Udo Erasmus, pioneer of essential fatty acids, EFA's, omega-3, omega fats, Udo's Choice, Udo's Oil, cold-pressed flax-seed oil, trans-fats, Trans Fatty acids

 
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CLA - Conjugated or Compromised?

 

PART 8: What Should be our Focus?

 

Recall that EFAs cannot be made by the body, must be present for the normal (healthy) functioning of every cell, tissue, gland, and organ, and must therefore be provided by foods. Since EFAs are easily destroyed by light, oxygen, and heat, oils containing them should be made and stored under protection from these destructive influences, and should not be used for high heat applications in the home.

While they can be used in hot soup or on steamed vegetables, they should not be fried, deep-fried, or even sautéed. They can be used in all kinds of foods-cold, warm, and boiling water-hot foods. EFAs come in two varieties: omega-3 and omega-6. Both are essential. Both are sensitive to destruction. omega-3 is too low for good health in most people's diet. Low and no fat diets are too low in omega-3 and omega-6. Omega-6 is too low in people who use flax oil exclusively as the source of EFAs in their diet (these are primarily people who have been misled, by research on the benefits of omega-3s and problems caused by omega-6s, to seek to remove omega-6s from their diet.

It is important to obtain both EFAs in the most beneficial ratio, which we find to be 2 omega-3s to each omega-6. It is also important that our EFAs come from oils that retain their 'minor ingredients', which include antioxidants, phytosterols, lecithin, and other oil-soluble molecules present in seeds and nuts. These 'minor ingredients' have major health benefits. When colorless, odorless, tasteless, shelf-stable oils are made, the 'minor ingredients' are removed from oils for the sake of longer shelf life. In addition, some of the fatty acid molecules present in the oil are changed from natural to toxic. The toxicity blamed on omega-6 oils like corn and safflower results primarily from the removal of 'minor ingredients', damage to fatty acids due to careless processing, and lack of sufficient omega-3.

 



Summary and Recommendations: Bottom Line


Instead of using CLA, we need in our diet EFAs made with health in mind, in an optimal omega-3: omega-6 ratio, pressed from organically grown seeds, and retaining their natural antioxidants, phytosterols, and other 'minor ingredients'. Being far less expensive than CLA, such oils can be taken in the 30 to 150 gram/day range over the long term, and confer all of the health benefits hyped for but not delivered by CLA.

We recommend this approach as part of the 'The Right Fat Diet®', a food program emphasizes green vegetables, the right fat rich in both EFAs in the right ratio and made, packaged, stored and used right (carefully with health in mind), and proteins as the foundation for good health. To make sure that digestion works effectively, we recommend that digestive enzymes be taken with meals. The Right Fat Diet® lowers most cardiovascular risk factors, provides the EFAs essential for insulin function, inhibits fat production and enhances fat burning, promotes healthy fat loss, increases thermogenesis, and improves insulin sensitivity.

The Right Fat Diet® also improves brain function and mood, inhibits cancer, enhances bone mineral retention, improves protein retention, has anti-catabolic benefits, improves skin beauty, increases energy, stamina, performance, recovery, and healing of injuries, and improves thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive gland functions. Further, The Right Fat Diet® decreases inflammation, improves digestion, reduces allergy symptoms, and decreases the problems of autoimmune conditions.

Finally, The Right Fat Diet® enhances food flavors, suppresses appetite, and improves the absorption from food of oil-soluble phytonutrients with health benefits. All of the benefits touted for CLA (and more) are more effectively provided by good old EFAs. That's why we use the following slogan:

"Forget CLA, and remember EFA."



 

References - click link for article or abstract



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  2. Eulitz K et al. Preparation, separation, and confirmation of the eight geometrical cis/trans conjugated linoleic acid isomers 8,10- through 11,13-18:2. Lipids 1999 Aug; 34(8): 873-7.


  3. Ma DW et al. Conjugated linoleic acid in Canadian dairy and beef products. J Agric Food Chem 1999 May; 47(5): 1956-60.


  4. Bauman DE et al. Technical note: production of butter with enhanced conjugated linoleic acid for use in biomedical studies with animal models. J Dairy Sci 2000 Nov; 83(11): 2422-5.


  5. Hurst WJ et al. Determination of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentrations in milk chocolate. J Agric Food Chem 2001 Mar; 49(3): 1264-5.


  6. Jung MO et al. Effects of temperature and agitation rate on the formation of conjugated linoleic acids in soybean oil during hydrogenation process. J Agric Food Chem 2001 Jun; 49(6): 3010-6.


  7. Ogawa J et al. Conjugated Linoleic Acid Accumulation via 10-Hydrozy-12-Octadecaenoic Acid during Microaerobic Transformation of Linoleic Acid by Lactobacillus acidophilus. Appl Environ Microbiol 2001 Mar; 67(3): 1246-52.


  8. Chuang LT et al. Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on fungal delta6-desaturase activity in a transformed yeast system. Lipids 2001 Feb 36(2): 139-43.


  9. Sisk MB et al. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid reduces adiposity in lean but not obese zucker rats. J Nutr 2001 Jun; 13(6): 1668-74.


  10. Bulgarella JA et al. Modulation of prostaglandin H synthase activity by conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and specific CLA isomers. Lipids 2001 Apr; 36(4): 407-12.


  11. Rahman SN et al. Effects of conjugated linoleic acid on serum leptin concentration, body-fat accumulation, and beta-oxidation of fatty acid in OLETF rats. Nutrition 2001 May; 17(5): 385-90.


  12. Ryder JV et al. Isomer-specific antidiabetic properties of conjugated linoleic acid. Improved glucose tolerance, skeletal muscle insulin action, and UCP-2 gene expression. Diabetes 2001 May; 50(5): 1149-57.


  13. Miner JL et al. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), body fat, and apoptosis. Obes Res 2001 Feb; 9(2): 129-34.


  14. Bassaganya-Riera J et al. Effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid in nursery pigs of dirty and clean environments on growth, empty body composition, and immune competence. J Anim Sci 2001 Mar; 79(3): 714-21.


  15. Whigham LD et al. CLA reduces antigen-induced histamine and PGE(2) release from sensitized guinea pig tracheae. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2001 Mar; 280(3): R908-12.


  16. Thomas Yeung CH et al. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid mixture affects the activity of intestinal acyl coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase in hamsters. Br J Nutr 2001 Dec; 84(6): 935-41.


  17. Hubbard NE et al. Reduction of murine mammary tumor metastasis by conjugated linoleic acid. Cancer Lett 2000 Mar 13; 150(1): 93-100.


  18. McCarty MF. Activation of PPARgamma may mediate a portion of the anticancer activity of conjugated linoleic acid. Med Hypotheses 2000 Sep; 55(3): 187-8.


  19. Bee G. Dietary conjugated linoleic acids alter adipose tissue and milk lipids of pregnant and lactating sows. J Nutr 2000 Sep; 130(9): 2292-8.


  20. Yang M et al. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid protects against end stage disease of systemic jupus erythematosus in the NZB/W F1 mouse. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2000 Aug; 22(3): 433-49.


  21. Azain MJ et al. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid reduces rat adipose tissue cell size rather than cell number. J Nutr 2000 Jun; 130(6): 1548-54.


  22. Stangl GL. Conjugated linoleic acids exhibit a strong fat-to-lean partitioning effect, reduce serum VLDL lipids and redistribute tissue lipids in food-restricted rats. J Nutr 2000 May; 130(5): 1140-46.


  23. Twibell RG et al. Effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acids on hepatic and muscle lipids in hybrid striped bass. Lipids 2000 Feb; 35(2): 155-61.


  24. Baumgard LH et al. Identification of the conjugated linoleic acid isomer that inhibits milk fat synthesis. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2000 Jan; 278(1): R179-84.


  25. Yamasake M et al. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid increases immunoglobulin productivity of Sprague-Dawley rat spleen lymphocytes. Biosci Biotecnol Biochem 2000 Oct; 64(10): 2159-64.


  26. Park Y et al. Evidence that the trans-10,cis-12 isomer of conjugated linoleic acid induces body composition changes in mice. Lipids 1999 Mar; 34(3): 235-41.


  27. Banni S et al. Decrease in linoleic acid metabolites as a potential mechanism in cancer risk reduction by conjugated linoleic acid. Carcinogenesis 1999 Jun; 20(6): 1019-24.


  28. Banni S et al. An increase in vitamin A status by the feeding of conjugated linoleic acid. Nutr Cancer 1999; 33(1): 53-7.


  29. Cesano A et al. Opposite effects of linoleic acid and conjugated linoleic acid on human prostatic cancer in SCID mice. Anticancer Res 1998 May-Jun; 18(3A): 1429-34.


  30. Sugano M et al. Conjugated linoleic acid modulates tissue levels of chemical mediators and immunoglobulins in rats. Lipids 1998 May; 33(5): 521-7.


  31. Aydin R et al. Olive oil prevents the adverse effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid on chick hatchability and egg quality. J Nutr 2001 Mar; 13(3): 800-6.


  32. Yamasaki M et al. Effect of dietary conjugated linoleic acid on lipid peroxidation and histological changes in rat liver tissues. J Agric Food Chem 2000 Dec; 48(12): 6367-71.


  33. Du M et al. Effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid and linoleic:linolenic acid ratio on polyunsaturated fatty acid status in laying hens. Poult Sci 2000 Dec; 79(12): 1749-56.


  34. Tsuboyama-Kasaoka N et al. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation reduces adipose tissue by apoptosis and develops lipodystrophy in mice. Diabetics 2000 Sep; 49(9): 1543-42.


  35. Latour MA et al. Effects of conjugated linoleic acid. 1. Fatty acid modification of yolks and neonatal fatty acid metabolism. Poult Sci 2000 Jun; 79(6): 817-21.


  36. Stangl GL. High dietary levels of a conjugated linoleic acid mixture alter hepatic glycerophopholipid class profile and cholesterol-carrying serum lipoproteins of rats. J Nutr Biochem 2000 Apr 1; 11(4): 184-91.


  37. de Deckere EA et al. Effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers on lipid levels and peroxisome proliferation in the hamster. Br J Nutr 1999 Oct; 82(4): 309-17.


  38. Sebodio JL et al. Geometry of conjugated bonds of CLA isomers in a commercial mixture and their hepatic 20:4 metabolites. Lipids 1999 Dec; 34(12): 1319-25.


  39. Li Y et al. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid alter serum IGF_1 and IGF binding protein concentrations and reduce bone formation in rats fed (omega-6) or (omega-3) fatty acids. J Bone Miner Res 1999 Jul; 14(7): 1153062.


  40. Munday JS et al. Dietary conjugated linoleic acids promote fatty streak formation in the C57BL/6 mouse atherosclerosis model. Br J Nutr 1999 Mar; 81(3): 251-5.


  41. Petrik MB et al. Highly unsaturated )omega-3) fatty acids, but not alpha-linolenic, conjugated linoleic, or gamma-linolenic acids, reduce tumorigenesis in Apc(Min/+) mice. J Nutr 2000 Oct; 130(10): 1434-43.


  42. Benito P et al. The effect of conjugated linoleic acid on plasma lipoproteins and tissue fatty acid composition in humans. Lipids 2001 Mar; 36(3): 229-36.


  43. Benito P et al. The effect of conjugated linoleic acid on platelet function, platelet fatty acid composition, and blood coagulation in humans. Lipids 2001 Mar; 36(3): 221-7.


  44. Elias SL, Innis SM. Infant plasma trans, omega-6, and omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids are related to maternal plasma fatty acids, length of gestation, and birth weight and length. Am J Clin Nutr 2001 Apr; 73(4): 807-14.


  45. Kelly DS et al. Dietary conjugated linoleic acid did not alter immune status in young healthy women. Lipids 2000 Oct; 35(10): 1065071.


  46. Basu S et al. Conjugated linoleic acid induces lipid peroxidation in men with abdominal obesity. Clin Sci (Colch) 2000 Dec; 99(6): 511-6.


  47. Lucchi L et al. Changes in conjugated linoleic acid and its metabolites in patients with chronic renal failure. Kidney Int 2000 Oct; 58(4): 1695-702.


  48. Medina EA et al. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation in humans: effects on circulating leptin concentrations and appetite. Lipids 2000 Jul; 35(7): 783-8.


  49. Zambell KI et al. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation in humans: effects on body composition and energy expenditure. Lipids 2000 Jul; 35(7): 777-82.


  50. Basu S et al. Conjugated linoleic acid induces lipid peroxidation in humans. FEBS Lett 2000 Feb 18; 468(1): 33-6.


  51. Blankson H et al. Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat in overweight and obese humans. J Nutr 2000 Dec; 1301(12): 2943-8.


  52. Herbel BK et al. Safflower oil consumption does not increase plasma conjugated linoleic acid in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1998 Feb; 67(2): 332-7.

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