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Coconut Oil and Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT Oil) Review

Find the Best Coconut Oil and MCT Oil. See How These Oils Compare on Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), Quality, and Value

Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D. cooperman.png

Initially Posted: 03/03/2019 | Last Updated: 07/14/2020
Coconut and MCT Oils Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Coconut and MCT oil brands compared in this review:

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Barlean's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

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Bulletproof Brain Octane® Oil

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Garden of Life 100% Organic Coconut MCT Oil

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Kirkland Signature [Costco] Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

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Nature's Way Coconut Premium Oil

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Nutiva Organic Liquid Coconut Oil - Classic

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Perfect Keto MCT Oil Powder

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Puritan’s Pride Coconut Oil

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Sports Research Organic Coconut Extra Virgin Oil

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Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

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Vitacost Certified Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

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Viva Naturals Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil

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Zenwise Health MCT Oil

Find the right coconut or MCT oil for you, at the right price! Isn't your health worth it?

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Coconut oil versus MCT oil — Which is best? And how does virgin ("cold pressed") coconut oil, which is semi-solid, compare to refined (fractionated) coconut oil, which is a liquid? We tested leading products to find what they really contained — measuring levels of MCTs (caprylic, capric, lauric acids) and other fatty acids. We also checked to see if they were rancid or contaminated with heavy metals.

Our results clearly show which products provide the highest concentrations of MCTs. They also show that you can spend as little as 7 cents or as much as $1.68 to get the same amount of MCTs depending on the product!

Based on our tests, we selected Top Picks for virgin coconut oil, refined coconut oil, and MCT oil.

You must be a member to get the full test results, along with ConsumerLab's recommendations. You'll get results for 13 products -- eleven selected by ConsumerLab and two others that passed the same testing through our voluntary Quality Certification Program.

In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:
  • Which oils (including those sold in softgel or powder forms) supplements passed or failed our tests
  • ConsumerLab's Top Picks
  • The evidence for or against coconut and MCT oil for weight loss and dieting (including the ketogenic diet), Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and skin and hair care
  • What to look for on coconut and MCT oil labels
  • Coconut and MCT oil dosage for specific uses
  • Concerns, cautions, and potential side effects with coconut and MCT oils, including concerns about heart health

Join to unlock the full report and get full access to over 1,300 reviews

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Related CL Answers (2)

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Learn the health benefits of coconut oil and medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), including evidence from Bulletproof Coffee, clinical studies on obesity, skin, and Alzheimer's disease.

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