Natural Trans Fats Are Good For Us

Most of the trans fats in the American diet come from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.  They are created by man to increase shelf life, and they are much worse for us than saturated fats.  On the other hand, trans fats produced naturally by bacteria in the rumen of ruminants (like cows) have never been linked to increased disease, and one has now actually been correlated to reduced disease risk (click on image to see reference): trans-palmitoleate in meat and dairy, primarily milk.  Since polyunsaturated natural trans fats are conjugated (double bond every other carbon pair) but synthetic trans fats are not, there is a clear structural distinction between natural and synthetic trans fats that can account for their very different effects on our health.  However, this particular trans fat is monounsaturated, so the issue of conjugation is mute.  People with less of this natural trans fat in their body have THREE times the chances of diabetes.  Grass-fed free-range cows will produce this natural trans fat AND in addition have a healthier fat profile than grain or carb-fed cows.  In summary: natural good, man-made bad.

This research is being reported in the popular press as showing that dairy fat is healthy.  The Harvard (where the researchers are from) Gazette's article is entitled "Dairy fat may help not harm" and the CBC news article is titled "Dairy fat may cut type 2 diabetes risk."  Both articles are headed by photos of cheese.  The research is well done, has limitations that the researchers are aware of, and it will stimulate cellular and clinical research targeting the details of how slightly different types of fats affect disease.  Unfortunately, the oversimplified sound bites the public gets with images of cheese plates is sendin are sending the wrong message, just like the benefits of margarines were proclaimed decades ago and ended up killing many of us too soon.  Lumping all fats in dairy together will make it look like cream and butter are a health food, which they are not.  All that we have seen so far is that a particular fat produced by bacteria in cows is correlated to improving our health.

Comments

[Nutrient]

Ya, Some trans fats, ones that exist naturally, may be good for you as natural trans fats have different effects on the body than the industrially created ones.

[forest wilson]

Everyone should know by now that partially hydrogenated oils kill you. As for butter, I use it regularly. It can also be used for suntanning, as Cramer evidenced on an episode of Seinfeld. The answer to good eating remains in home prepared meals, no processed foods.