CLA: A Good Trans Fatty Acid?

cookingdiet and heart disease
Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

CLA: A Good Trans Fatty Acid?

Unlike most of the trans fatty acids produced by the industrial hydrogenation of refined oils, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been a small part of the human diet for thousands of years. This is because it is found naturally in the meat and milk of ruminant animals (e.g. cattle, goats, elephants, antelope, deer, sheep, etc.). CLA has been shown to favorably affect body composition of animals (more lean and less fat) and also appears to provide some protection against atherosclerosis and cancer.
However, the amount of CLA available from food is much less than used in animal studies that have shown health benefits. In addition, the human body can convert other naturally occuring trans fatty acids into CLA.1The amount of CLA directly and indirectly obtained from natural sources would still result in considerably less CLA than has been shown to have beneficial effects in animal studies. A recent study in humans used at least three or four times more CLA than Americans are consuming for 13 weeks in subjects who had lost weight on a very low calorie diet. This study did find a modest increase in lean body mass in those receiving the CLA supplement compared to those receiving the placebo. However, overall body weight was not affected so the authors concluded that CLA ?did not result in improved body weight maintenance after weight loss.?2Bottom Line: There is some encouraging but preliminary research on possible health benefits from CLA but the amount found naturally in food is probably too small to have much benefit. Eating more CLA from red meat and dairy products would certainly promote heart disease, obesity and diabetes despite the small amount of potentially beneficial CLA in these foods. CLA is sold as ?Clarinol?. While the research on CLA supplements is somewhat encouraging so far there is insufficient data regarding the long term benefits and potential risks to recommend CLA supplements today.By James J. Kenney, PhD, RD, LD, FACN.1. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:504-102. Int J Obes 2003;27:840-7
Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII discovered her love of cooking at her grandmother's side, stirring raisin oatmeal on a Saturday morning. By 15 she had her first food service job. At 18 she was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated second in her class, then went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland to study pastry arts and baking. A decade with Hyatt Hotels followed before she founded Food and Health Communications with a single conviction: food that is good for you should taste extraordinary.

Judy holds a Master of Professional Studies in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University (Summa Cum Laude), two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and the CIA's Pro Chef II certification. She has earned the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year award.

Today she develops every recipe on this site, shoots and styles food through her food photography and motion studio, and publishes nutrition education materials for dietitians, schools, extension offices, and health professionals through nutritioneducationstore.com. She uses the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to drive her creativity — whether that means a new twist on fajitas or Italian brownies made with toasted nuts and cooked honey. Her mission has never changed: help everyone make food that tastes as good as it is for them.

https://nutritioneducationstore.com
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