Welcome to my honest review of Melrose MCT Oil! (Updated Jan 2021)
It was one of those blah days, maybe even a blah week. I couldn’t get motivated, couldn’t get passionate about anything and everything was just a bit grey. You know, a bit lacklustre. What I needed was a kick up the bum, a kick start, something to get me going again and give my system the hurry up!
Quite some time ago I read about a product called Fire Tonic. Somehow, Fire Tonic sounded exactly like what I needed right now, burn the blah straight out of me.
As I was reading about Hilbilby Fire Tonic, I noticed Melrose MCT Oil. I vaguely remember reading something about MCT oil at some stage so for interest’s sake I opened it as well.
The description wasn’t exactly exciting:
“Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) are important fatty acids that are rarer in the diet than other fats. Melrose MCT is a translucent liquid without any flavour, which makes it easy to take as a shot on its own, or when added to your smoothie, salad dressing, coffee or many other meals! In line with the Changing Habits philosophy, Melrose MCT Oil contains no preservatives, colours or additives.”
Plus an explanation that MCTs are between 6 and 12 carbon chains in length, and that Melrose MCT Oil consist of caprylic and capric MCTs. I’m not a scientist so unfortunately, that didn’t mean much to me.
Why did I buy Melrose MCT Oil then?
Well, shallow as it sounds, I bought it for the picture on the bottle. I know you shouldn’t judge on appearances but it says ‘Give me a Kick Start.” And what was I looking for? A kick up the bum! It also says: “Fuel for mental and physical performance.” SOLD!
Is this a good review of Melrose MCT?
I know, you came here to read my honest review of Melrose MCT oil, not to hear about my shopping experiences, chains of fatty acids and other such info. However, if you do want to read about what MCTs are, why to choose Melrose, ingredients, where to buy it and some MCT recipes – grab a cuppa and keep reading…
Yes! This is an excellent review of Melrose. Quite surprisingly actually, because it wasn’t my primary kick-up-the-bum choice. It was on special for $19.98 (RRP $24.97) and I just added it to my cart on a whim. Thought why not, I’m buying the Fire Tonic, let’s get this as well to give it a go.
Three weeks later and the Fire Tonic is still sitting there (although it too is pretty awesome) and the MCT bottle is nearly empty!
I absolutely, absolutely adore this stuff!
Right from day 1, although I went a little too hard out which upset my gut, my energy has increased so much.
I started with a pretty decent tablespoon, not thinking much of it, and ended up needing to go to the toilet a million times. I did however go to the toilet with a spring in my step and energy for miles :D. I’m not sure if ‘going to the toilet’ describes it, but if that’s not clear, let’s call it a serious case of the runs… That may be an Aussie term, so here’s the technical term: Dreaded Diarrhoea.
Just start slow, okay?
A teaspoon the first day, maybe with your morning coffee or tea, and see how your body responds. Then slowly increase the amount you take. Maybe a teaspoon in the morning and another teaspoon at lunch time.
After 3 weeks I’m only up to 2 biggish teaspoons in the morning, and another teaspoon at around 12pm.
Effects I’ve noticed
- Energy! That’s the main thing I’ve noticed. I get up easier and wake up earlier without the sleep fog. I’ve noticed a real increase in energy levels right through the day.
- Not hungry. Even at this small amount, it keeps me going for hours. Sometimes it’s not until 3pm where I feel like I should eat something. And I don’t feel like I’ve run out of energy or nutrient.
- Mental benefits. These weren’t quite as noticeable for me, but there’s definitely a slight increase in my memory – it was pretty shocking. A case of 8-year-long-baby-brain. Now I don’t have as much trouble remember that Thursday is tuckshop day, the farrier is coming on Wednesday and to buy milk AND bread at the shop. Yes, I often went to the shop forgetting 1 of 2 things, it’s terrible.
It doesn’t sound like much, but it has made the world of difference in my life. I’ve gone from tired mum to want to do things, get up and get gardening, even cleaning the house is a breeze.
If I could choose only 1 health supplement to keep for ever and ever, it would be MCT oil. If I could choose 2 supplements for life, it would be MCT and 180’s Vegan Organic Hemp Protein (it seriously rocks! Read my 180 review here)
Other benefits of MCT oil
Listed on the Melrose bottle:
- General health and performance
- Supports a ketogenic diet
- Natural energy
- Ideal for anytime-use when extra energy is needed
- Fuel for mental and physical performance
- Allows the body to produce energy from good fats rather than from sugar and carbohydrates.
- Help you get into and stay in ketosis
- Supports fat burning
Is Melrose MCT oil better than other MCT oils?
Honestly, I don’t know yet. I love shopping at Nourished Life, as they offer free postage if you buy more than 2 items, but they only have the Coconut Magic MCT Oil.
(Edit 10/1/21 – Nourished Life now stocks Melrose MCT in 250ml and 500ml! However, I’ve been happily using Coconut Magic MCT with the same benefits and fewer side-effects! Whether that’s because I’m now used to MCT oil or whether it’s a better oil, I can’t tell. I like it just as much anyway.)
Aussie Health Products have the Coconut Magic MCT in a 1lt bottle for $34.60 (normally $46.15) at the moment, so that’s cheaper than Nourished Life (even with their free post). I might try Coconut Magic MCT next and will write a review on it so we can compare whether Melrose really is better or whether they’re the same.
Love Your Health also has the Coconut Magic in 1lt bottle (as well as a massive range of other MCT products!) for $40.99 (on special).
Nourished Life only has the Melrose Premium Omega DHA + MCT Oil in stock at the moment.
It is fish oil from anchovies and being a vegetarian I don’t want to try this. If you aren’t a vegetarian, however, this could well be your go-to; Omegas and MCT in one whack!
Actually, I may just shoot off a message to Nourished Life asking them to stock Melrose Original MCT as well (Edit 10/1/21 – they did! See message above). Nothing to lose have we. *Edit – I received a response from Nourished Life on 31/5/19:
“Morning Elle
Thanks so much for your product recommendation!!
We will look at adding this to our range in the next few months.
Regards
Michelle”
What is Melrose MCT oil?
That was exactly my first thought too, what is this oil and how is it any different from coconut oil? In fact, I recommended MCT oil to my friend, and she asked exactly the same question: “What is the difference between coconut oil and MCT oil?”
Let’s figure that out! Starting with:
What are MCTs?
MCT stands for ‘medium-chain triglyceride’.
They are a particular type of fat that is rarer in our diet than longer chain triglycerides. Long-chain fats require more work from our body to break down for digestion, such as the production of bile. Medium-chain triglycerides do not require the same work from our bodies and are instead transported straight to our liver to be turned into fuel.
So, very simply (and of course there’s way more to it), MCTs are straight fuel (and therefore energy) for our body, whereas LCTs (longer chain triglycerides) take work to turn into energy.
What’s the difference between coconut oil and MCT oil?
Coconut oil itself is actually a pretty great source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
Dr. Axe mentions that roughly 62% to 65% of the fatty acids in coconut are MCTs. MCT oil is a more concentrated form of those medium-chain triglycerides; as far as I can figure, Melrose MCT is 100% medium-chain triglycerides.
Are MCT’s only available as oil?
Well, as I just found out, no!
There are MCT powders as well. Aussie Health Products has ‘Paleo Pure MCT Powder‘ for $35.50. Apparently, you can add the powder to hot drinks, cold drinks, or baked goods. The recommended dose is one teaspoon a day, so the tub would last a month.
Nourished Life has MCT powder as well, as does Love Your Health.
Are MCT powders as good as oil?
The short answer, as far as I could figure, is yes. Powder is just as good as oil.
However, you need more due diligence on the MCT powder you choose than you would on oil. Oil is quite transparent, what you see is what you get. The bottle will list ‘100% oil’ and that is it.
With MCT powders, however, not only do you need to check what type of oil it is, you also need to check other ingredients. Making powder out of oil requires processing and a carrier powder. If you’ve worked hard to get to ketosis, an MCT powder with glucose or maltodextrin as carrier powder will do more harm than good.
Also make sure the powder you choose does not have any flavours, preservatives, or other dodgy fillers.
Powder is convenient, especially if you want to take it travelling or in your handbag – it won’t leak either! I think there’s definitely a place for powder, but as a rule, I’m going to stick with the purest thing available, which is the oil.
If you’re currently taking collagen, or wanting to take both collagen and MCT together, I saw something interesting on Nourished Life – Locako MCT Oil & Grass Fed Collagen Coffee Creamer.
Unfortunately I won’t be reviewing it because: “Grass-fed collagen is naturally high-quality, as it comes from animals that were fed on greens and were also free to wander and forage.” I haven’t looked into collagen enough to know how it’s made or where it comes from as of yet, but I avoid products that ‘come from animals’.
Why Melrose MCT?
- It’s made with only the best part of the coconut (sorry, it doesn’t mention yet which part that is)
- They use 100% coconut oil, not palm oil due to the associated negative ecological effects caused by palm oil plantations.
- It is free of herbicides
- It’s free of pesticides
- it’s sustainably farmed in the Phillipines
- Bottled in Australia.
- They scrutinise and test every step of the way to ensure their quality stays high.
Melrose MCT oil ingredients
100% medium-chain triglycerides derived from coconut oil (C8, C10)
Nutritional information
- Energy per 15 ml: 548kJ 130Cal
- per 100ml: 3654kJ 873Cal
- Protein <0.1g
- Gluten: nil
- Fat, Total per 15ml: 14.7g
- per 100ml: 97.7g
- Saturated per 15ml: 14.7g
- per 100ml: 97.7g
- Trans <0.1g
- Carbohydrates per 15ml: 0.34g
- per 100ml: 2.3g
- Sugars: <0.1g
- Sodium per 15ml: <0.1mg
- per 100ml: <5mg
Why are there carbs in MCT oil?
If any of my readers are scientifically minded, could you explain to me why, as ingredients are listed as 100% medium-chain triglycerides, carbohydrate is present in MCT oil?
A Google search didn’t reveal much, so I’ve sent an email to Melrose direct this morning (1/6/19):
Hi there,
I am loving Melrose MCT oil and have just written a pretty glowing review about it.
One question I have please, is why there are carbohydrates in the MCT oil?
This may be a silly question, and I apologise beforehand if it is, but I tried to find an answer to it on Google unsuccessfully so I thought I’d try Melrose direct 🙂
Thank you so much,
Elle Meager
MCT oil side effects
Upon taking a heaped tablespoon on the first day, I experienced some serious diarrhoea and my tummy was off as well. It didn’t detract from the increased energy levels, but was pretty uncomfortable. As described above, start really slowly!
My friend experienced the same side effects, but worse. She also took a big tablespoon on the first day and was unable to work that day due to stomach upset and bad diarrhoea. The next day with only 1 teaspoon she loved the effect it was having on her energy levels, but the diarrhoea had turned into mild constipation.
The bottle cautions:
“Discontinue use if you experience nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, or other gastrointestinal discomfort. Consult a doctor before use if you have diabetes, cirrhosis, acidosis and liver problems.”
That should probably be ‘or liver problems’, but I could be nit-picking right now.
Natural sources of MCT
Coconut oil of course! And, as per Dr. Axe’s website:
certain other foods with saturated fats, including butter (especially butter from grass-fed cows), cheeses, palm oil, whole milk and full-fat yoghurt.
Melrose MCT Oil recipes
My favourite way is straight into my coffee. Not sure if that makes it a ‘Bulletproof’ coffee or not, but it’s deliciously creamy without changing the taste of the coffee. I feel so grateful to have found something so awesome that I can drink with my favourite beverage without it tasting yuck!
Melrose lists a cool recipe for coffee with an espresso shot, ghee, MCT oil, cinnamon, turmeric, and maca powder in a blender. Click on the link below for the recipe.
- MCT Coffee Recipe by Melrose Health
- Melrose Berry, Beet & Almond MCT Smoothie
- Melrose Health Lemon & Pistachio MCT Keto Bombs
- Super Greens MCT Salad by Melrose
Wholesome Yum has a recipe for Bulletproof Coffee with MCT Oil, described as ‘The BEST bulletproof coffee recipe with MCT oil!’ This recipe has quite a few good reviews, so give it a go!
- Wholesome Yum Bulletproof Coffee Recipe
- Wholesome Yum Keto Fat Bomb Recipe – Easy chocolate fat bombs with coconut and MCT oil.
- Low Carb Yum – Egg Fast Coconut Oil Mayonnaise for Keto Diet – a homemade MCT mayonnaise recipe
- Healthful Pursuit – Dairy-free Keto Caesar Salad Dressing with MCT Oil – Paleo, keto, supersonic energy
- Traditional Cooking School – THM Probiotic Cucumber Ranch Dressing – MCT Oil listed as optional add-in.
- Whole New Mom – Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
There is a tonne of recipes for using MCT oil on Pinterest and Google.
Is Melrose MCT Oil suitable for allergies and intolerances?
Yes! It will suit most people as this MCT oil is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, grain-free, vegetarian, and vegan.
If you’re in need of a ‘kick up the bum’ – why not try MCT oil! You can’t go wrong for $20. Just start slowly, that’s my main recommendation for using MCT oil.
Have you used MCT Oil? What did you think?
