Thomas Bridgeland wrote:

> On Monday, April 4, 2005, at 07:34  AM, 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?
>>
>
> Yep, read that several places recently. Apparently milk and meat too,
> have natural trans acids, though not the same ones you get from
> margarine. Perfectly natural and not to be worried about.

Butter and meat contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a natural trans
fatty acid which is believed to be quite healthful.  Free range products
contain more of it than grain-finished, at least by percentage.  I don't
know if the absolute amount is different.  Comparisons of this sort are
complicated by the fact that grain-finished meats tend to be higher in
total fat.  Anyway, the main point is indeed that not all trans fats are
evil.

Todd Moody