Benefits of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) In Grass-fed Beef
Many individuals today have turned to expensive CLA supplements for its numerous health benefits. CLA is a fatty acid which is known to help the body to reduce fat and retain muscle tissue. It also causes increases in the metabolic rate, enhances muscle growth, lowers harmful triglycerides and cholesterol, lowers insulin resistance, reduces food related allergic reactions, and enhances the immune system. Ironically, these same individuals could get all of these benefits free of charge in their food!
CLA is found in concentrated forms in organically raised beef and organic dairy products. This is especially true when cows are allowed to graze freely on high quality pasture lands. The meat of naturally raised, grazing cattle and their related dairy products contain a much higher quantity of CLA than cattle which receive grain, silage, hay, or other conserved feeds. Even when the cattle are fed pasture grasses that are conserved as hay, the differences are still quite noticeable.
Scientific Research on CLA
Larry Satter is an agricultural research scientist in Madison, Wisconsin. Over the last two years he has conducted extensive research on the concentrations of CLA in pasture-raised cattle. He found that these animals had an average of 500% more CLA than others which are fed silage.
Larry Satter is currently located at the Dairy Forage Research Center at 1950 Linden Lane. He welcomes inquiries to his ongoing study and latest findings. He provides his phone number, (608) 264-5353.
The beneficial compounds of CLA can also help overweight individuals to reduce their overall body fat. A study on this phenomenon was conducted in 2000 and published in the December issue of the Journal of Nutrition. This statistical analysis of CLA was placebo-controlled, randomized, and double-blind in order to increase validity and reliability. The study utilized the voluntary assistance of a group of overweight individuals. Half of these individuals were given CLA supplements, the others were given a placebo. The research project manager found that, on average, the control group lost an average of six pounds of fat. According to this study, in order to receive optimum CLA benefits, as related to fat loss, a supplement or dietary intake of 3.4 grams is necessary per day.
Dr. Micael Pariza of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, conducted research on the effects of CLA on fat cells. His findings were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society in August of 2000.
Dr. Pariza states that CLA works primarily to stop fat cells from gaining in size, rather than actually shrinking them. In his study, he did not find any significant weight loss in his 71 participants. However, he did discover that once they stopped dieting and regaining weight, those who continued to take CLA supplements gained muscle instead of fat.
A separate study on CLA, which was conducted in Indiana at Purdue University, studied the effects of CLA and the health and well being of diabetic patients. The researchers discovered that CLA improved the insulin levels of two-thirds of the participants, while moderately reducing the triglyceride and blood glucose levels in virtually all participants.
Many other professional research studies document positive benefits of CLA, especially when it is consumed in food. Since the human body cannot produce its own CLA, it is imperative that the compound be ingested.
Grass-Fed Beef
It is critically important to consume grass-fed beef and dairy products. Cattle are not genetically designed to thrive on grain feeds. Grains are used to fatten the cattle, not to benefit them. Grains do not provide the nutrition that cattle need, therefore, cattle will produce very little, if any, CLA as a result.