I recently saw an interesting article on a European news site (http://nutraingredients.com). The title, "Kangaroo Produces Five Times More CLA Than Lamb." Have any of you eaten a Kangaroo? Maybe you are missing out? This animal seems to be loaded with CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a fatty acid found in dairy products and other animal fat that has many beneficial biological effects, including decreases in weight, fat, cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance and food induced allergies, as well as enhanced muscle growth & immune system function. The human body cannot produce CLA, but the great thing is that you can get it by eating the right foods.

Michael Pariza first discovered CLA in 1988 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in his anticancer research. In multiple research studies, CLA has been shown to both reduce the incidence of cancer and suppress the growth of existing cancers in laboratory animals. Since 1988, there has been a plethora of published research reports and articles on CLA from professional journals.

Recent studies in Europe indicated that patients with higher levels of CLA in breast tissue had less tumor growth. Other studies have correlated CLA with decreasing body fat and increasing lean body mass. One study showed that humans receiving CLA had a significant decrease in body fat as compared to the placebo group. More research has shown that CLA delays or prevents the onset of diabetes and reduces arteriosclerosis (coronary artery disease). (Source: Grassland Beef)

For a review of the research go to http://www.wisc.edu/fri/clarefs.htm.

As stated above, the best sources of CLA are from dairy products and other animal fat; however, not all dairy and animal fats are created equal. Wouldn't you know it? According to Larry Satter, Agricultural Research Dairy Scientist, dairy cattle that graze produce higher amounts of CLA in their milk than those which receive conserved feed, such as grain, hay, and silage. This is true even when the non-grazers eat pasture grass conserved as hay.

Satter, conducted a study comparing the amount of CLA in milk from cows grazing on pasture to the amount from cows fed hay or silage. He found that pasture-grazed cows had 500% more CLA in their milk than those fed silage. (Source: USDA-ARS U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, 1950 Linden Lane, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706; phone (608)264-5353.) Make sure the dairy and meat that you consume and purchase are from grass fed pastured animals. Similar to humans, most animals do poorly on a high grain diet.

I know you are thinking, where can you go to get some fresh Kangaroo meat today. No worries, we are now selling it. Just kidding. We do, however, sell some the best beef on the planet, which comes from a farmer in Montana by the name of John Wood. According to John, it's amazing what a difference diet really makes, for cattle and for us. When cattle eat right, beef is incredibly good for you!

In agreement with Satter, Wood states that the cattle's diet has a significant impact on the amount of CLA in the meat and dairy products. When cattle eat their natural diet, foraging pasture grasses and legumes, CLA levels are much higher. CLA levels drop dramatically in feedlots where cattle are fed grain and other byproduct feedstuff.

The first chamber of the bovine stomach sets the stage for fatty acid production. The pH 7 of the grazing animal contains the family of bacteria that produces high levels of omega 3 and CLA due to near base saturation. The beef animal consuming grain in the first chamber stomach has a very acidic pH. This set stage for a different bacteria family that result in higher omega 6 production and lower omega 3 and CLA output. Free-range grazing animals results in a win win for the environment and consumers alike.

To order some of the best grass fed beef on the planet go to: www.OptimalFitnessCenter.com

If you are a vegetarian you might want to consider adding CLA in supplement form. I highly recommend getting tested prior by a skilled Applied Kinesiologist or Muscle Tester to see if you need the supplement or if the brand of CLA works for you. Muscle Testing is a technique used by Applied Kinesiologists and others to evaluate, diagnose and recommend supplementation and other products.