Hello, friends! I know, I basically never do reviews, so this must be strange to see. However, the other day, I was looking at some vegan keto snack options that didn’t have many reviews and I realized how much I like seeing actual reviews of products. So, I’ve decided I’m going to start posting some reviews of all the various plant-based keto-friendly packaged foods out there.

Like for many of you, my morning coffee is a pretty big deal to me. Even though I drink decaf now, I still really look forward to enjoying a nice big cup (or two!) of coffee every morning. One of the most common questions I get is, “what can I use for coffee creamer on a vegan keto diet?” And I get why – so many non-dairy creamers are loaded with sugar, and using unsweetened non-dairy milk definitely leaves something to be desired. Plus, most non-dairy creamers out there aren’t very heavy on the fat, which is key for both satiety and aiding in ketone production.

So, for my first review, I thought I’d start with something I already use on a near-daily basis: Perfect Keto Powdered MCT Oil. There are a bunch of flavors, but my favorite for coffee is the original, unflavored version. This may seem like a splurge, but it’s worth it (plus, you can save 10% with my code MEATFREE). Over the years, I’ve tried pretty much every brand of keto-friendly vegan coffee creamer out there, and this one really is the best tasting and mixing.

For starters, the main (and pretty much only) ingredient in this creamer is MCT oil. I love the idea of using MCT oil in coffee (MCT stands for medium chain triglyceride). For starters, medium chain triglycerides aren’t metabolized like normal fats, but are sent directly to the liver for immediate conversion into ketone bodies, which is why it seems like MCTs give you immediate energy…they literally do! This has really helped me focus in the morning, especially with giving up caffeinated coffee this summer. I still get a nice mental boost from my coffee from the MCT oil.

Aside from quick digestion, MCT oil also boasts additional Studies have also shown that MCT oil supports cognitive function (sources: 1, 2, 3), aids in fat loss (source) and can increase performance during endurance training (source). There are plenty of additional perks of consuming MCT oil, so if you want to learn more about MCT oil, and why it can be so beneficial on a ketogenic diet, check out this research-based article.

So, back to my coffee. Because of the benefits we just discussed, I really like the idea of mixing MCT oil into my morning coffee. But, you may remember from science class (or trying to make salad dressing) that oil and water (or coffee) don’t really mix well. I don’t love the sensation of drinking an oil slick on top of my morning brew, so I’ve found over the years that powdered MCT oil is the way to go to achieve a creamy and delicious cup of coffee that packs that MCT punch, and the powdered MCT oil from Perfect Keto really is the best out there. It makes my coffee creamy, delicious (and ketone-boosting!) without tasting like coconut or plastic, like so many other brands do.

Of course, this is a review and not a praise-a-thon, so I would be remiss if I only mentioned the positives. If I could change one thing about this product, it would be how it mixes. If you just dump it into your coffee, you’re going to have a bad time unless you have one of those little handheld frothers. What I’ve found works best is scooping the powder into the empty cup, then mixing it with a little of the coffee (or whatever hot liquid you’re using) and then pouring in the rest of the liquid (see below image). The only other little qualm I have is the price – it’s definitely not cheap, however, I understand that I’m paying for quality here. I’ve definitely tried out cheaper alternatives that just tasted gross and rendered my poor coffee undrinkable. So, I’m willing to pay a bit more (plus, as I mentioned above – you can save 10% with the code MEATFREE.

So, as you can tell, I really like this powdered MCT oil (I also really like the matcha flavor – review to come!). Here’s a little summary of the pros and cons I discussed above!

Pros:

• Flavor – this is a big one for me. Perfect Keto Powdered MCT Oil tastes rich and creamy. It doesn’t have a coconutty taste or a weird plastic taste like so many other products out there. 
• Ingredients – There are literally two ingredients in this: MCT oil and gum acacia, to make it into powder. As someone who really values the quality of ingredients, this is huge for me.
• Energy boost – because it is metabolized directly in the liver, MCT oil is quickly converted to ketones to give a burst of morning energy.
• Creaminess – I thought about saying “not oily,” but “creaminess” just sounded better to me. You get the benefits of MCT oil, but without the unpleasantness of drinking straight oil. It’s also smooth and not gritty.
• It’s actually keto-friendly – it seems silly that I have to write this, but so many products out there claim to be keto-friendly and then contain an entire teaspoon of coconut sugar per serving. This does not. Both the unflavored MCT oil powder and my other coffee fave, the vanilla flavored MCT oil powder contain just 3g of net carbs per scoop (I usually use a half scoop per cup of coffee). 

Cons:

• Mixability – basically, if you pour the powder into hot liquid, it doesn’t mix too well unless you have one of those handheld frothers. What I do to get around this, is put the powder in the cup first and then pour a little bit of the liquid over the powder, stir it completely before adding the rest. It takes an extra five seconds, but is worth the effort. This also means that it doesn’t mix well in cold liquids, which is fine if you’re like me and like your beverages warm-to-hot, but I have found it requires the extra bit of mixing at the start
• Price – the cost comes out to about $1 per scoop if you use the code MEATFREE to save 10%, which I admit is a little steep for coffee creamer…It is a treat I am willing to splurge for, though! I usually use 1/2 scoop per cup of coffee (and then have two cups), so it’s about $1 per day for me. It’s still much more affordable than a latte, though, and is actually functional!

The conclusion to this review isn’t so much a surprise, because I knew from the start I really liked this product, but I hope you found the review somewhat helpful! If you have any other questions about