Not all trans fats are bad — some might even help!
Plasma Industrial and Ruminant Trans Fatty Acids and Incident Type 2 Diabetes in the EPIC-Potsdam Cohort
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
c9t11-CLA (a ruminant trans fat) increases diabetes risk by 39%, while t10c12-CLA from the same source lowers it by 19%.
Both are conjugated linoleic acids from dairy, yet they have opposite effects — proving tiny differences in molecular structure can flip health outcomes.
Practical Takeaways
Choose full-fat dairy like butter and whole milk — they’re rich in vaccenic acid, which this study links to lower diabetes risk.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
c9t11-CLA (a ruminant trans fat) increases diabetes risk by 39%, while t10c12-CLA from the same source lowers it by 19%.
Both are conjugated linoleic acids from dairy, yet they have opposite effects — proving tiny differences in molecular structure can flip health outcomes.
Practical Takeaways
Choose full-fat dairy like butter and whole milk — they’re rich in vaccenic acid, which this study links to lower diabetes risk.
Publication
Journal
Diabetes Care
Year
2022
Authors
M. Prada, C. Wittenbecher, F. Eichelmann, A. Wernitz, O. Kuxhaus, J. Kröger, C. Weikert, M. Schulze
Related Content
Claims (7)
A fat called trans-palmitoleic acid was once thought to protect against diabetes, but when scientists accounted for other similar fats in dairy, the link disappeared — meaning the earlier belief was probably wrong.
A different type of fat found in dairy called c9t11-CLA is linked to a higher chance of getting type 2 diabetes, which is surprising because other dairy fats are usually thought to be harmless or even helpful.
Not all trans fats are the same — some dairy fats lower diabetes risk, one dairy fat raises it, and artificial trans fats don’t seem to matter at all. What matters most is the exact molecular shape, not whether it’s natural or artificial.
The artificial trans fats found in fried foods and margarine don’t seem to raise the risk of type 2 diabetes when looked at on their own, which surprises many people who think all trans fats are bad.
People with more of a specific fat found in dairy products like butter and cheese in their blood have a lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes, even after accounting for how much dairy they eat.