See the bottom of this page for the ingredients highest in CLA

What is conjugated linoleic acid?

CLA is a natural saturated trans fat that was accidentally discovered by researchers who were studying beef and looking for substances that cause mutations.

Research into conjugated linoleic acid

In 1979, researchers from the University of Wisconsin applied a beef extract to mice skin. The mice were then exposed to a strong carcinogen. When the researchers counted the number of tumours developed by the mice 16 weeks later, they found, to their surprise, that the mice exposed to the beef extract had 20% fewer tumours.

Micheal Pariza, the scientist who discovered CLA, later remarked that "few anti-carcinogens, and certainly no other known fatty acids, are as effective as CLA in inhibiting the development of cancer in these models."

Our research into the evidence based health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid is currently under review and we will be updating this page in due course.

Food products (e.g. lamb, mutton and beef) from grass-fed ruminants are good sources of CLA, and contain much more of it than those from grain-fed animals.

In fact, meat and dairy products from grass-fed animals can produce 300-500% more CLA than those of cattle fed the usual diet of 50% hay and silage, and 50% grain.

Eggs are also rich in CLA, and it has been shown that CLA in eggs survives the temperatures encountered during frying.

White button mushrooms have been shown to be a good source of CLA with extracts having been tested for their anti-carcinogenic properties.