Top 5 Common Food Sources of CLA
Looking to get more CLA in your diet? Look no further! My team and I have crunched the numbers and did all the math to determine the top 5 common food sources of this omega-6 fatty acid, per serving. Overall, there isn’t any foods that provide half of the daily value of CLA per serving, so you’ll need to choose a variety of CLA rich foods that deliver smaller amounts and and sprinkle those throughout the day. Getting enough CLA as part of a healthy balanced diet is important since a large collection of studies show that getting nutrients from dietary supplements or multivitamins doesn’t improve health outcomes compared to getting nutrients from foods!
| Rank | Food | Nutrivore Score | Serving Size (Raw) | CLA (mg/serving) | % Recommended Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamb, Average1 | 263 | 3.5 oz / 100 g | 110.9 | 16 |
| 2 | Cheese, Hard, Average2 | 130 | 1.5 oz / 40 g | 109.6 | 16 |
| 3 | Sour Cream, Cultured | 82 | 1/4 cup | 84.1 | 12 |
| 4 | Beef, Average3 | 293 | 3.5 oz / 100 g | 76.9 | 11 |
| 5 | Cheese, Soft, Average4 | 141 | 1.5 oz / 40 g or 1/2 cup | 70.4 | 10 |
2Hard cheese, average includes cheddar, cheshire, colby, edam, fontina, gjetost, goat (hard type), gouda, gruyere, Monterey, parmesan, provolone, romano, swiss, and tilsit.
3Beef, average includes all USDA raw beef muscle meat entries.
4Soft cheese, average includes blue, brie, camembert, cottage (lowfat, 2%), cream, feta, goat (semi-soft), goat (soft), limburger, mozzarella (whole milk), muenster, ricotta (whole milk), and roquefort.
Want to know more about this essential nutrient including the health benefits of CLA, how much CLA we need, what happens if we have low CLA intake or if we get too much, and even more awesome CLA rich foods? Keep reading to learn all there is to know about this healthy fat!
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What Is CLA and What Does It Do?
Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is a group of isomers in the omega-6 fatty acid family. It can influence gene expression by acting on the proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family, as well as increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes. It also impacts inflammation and immune function by altering cytokine levels and inflammatory responses in the body, and can beneficially modify the composition of the gut microbiome.
CLA’s best-studied effects are on body composition, with animal studies and in vitro experiments suggesting it can help suppress appetite, reduce food intake, increase energy expenditure, and inhibit fat cell creation; however, human studies have been less consistent. CLA also exerts a number of anti-tumor mechanisms that could make it potentially protective against certain cancers. Some evidence suggests CLA has heart-protective and anti-diabetic effects as well.
Learn more about CLA here.
CLA Deficiency
Since CLA isn’t an essential fat, there aren’t any true deficiency diseases associated with low intake. Even though there are currently no established dietary requirements for CLA, dietary estimates show that the average adult only consumes between one third and one half the amount of CLA shown to produce health benefits in studies.
Learn more here.
Symptoms of Deficiency
There are no well-established symptoms of CLA deficiency in humans, though it’s possible that low intake can impair a person’s fat burning capacity.
Learn more here.
How Much CLA Do We Need?
Currently there are no official guidelines for CLA intake requirements but we have set a recommended target of 0.7 grams for adults based on Team Nutrivore’s review of the scientific literature, established with the aim of providing improvements for overall health and reduction in chronic disease risk.
Nutrient Daily Values
Nutrition requirements and recommended nutrient intake for infants, children, adolescents, adults, mature adults, and pregnant and lactating individuals.
More Food Sources of CLA
The best sources of CLA are animal products, specifically meat and dairy products from grass-fed animals—particularly grass-fed beef, grass-fed lamb, butter and cheese from grass-fed dairy, and other full-fat dairy products. This is because CLA is produced as part of the digestive process of ruminant animals (such as cows, sheep, and goats). Importantly the CLA content of meat and dairy is up to 5 times greater when the animals graze on pasture versus eat grain, so while some CLA also exists in grain-fed meat and dairy products, the amount is significantly lower. Plant-based options include hemp seeds, safflower oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, and cloves, though CLA is present in smaller quantities.
It’s important to note that CLA supplements, unlike naturally occurring CLA in meat and dairy, are chemically derived from vegetable oils and contain different isoform proportions. As a result, supplements are generally considered less beneficial than dietary sources, with some research even linking supplements to increased inflammation markers like C-reactive protein. Additionally, CLA isoforms appear to work synergistically, making whole food sources more effective. While CLA supplements are generally safe, effects of supplementation from high doses may include mild side effects such as nausea, stomach upset, fatigue, and diarrhea. Consulting a healthcare provider before using high-dose CLA supplements is advisable.
Best Food Sources of CLA
The following foods contain at least 0.35 grams of CLA per serving making them our best food sources of this fat!
Good Food Sources of CLA
The following foods are excellent or good source of CLA, containing at least 0.07 grams of CLA (and up to 0.35 grams) per serving.
Top 5 Common Food Sources
If you’re looking for top 5 common food sources of other important nutrients check out these posts!
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Foods High in CoQ10
