> Kidney fat is harder, with more stearic acid.
> 
> Todd Moody

Interesting. The research reports in my files mostly suggest that stearic
acid is less "harmful" than the other SFAs. Ray Audette and others even
state that stearic acid is an antioxidant. For example:


<<Stearic acid (18:0) appears to be neutral in its LDL-C-raising potential
and how it affects LDL metabolism. >>
--"Dietary fat saturation effects on low-density-lipoprotein concentrations
and metabolism in various animal models." Nicolosi RJ.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&c
md=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=9129502

<<Not all saturated fatty acids found in foods add to the risk of heart
disease; four (caproic, caprylic, capric, and stearic) appear to have a
neutral effect on LDL cholesterol, and three (lauric, myristic, and
palmitic) actually have LDL-increasing potential (German and Dillard
2004).>> --"Greener Pastures, How Grass-Fed Beef and Milk Contribute to
Healthy Eating"

<< Approximately half the fat in red meat consists of stearic acid, a
powerful antioxidant, which reduces your risk of both arteriosclerosis and
cancer.>> --Ray Audette, NeanderThin Frequently Asked Questions

<<Conclusion: Stearic acid can protect cortical neurons against oxidative
stress by boosting the internal antioxidant enzymes. Its neuroprotective
effect may be mainly mediated by the activation of PPARy and new protein
synthesis in cortical neurons. --Wang Ze-Jian et al, "Stearic acid protects
primary cultured cortical neurons against oxidative stress,"
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18574534>>

<<Ascorbyl stearate is formed from the esterification of stearic acid and
ascorbic acid together. It is used as a source of vitamin C, and as an
antioxidant ...>> --"Antioxidants,"
www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2001/anderson/antioxidants.htm

<<In metabolic ward studies, butter fat raised LDL cholesterol levels
significantly higher than [the higher stearic-acid-containing] beef tallow
[Denke MA, Grundy SM.  Effects of fats high in stearic acid on lipid and
lipoprotein concentrations in men. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;54:1036-40.].>>
--Loren Cordain, PaleoDiet symposium list archives, Mon, 26 May 1997
15:43:00 -0600

<<Using computerized dietary analyses of the wild plant and animal foods,
our research team has shown that the usual fat breakdown in hunter-gatherer
diets was 55-65% monounsaturated fat, 20-25% polyunsaturated fat (with an
omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 2:1), 10-15% saturated fat (with about half being
the neutral stearic acid).>> 

<<Following consumption of a diet enriched with stearic acid for 40 days,
blood platelets and some other hemostatic factors were less activated than
following a diet enriched in palmitic acid. [Schoene NW, Allman MA,
Doughtery RM, and Iacono JM. 1994. Dissimilar responses of platelets to
dietary stearic and palmitic acids. Am J Clin Nutr 60:S1059.] 
--Saturated Fat and Beef Fat as Related to Human Health: A Review of the
Scientifi c Literature, Ellin Doyle, Ph.D.>>

<<Serum fatty acids were measured in stored serum samples from 197 Japanese
cases of stroke and compared to those in samples from 591 controls.
Percentage composition of myristic and palmitic acids (but not of stearic
acid) were significantly higher and of linoleic acid were significantly
lower in cases than in controls. These associations remained significant
after adjustment for smoking and other cardiovascular risk factors [Iso H,
et al, 2002. Linoleic acid, other fatty acids, and the risk of stroke.
Stroke 33:2086-2093.].
--Saturated Fat and Beef Fat as Related to Human Health: A Review of the
Scientific Literature, Ellin Doyle, Ph.D.>>


HOWEVER some studies did find problems with stearic acid:

<<Conclusion: A distinction between stearic acid and other saturated fats
does not appear to be important in dietary advice to reduce CHD risk, in
part because of the high correlation between stearic acid and other
saturated fatty acids in typical diets.>> [Dietary saturated fats and their
food sources in relation to the risk of coronary heart disease in women,
Frank B Hu et al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 70, No. 6,
1001-1008, December 1999,
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/70/6/1001?ijkey=108ffd5a9260094fd9b
d5effd48ccf1d2a40e018&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha]

<<In this study, we demonstrated that saturated FFAs, such as palmitic acid
and stearic acid, markedly suppressed the granulosa cell survival in a time-
and dose-dependent manner. ... These effects of FFAs on granulosa cell
survival may be a possible mechanism for reproductive abnormalities, such as
amenorrhea, which is frequently observed in obese women.>> [Mu YM et al,
"Saturated FFAs, palmitic acid and stearic acid, induce apoptosis in human
granulosa cells." Endocrinology. 2001 Aug;142(8):3590-7.]