MCTs ARE ESPECIALLY GOOD FOR ATHLETES
For Millennia, the type of fats humans consumed was usually naturally balanced between stable saturated animal sources and undamaged EFA from a diet that included wild game and seafood. In the tropics, fat sources came from coconut, palm fruit, and seafood. These fats did not cause the health problems that damaged fats/oils, now used in most processed/prepared food products and fast food restaurants, do.
Saturated fats supply the stable Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). Butter, coconut, macadamia, and palm kernel oils contain MCTs that are especially beneficial for premature infants, burn victims, Crohn’s disease, and cancer patients.
MTCs do not get metabolized through the intestinal tract like regular fats and oils but in the liver like carbohydrates. MTCs facilitate the absorption of minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, and essential fatty acids. MCTs are also beneficial for athletes because they deliver more energy than glucose.
SOURCES OF FATTY ACIDS
Dietary fatty acids are available from two basic sources: animal and vegetable. Ensure that they are not damaged. Below are some of the main sources.
Saturates
Animal sources: Beef, bison, lamb, pork, poultry, organs, fats (lard, tallow, suet); unhomogenized full-fat goat, sheep, and cow yogurt and cheeses; cream; and butter. Vegetable sources: Coconut/coconut butter/oil, palm/palm kernel oil, macadamia nuts/oil.
Butter is an animal saturated fat containing vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and several fats, including butyrate. Butyrate provides a base for making the brain chemical GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), our natural valium.
Coconut oil is a rich source of lauric acid, also found in mother’s milk. Lauric acid has antimicrobial properties and increases HDLs. Being a stable fat/oil makes it one of the few oils suitable for cooking and baking. Virgin coconut oil (in its natural state) has a stronger scent and flavor than deodorized coconut oil.
Both should be processed by a reputable company and packaged in light-protected containers. Dr. Bruce Fife, author of Coconut Cures, Coconut Water for Health and Healing, and The Coconut Oil Miracle, claims that coconut oil can help moderate blood sugar levels by re-sensitizing the cells to utilize glucose.