Mike Weis wrote:
>
>I just read an article the other day which asserted that milk products
> contain trans fatty acids...supposedly the worst kind. I don't recall
> seeing this anywhere in the paleo literature that I've read.
>
> Anyone know whether this is true or not?

There are lots of different kinds of trans fats, natural and industrial.
CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, is a collective term for eight
different trans fats that are isomers of linoleic acid, the most common
omega-6 PUFA. The most common one of these CLA isomers is Rumenic Acid,
or cis-9, t-11, octadecadienoic acid. It's made by biohydrogenation of
LA by bacteria in the rumen of cows and sheep (and maybe other
ruminants, such as goats and deer), and may also be formed from
trans-vaccenic acid (a monounsaturate). It's found in butter, cheese,
and meat, and is thought to have many remarkable health benefits. The
highest levels are present when the diet of the animals is fresh green
grass. Now that everyone has figured out that trans fat is bad for you,
and they've gotten it on the nutrition label, CLA will be tarred with
the same brush, which is stupid. But they're still saying saturated fat
is evil, so I don't pay much attention anyway. There are many, many
other trans isomers of all the different MUFA and PUFA, but I haven't
heard anything about any of their health properties. I don't even know
which ones are supposed to be the bad ones--the ones made from
industrial hydrogenation of soybean and other oils.

Hilary McClure
Danville, Vermont