same effects would occur in humans, caution is advised with very high MCT intake over time.
It’s also important to distinguish between the benefits of MCT oil supplements and MCT-containing foods, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and dairy products. Studies suggest that coconut oil, which contains both MCTs and longer-chain fats, is less effective at reducing appetite and food intake compared to pure MCT oil. Additionally, while MCT oil can significantly boost blood ketone levels, coconut oil does not have the same effect. Furthermore, coconut oil may raise LDL cholesterol more than pure MCTs due to its content of lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids—saturated fats known to elevate LDL levels. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider the complete nutritional profile of foods when assessing their health impacts and always consult with a healthcare provider before supplementing.
How Much MCTs Do We Need?
Currently there are no official guidelines for MCT intake requirements but we have set a recommended target of 6 grams for adults based on Team Nutrivore’s review of the scientific literature, established with the aim of providing improvements for overall health and reduction in chronic disease risk.
Nutrient Daily Values
Nutrition requirements and recommended nutrient intake for infants, children, adolescents, adults, mature adults, and pregnant and lactating individuals.
More Food Sources of MCTs
MCTs are naturally found in coconut and coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and fatty dairy products from cows, sheep, horses, and goats.
Aside from coconut and dairy products, it is difficult to obtain MCTs from diet. Other food sources containing approximately 1% of the recommended target per serving include spices such as ginger, turmeric, and sage, lamb, lemon juice, duck, and goose.
Best Food Sources of MCT’s
The following foods have large amounts of MCTs, containing at least 3.0 grams per serving (at least 50% of the recommended target).
Good Food Sources of MCT’S
The following foods are good or excellent sources of MCTs, containing at least 0.6 grams per serving (up to 3.0 grams).
Top 5 Common Food Sources
If you’re looking for top 5 common food sources of other important nutrients check out these posts!
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Foods High in Ergothioneine
