What Is MCT Oil?

MCT, or medium-grain triglyceride, oil is a supplement that you’ve probably seen added to smoothies, Bulletproof coffee, salad dressing, or other health-conscious foods. Think of it as a cousin of coconut oil, the type of fat from which some MCT oils are derived. But unlike its fragrant friend, MCT oil is odorless, colorless, and stays liquid at room temperature. And as opposed to a lot of “healthy” food fads out there (ahem, crystal water bottles), this one has some serious science to back up the physical benefits it provides, which include weight loss, energy boosts, and reduced cholesterol.

But What Is MCT Exactly?

First, let’s  get nerdy for a second. Medium-chain triglyceride oil, like its name says, contains medium-length chains of fats called triglycerides. Because of their shorter length, MCTs can be more easily digested and processed by your body, meaning they’re absorbed more quickly than other fats and can be quickly converted into energy. This is the idea behind the keto diet, which allows for MCT oils because many strains of MCT quickly convert fat to ketones for energy.

What Does It Do?

If you’ve been hearing more about MCT, it’s probably because there have been a lot of studies surrounding the benefits of the stuff. Big with keto dieters and intermittent fasters, MCT oil promotes weight loss in a few different ways. For one, it keeps you feeling full. A study found that people who incorporated two tablespoons of MCT oil into their breakfast ended up eating less food at lunch when compared to a group that took coconut oil at brekkie instead. Other research found that MCT oil can help prevent obesity and reduce waist circumference more than its fatty counterparts, such as olive oil.

Similarly, MCT oil has been shown to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increased HDL, the good kind. One study found that men taking MCT oil, phytosterols, and flaxseed oil for 29 days reduced total cholesterol by 12.5 percent. (With good old EVOO, the reduction was only 4.7 percent.)

There’s also some research out there that says MCT oil helps fuel you faster than long-chain triglycerides because they go straight to your gut and to the liver and because of their short length, are quickly broken down into energy and brain food. (Speaking of brain food, some researchers say that MCT oil may help manage epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and autism.)

MCT also fights off bacteria. In one study, MCTs suppressed the growth of widespread infectious fungus in hospitals by 50 percent.

How Much Should I Take and Where Can I Find It?

Stick to about 1-2 tablespoons a day. That’s a good amount to help you get all the benefits and avoid any negative side effects, which may include increased hunger and potential fatty buildup in your liver. Some diehards skip breakfast and use it in their Bulletproof coffee too. Whole Foods has its own brand and carries a slew of different MCT oils, as does your local health food store, most likely. You can also buy this 3-ounce version on Amazon if you want to give it a try before committing to a bigger bottle.

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Related Video: How to Make Ultimate Keto Coffee

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What Is the Difference Between Butter and Ghee?

We all know butter, that silky, creamy spread that makes everything taste better, whether it’s melting into a warm, crumbly cornbread or slathered all over a chicken that’s about to roast in the oven. Simply put, a world without butter is a world we don’t want to live in.

So why even bother with ghee, butter’s slimmer, hipper, more bronzed older sister? For one, it’s lactose-free, which makes it all the rage with Whole30 and Keto devotees these days. (True story: I started buying it from Trader Joe’s last year while on Whole30, and I’ve never gone back.) But ghee is by no means new—it’s been used in Asian cooking for centuries, and has some deep roots in Ayurvedic practices for its anti-inflammatory properties. (Just imagine a ghee massage…yum.) Here’s the lowdown on what makes ghee different from butter.

So, What Is Ghee Exactly?

Ghee is clarified butter, meaning it’s just regular unsalted butter that’s been simmered, which causes the milk solids to separate and leaves behind a golden liquid that’s nutty in flavor. It’s also shelf-stable, so you can store it in the pantry instead of the fridge and it’ll last for months. Plus, because the milk solids have been removed, it’s lactose-free and much less likely to cause a reaction among dairy-sensitive people than butter.

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When To Use Ghee vs Butter

You can still use butter how you normally would: in baked goods and on top of them, too. But keep in mind that the process of making ghee removes water (and regular butter is about 20 percent water), so ghee has a higher smoke point—about 465 degrees compared to butter’s 350. That makes it a rock star for high heat cooking, like roasting a batch of veggies or sauteing garlic. It’s nutty flavor also holds up well against spices, which is why it’s great for curries and sauces. Or, use it like you would a finishing oil and drizzle it over veggies with some sea salt.

How to Make Clarified Butter and When to Use It

Should I Be Making My Own Ghee?

You could, and we’re not going to stop you, even though most grocery stores sell it in bottles nowadays. (Trader Joe’s even has a buffalo version!) Just take one pound (four sticks) of grass-fed, unsalted butter, and cut it into cubes. Arrange in a saucepan, and melt over medium heat for 20 minutes. First it will foam, then bubble, then stop bubbling. Then it’ll foam again. When you start to notice the ghee has a bright gold hue and there are milk solids forming at the base of the pan, that means it’s ready to remove from heat. Let the pan cool for a few minutes, and use a strainer lined with cheesecloth to strain your ghee. Discard the milk proteins that collects in the strainer and store the ghee in a jar. And remember that you don’t have to refrigerate it after that. Just pop it in the pantry for your next cooking adventure.

Related Video: How to Make Brown Butter in the Microwave

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How to Make Whipped Cream

There's no substitute for Homemade Whipped Cream, which tastes far superior than what you can buy at the store. It comes together really quickly and makes your baked goods, pies, and ice cream sundaes taste so much better.

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What Is Aleppo Pepper?

Plenty of chefs have a secret—one of the most prevalent in the last few year was the answer to: “Where do you get your Aleppo pepper?” Known for its’ bright red hue and distinctive smoky flavor, Aleppo pepper has been harder to find as its namesake city in Syria has been ravaged by civil war for the last seven years. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Aleppo pepper along with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of other crops were destroyed in and around Syria between 2011 and 2016. But now some spice vendors are sourcing their Aleppo peppers from nearby Turkey, which means it’s not impossible to get your hands on.

So What Is Aleppo Pepper Exactly?

An Aleppo pepper, or Aleppo chile, is a capsacin-containing pepper that’s ground into a spice, and is often used in Middle-Eastern dishes and condiments like  harissa, kebabs, and za’atar (though people are getting more creative with it, too). Historically, part of the allure of the Aleppo pepper lies in the small-batch preparation method. Instead of washing and coring the pepper, the pepper would be cleaned with cloth, cut on one side to remove seeds, then set on the rooftops of houses to dry in the sun. Once the pepper is partially dry, it is ground, mixed with salt and a bit of olive oil, and left to completely dry.

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Even now, spice makers often rely on family farms to produce the pepper. Because most Aleppo peppers are not likely coming from Aleppo, (a lot of spice growers have moved their operations to Turkey and it’s also being grown in the U.S. now) it’s not uncommon to find peppers labeled “Aleppo-style.” Some chefs find that Aleppo pepper can be used interchangeably with other peppers of the region, such as Marash pepper, Alebi pepper, and Antebi pepper.

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How Spicy Is It?

The Aleppo pepper may be a chile, but you don’t need to pour a glass of milk before you sprinkle it on your scrambled eggs. It actually clocks in at a moderate heat level—around 10,000 on the Scoville scale. In terms of taste, it’s not dissimilar to the red pepper chile flakes you already toss on pasta or your slice of pizza, but may have more of a robust, sundried-tomato like taste.

How Should I Use It?

Think of it as a slightly more sophisticated cousin to crushed red pepper. While the taste may be more pronounced, it’s still an approachable flavor. It’s a mainstay in many Middle-Eastern or Turkish recipes (Nigella Lawson likes to use it in on her Turkish eggs). If you need some inspiration, look to Cook for Syria Recipe Book (bonus: all profits from this book’s sale benefit UNICEF’s Children of Syria fund), The Aleppo Cookbook, or Our Syria. But don’t be afraid to use the pepper to suit whatever happens to be on your weekly menu. It can also be used to spice up popcorn, salads, pasta, and proteins. Reach for it next time you grill pork chops or salmon.

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Where Can I Find It?

First, start with the spice rack in your local grocery store—as we mentioned it’s popping up more now that it’s being grown in the U.S. and Turkey. If that’s a miss, head to your nearest Middle-Eastern market and scope the shelves there. You can also go the online route—we like Sur La Table’s version and you can’t beat the packaging.

Related Video: 40+ Recipes That Will Get You Cooking With Pepper

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