How Is CLA Produced In Nature?
CLA is produced naturally in grazing animals. Cattle and other ruminants have a unique enzyme in their digestive systems that convert the linoleic acid readily found in green plants to conjugated linoleic acid. This free fatty acid is then stored in the animals’ muscle tissues and milk. Humans obtain the benefits of CLA after consuming meat or dairy products from these animals. Owing to the fact that cattle are no longer raised with fresh greens (i.e., grass), but instead are fed oats, barley, hay (and/or other grains or dried grasses), they no longer produce the amounts of CLA they did when they were range fed on fresh green plants.
