The Brain Boosting Power of Coconuts: Supercharging the Body + Mind With
Brain Octane
BY ALEXA GRAY
brain octane mct oil meets bulletproof coffee—a match made in heaven. photo: alexa gray
Brain Octane Oil is one of those products that I just found myself (for whatever reason) being drawn to in the health food store. Maybe it was the hype or maybe it was the label, but I was drawn to the the description on the back of the bottle touting it’s purported health benefits. From improving brain function, to increasing energy and of course, helping people loose weight, this bottle of gooey goodness seemed to hit all the right buzzwords. So is it all marketing or are there any actual health benefits?
Where was the science that backed up these claims? Where did the oil come from and how is it processed? In my search to find out the truth about this supposed miracle compound from coconuts, I began asking the producers themselves about all the details. I decided to write to Dave Asprey, the genius behind Bulletproof coffee and the MCT craze himself, and these were his answers.1. What is Brain Octane Oil and how is it made? Is there any palm oil involved in the making of this product?
Brain Octane is a staple of the Bulletproof Diet and a key ingredient in Bulletproof Coffee. Brain Octane raises fat-burning, brain-fueling molecules in your body called ketones much more than coconut oil or another broad category of fat generically called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Brain Octane is the most effective type of MCT you can use to help lose weight, curb your hunger, kick your brain into a higher gear, and even recover faster. In fact, Brain Octane is more than 4 times as effective as coconut oil at raising ketones – recent research shows that coconut oil doesn’t raise ketones any more than fasting for 8 hours.
Brain Octane is a potent and extremely bioavailable fuel source for your mental and physical performance. Instead of using carbohydrates for fuel, which can be stored in your body as fat, Brain Octane encourages your body to use ketones as fuel.
There is no palm oil in Brain Octane Oil – it’s 100% derived from coconuts, making Brain Octane 100% orangutan friendly.
2. Is there anything synthetic about this product?
Brain Octane Oil is all-natural, triple-distilled from pure coconut oil and lab-tested for purity. No C12, no solvents – no trace anything. It’s 100% pure.
Most MCT oils are refined using chemical solvents (even deodorized with bleach). All-natural Brain Octane is cleaned using earthen clay and refined using only heat, water, and pressure so there’s no potential for residual solvents.
3. Why is it in liquid form versus solid (like coconut oil we see on shelves)?
In short, different fat molecules stay solid at room temperature and some fat molecules stay liquid at room temp. MCT oil is derived from coconut oil and in the extraction process, the chemical structure of the fat changes. There are “kinks” in the molecular structure of MCTs that keep them liquid at room temp.
4. How do you ethically source your coconuts?
The coconuts used to make Brain Octane are sourced directly from farmers in a direct trade model similar to Bulletproof Coffee. This ensures the money goes to the people doing the work rather than middlemen.
Sourcing from 100% sustainable coconuts instead of palm oil also helps to protect the wild orangutan population in Southeast Asia. Destroying rainforests and killing orangutans are not Bulletproof. Bulletproof Brain Octane is processed in the US, not overseas, which makes it more expensive, but allows us to monitor the quality more closely. Plus, this combats outsourcing (even more control over quality!) and the people processing Brain Octane get a fair wage.
5. What are the benefits of Brain Octane Oil?
Brain Octane:
+ Is a reliable and quick source of energy from fat, not sugar or starchy carbs that come with a crash
+ Helps your body burn fat (increases thermogenesis)
+ Supports cognitive performance and focus
+ Frees you from food and sugar cravings, keeping you satisfied for hours
+ Quality fats that power you up and won’t weigh you down
+ Distilled from 100% pure coconut oil from sustainably sourced coconuts
+ A unique energy source that provides ketone energy – clean burning fuel for your body and mind
6. How much should one consume?
Start slowly and work your way up.
Too little Brain Octane won’t curb hunger or put you deep enough into fat-burning ketosis to make a difference. Too much leads to what we call “disaster pants,” aka stomach upset.
Starting slowly means starting with about 1 tsp. in your morning Bulletproof Coffee or drizzled over your food. Work your way up over the course of a week or two, building the dose until you stop getting hungry. For many, this is about 1-2 tablespoons per serving.
Alexa’s Carmel Bulletproof Coffee Recipe
16 ounces of bulletproof coffee
1 teaspoon of brain octane oil
1/2 cup of coconut milk or nut milk
2 Tablespoons of Acorn + Roots blend
1 Tablespoon of maca
Dash of Cinnamon
2-3 Drops of Butterscotch Stevia
Blend all ingredients together.
About The Authors
Alexa Gray. After receiving her Bachelor Degree as a fine art photographer and later in life as a Certified Health Coach, Alexa fused her passions together to create the successful health & wellness blog, SuperFoodSuperLife.com. Soon after, she began working with like-minded brands who needed her support and passion. She helps companies build their own content and develop creative ways to get noticed in the public eye. She now runs the boutique content creation and brand management company, Gray Media Lab, a dynamic platform that helps her clients upgrade their business in places where they may not have thought possible.
