Does MCT Oil Break a Fast?

Does MCT Oil Break a Fast?

5 Minute Read

So, let’s face it, you’re hooked on Juna World’s CBD oil. And like many of us after a new baby (or donut binge), you want to shed a few pounds.

Celebrities like Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman have turned to intermittent fasting to keep their oh-so coveted slim figures. Sure, fasting sounds like a good idea, but does it mean you have to go without your daily Balance?

You may have noticed our products feature MCT oil. In this article, we will explain what MCT oil is, if it can break a fast, and if it can help shed that extra weight.

What is MCT Oil?

MCT oil is made up of MCTs, or “medium-chain triglycerides.” These are tasteless saturated fats that are isolated from palm or coconut oil.

MCT oil is used for a variety of benefits:

Your body primarily runs on glucose for energy. After you’ve ingested MCT oil, it gets converted into chemicals called ketones in the liver. Think of ketones as glucose’s reinforcements.

When there is not enough glucose and insulin is low (like when you haven’t eaten anything), ketones are used as an alternative energy source. The energy from ketones can be used in most bodily processes, such as to keep your heart, muscles, and brain functioning smoothly.

MCT oil can be easily converted to endogenous ketone production when you’re on the keto diet (low carb, high fat).  These ketones help you stay in the metabolic state of ketosis, zapping those stubborn pounds. No wonder MCT oil is so popular for ketogenic diet regimens!

Paired with intermittent fasting, MCT oil can be extremely helpful in your weight loss journey. Fasting sounds extreme, right? This would mean no peeking in the fridge at midnight or elaborate Sunday morning breakfasts. The thought of not eating when you want to may sound a bit painful, but stick with us on this...

Intermittent Fasting

In the past, you may have thought fasting was some kind of spiritual experience that helps you Eat, Pray, Love yourself to a cleaner soul. But these days, we use intermittent fasting to cleanse the body and to drastically reduce caloric intake to get back that bangin’ body. Sorry Buddha.

Do you often eat before you fall asleep, and then grab a bagel first thing in the morning? If you do, You have a very short fasted state. And since you aren’t giving your body a chance to burn off the calories after you’ve eaten, these calories start to store as body fat. But the longer you go without eating, the more your body will use up your fat reserves.

Intermittent Fasting Methods

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that switches between fasting and eating on a specified schedule. Here are a few methods:

  • Alternate-day fasting: This means a day eating less than 25% of your usual food intake, then the following day you will eat normally.

  • Periodic fasting: This type of fast includes one or two days a week of either complete fasting or 25% of regular caloric intake.

  • Daily time-restricted fasting: This is probably the most common; it means eating only for a certain number of hours each day. For example, a 16:8 daily fast would mean a 16 fasting window followed by 8 non-fasting hours. That doesn’t sound so bad, right?

    • Intermittent fasts are great for reaching ketosis faster. The state of ketosis triggers high levels of a hormone called glucagon which signals the body to start autophagy. Autophagy is like our body’s cleansing system.

    The process gets rid of the damaged cells that cause disease by removing the dysfunctional ones, repairing the damage, and recycling the material. This is a process of natural self-healing.

    Because of autophagy, intermittent fasting not only can help with losing weight but there provides tons of other related health benefits of fasting.

    Benefits of intermittent fasting:


    Types of Intermittent Fasts

    So what are the most common types of intermittent fasting?

    1. Calorie restriction: The idea is that you go without food anywhere between 12 and 24 hours. At this time, you can only drink water and not do too many things requiring energy. 

  • 2. Fasting with low-calorie drinks: This is similar to the calorie-restricted diet, except that low-calorie drinks can be consumed quickly. The idea is that these drinks can satiate you while you continue your fast, allowing you to go without eating for a longer period. The drink you consume shouldn’t be anywhere above 50 calories. One teaspoon of MCT is 42 calories, so it is ok for this type of fast to load up your morning coffee with a daily dose of CBD. You can even add a low-calorie sweetener or Stevia (zero calories) if you aren’t a fan of black coffee.

    •  

    3. Gut reset: This type of fast is meant to let your gut heal, rather than to lose weight. Usually, a fast meant for athletes that typically consume a lot of protein, this type of fast includes the restriction of either proteins, carbohydrates, or fats. It may also be helpful for those who need to rest an inflamed digestive tract caused by IBS. This will give their gut a break from certain irritants and allow it to heal.

    4. Fat fasting: Common amongst keto dieters, this fast include the consumption of foods high in fat, but the overall calorie intake is low. This means most of what you eat will be calories high in fat; allowing your body to be pushed into ketosis faster, and promoting fat loss. The fasting period is between 12 and 16 hours, where the fast can be broken with bulletproof coffee that includes MCT oil. You may then be able to go another 2 to 4 hours till your next meal. The caffeine and healthy fats can help with brain fog, allowing you a clear, enjoyable morning.

    Some intermittent fasting protocols (like 14:10) may allow you to keep up regular meals with your family. However, the most common fasts are 16:8 or alternate day fasts, which means you might not be able to catch all those family meals.

    So, the question is, how do you incorporate intermittent fasting into your family life? Most moms have a simple answer: skip breakfast. Since most of us spend our mornings chasing after missing keys and making sure our kids don’t go to school without underwear, it may be easier to skip breakfast.

    You can still do lunch and dinner with your loved ones, which is usually the best time to catch up on quality time anyway. But as Moms, there are two things we simply can’t go without in the morning: Our coffee and CBD dose. But, let's get the straight answer: can these things break a fast?

    Does MCT Oil Break a Fast?

    Juna World’s CBD products use MCT oil as the main caloric content. Can it break a fast? The answer is, it depends. Depending on what your goal is for fasting will determine if MCT oil breaks your fast. We will break it down further. 

    Fasting for Fat Loss

    No, MCT oil does not break a fast if you are fasting for fat loss. When used in small doses, MCT oil does not create an insulin spike. And as we’ve mentioned, MCT oil directly affects the making of endogenous ketones, which allows more fat burning.

    Keep in mind that MCT oil can only be used in moderate amounts; we recommend up to 15 ml a day to stimulate the ketone production that causes us to burn fat.

    You may also wonder if your other morning rituals can break your fat loss fast. For instance, can your daily cup of Joe and collagen supplements disturb your fast?

    Coffee: You can breathe a sigh of relief, caffeine will not inhibit ketosis. It was shown that caffeine upregulates ketones in the blood, and will allow you to burn that stored fat. But (!), you must not put sugar or starch in your coffee! This can break your fast. We highly recommend trying the keto-friendly bulletproof coffee.

    Here’s our favorite recipe for Juna Bulletproof Coffee:

    1. Brew your coffee.
    2. Mix your coffee with grass-fed butter or ghee and your daily Juna dose in a blender.
    3. Blend and serve in your favorite coffee mug. Enjoy!

    Collagen: Small amounts of collagen will make a small indent in ketone production and may even help with satiety, prolonging your fast. Add bone broth to your Juna Bulletproof Coffee for youth, energy, and balance all in one daily cup!

    Fasting for Gut Health

    If you’ve decided on a diet that allows your gut to reset, MCT most likely will not break your fast. This is because when taken on its own, it does not initiate gut digestion. MCT can bypass the lymphatic system and is taken directly to the liver, making it a good way to energize those with gastrointestinal disorders.This characteristic is not true for longer chain fatty acids like butter or coconut oil. 


    Coffee: So, in essence, MCT oil shouldn’t conflict with the resting of your gut, unless you pair it with something like coffee, in which case you may stimulate a digestive response (yes, even with black coffee!). This is because coffee stimulates gastrin, stomach acid, and enables the colon to act the way it would if you had just had a large meal. It can also cause acid reflux, which can be detrimental for those who are fasting to reduce gastrointestinal issues. Sad day!
  • Collagen: Though collagen can be beneficial for the gut, it can also stimulate digestion so therefore is not good for a gut reset type of fast.  

    • Select Products with High-Quality MCT Oil

    As we’ve mentioned, MCT oil means “medium-chain triglycerides.” A high-quality MCT will have a blend of caprylic acid and capric acid (C8 and C10) or one of these acids. There should be little to no longer chain lauric acid (C12) because it is the slowest to metabolize.

    MCT oil comes from coconut or palm oil, but the better quality comes from coconut oil. Since coconut oil is made mostly from lauric acid, it will not work as well for fasting as MCT.

    Will CBD Break a Fast?

    So we’ve gone over the complicated answer of whether or not MCT oil will break a fast. But what about CBD oil? CBD oil contains cannabinoids and other beneficial compounds. But whether or not these compounds break your fast depends on how much you consume and how.

    Some say that zero calories are the way to go when you are on a fast (this includes no CBD). Others think that consuming less than 50 calories should be ok.

    But if you take higher doses of CBD oil, you will be consuming more calories which can disrupt your fast. And if you use CBD edibles like gummies, the sugar and calorie content will break your fast.

    Keep in mind, there is still a lack of research determining how CBD changes our metabolic responses as we fast. But when it comes down to it, we believe that small amounts of CBD oil made with MCT will not break your fast. Here are our favorite CBD oils that can fit nicely into your time-restricted fast: 

    • Morning mood support: Balance and Balance X can clear brain fog without breaking your fast. With or without coffee, this is the best way to start your day.
    • Nighttime sleep aid: Nightcap helps restore your natural sleep/wake cycles, which can give you a better night’s rest. Instead of thinking about food, catch some ZZzz’s!

    MCT: Less Donuts, More Fat-Burning

    We all want a bangin’ body like intermittent fasters Halle Berry or Nicole Kidman. But really, controlling those nightly trips to the refrigerator can seem next-to-impossible.

    However, we here at Juna World believe that incorporating small amounts of MCT oil into your fast for weight loss will not break your fast. It can be helpful for your weight loss goals by keeping you satiated (less likely to gorge that morning office donut) and more likely to trigger fat-burning ketosis.

    However, if you are fasting for other reasons like a gut reset, you may want to avoid MCT oil for the time being to meet your health and wellness goals. 


    Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only. It is not provided to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or ailment. It should not be interpreted as instruction or medical advice to displace the advice of your doctor or other medical professionals. We recommend talking to your doctor to prepare a treatment plan for any disease or ailments.



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