Does MCT Oil Break a Fast?

There are many reasons why people might fast. Fasting may aid in weight loss, help give your digestive system some rest, or even support spiritual goals. To make it through a day of fasting, you may need to find ways to boost your energy and keep hunger pangs at bay. But does MCT oil break a fast? Can it be an option, considering the limited number of options you have for keeping your mind clear and suppressing hunger?  

In the strictest sense, any caloric intake (anything above 0 calories) during a fasting period amounts to breaking the fast! Just the flavor of toothpaste, or mouthwash can break a fast for those focused on fasting the right way. As such, consuming MCT oil, even with its low-calorie count, technically breaks a fast. 

However, since your body easily absorbs MCT oil, and it’s low in calories, you can still consume this substance during fasting. And the MCT oil effects and benefits won’t reverse the physiological benefits of your fast. 

Fortunately, you can use MCT oil to give your body the boost it needs to get through your fasting period. Plus, there are a host of extra MCT oil effects and benefits you can enjoy without stopping the fat-burning process. 

What Is Fasting?

Before we dive into whether or not MCT oil can break a fast, we need to understand fasting. We define it as willingly abstaining from all or some foods and drinks. And doing so for a given amount of time. You can fast in a number of different ways. These include time-restricted feeding, intermittent calorie restriction, and periodic fasting with fast-mimicking low-calorie diets. There is clean fasting which means ONLY consuming water, coffee (no sugar or milk/cream), or plain tea. 

Fasting pushes your body to find alternative ways of meeting its energy requirements, as well as increasing the natural process of autophagy. The “autophagy” activity is interesting, and its where cells in your body eat other cells that are waste (basically your body cleaning itself). 

One of those ways is through ketosis. In this metabolic state, your body burns fat as its primary energy source. This sets the stage for increased weight loss.  

Fasting may also help boost heart health and lower blood pressure. This happens as your body’s basal metabolic rate becomes more efficient. It’s one way your body tries to save more energy during the fasting period. 

Last but not least, fasting might also help make the cells in our bodies more resilient. Fasting stresses the body in the same way that working out stresses the muscles. When the body has enough time to recover in between fasting periods, the cells adapt and become stronger. 

Clearly, we can see that fasting must push the body to achieve two important goals in order to be effective. First, it must make your body burn fat instead of sugar as its primary energy source. Second, the body must also learn to become more efficient at using your consumed calories. 

Potential Benefits of Fasting 

What are the benefits of fasting? Below you’ll find a comprehensive list of potential effects.

Blood Sugar Control

Fasting might help you better control your blood sugar levels. This is mostly because fasting helps reduce blood sugar levels. In turn, your body becomes more sensitive to insulin. Ultimately, this means that your body efficiently delivers glucose in your blood to your cells. 

Enhanced Weight Loss

By regularly reducing your calorie consumption, you may be able to turn fasting into an effective weight loss tool. In addition to reducing your calorie intake, fasting may also boost your body’s ability to burn fat for energy production. 

Reduced Inflammation 

Fasting, or simply following a low-calorie diet that imitates fasting, may help reduce chronic inflammation in the body. 

Improved Brain Health

Fasting intermittently has the potential to improve brain health in different ways, according to animal studies. In one study, fasting in mice was shown to help improve brain structure. In another study, fasting improved cognitive function by promoting nerve cell generation. 

Longevity

On top of all the above, fasting may help increase longevity and survival rates in animals. In one such study, the lifespan of rats that fasted was much longer than that of rats that did not fast. 

As you can see from the above, fasting, when done in a healthy way, may be linked with a long list of health benefits. Read on to find out what MCT oil is, and how its consumption could align with your fasting goals.