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CLA Safflower Oil is very popular these days among health-nuts and fitness gurus. The biggest reason for this is the CLA in the oil promotes easy fat loss. Not only does using this oil help with weight loss, it also has several other health benefits.
I first came across CLA Safflower Oil a few years ago when it was just another vegetable oil for cooking. However, now I find that its part of the latest health and weight loss trend.
Some manufacturers have even been marketing it as a ‘miracle’ solution that is effective against many health problems.
This article was written because there is currently very little factual information on the topic online.
Continue reading this article if you are interested in knowing the many claimed benefits of this oil.
Why Is CLA Safflower Oil So Popular?
While Safflower oil has got popular due to clever marketing, it also possesses the benefits to back up the claims.
Many people have come forward online and advocated for this oil and its benefits. Some of which include reducing high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and diabetes.
These benefits, combined with the marketing strategies of the manufacturers, tell me that this oil is here to stay in our pantries.
What Is Safflower Oil?
Safflower oil is used as a vegetable oil for cooking as well as in traditional medicine. It is extracted from safflower seeds that number 15-30 per flower.
The seeds are made up of 45% safflower oil with the plant being native to parts of Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean.
The oil contains two types of essential omega-6 fatty acids, polyunsaturated (linoleic acid) and monounsaturated fats (oleic acid).
Since our bodies can’t produce this fatty acid, we need to eat foods that are Omega-6 fatty acid-rich. These include grass-fed beef, dairy, goat, and safflower oil.
What Is Conjugated Linoleic Acid?
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is the fatty acid that is extracted from safflower oil. Multiple studies show CLA promoting weight loss.
CLA has 28 different forms with the most commonly found being ‘c9, t11’ and ‘t10, c12’. Here, the ‘c’ stands for cis and ‘t’ stands for trans double bonds.
CLA is technically a trans-fat due to the trans double bonds. But its a healthy trans-fat instead of the artificially produced industrial version.
How Does Safflower Oil Provide Its Fat Loss Benefits?
This is how this oil can help you lose weight:
Activates Fat Burning Hormones
The oil stimulates cAMP (Cyclic adenosine monophosphate) to produce more adrenaline and glucagon. The two hormones increase the natural metabolic rate for faster fat loss.
The increased metabolic rate burns stored fat instead of carbs to provide you with energy.
Stimulates Fat Tissue Breakdown
The oil activates the PPAR molecules in the adipose tissue to stimulate the natural breakdown of fatty tissues.
It directly interacting with fat loss mechanism of the body to accelerate fat breakdown for fast-acting fat loss.
Claimed Benefits of CLA Safflower Oil:
This oil provides several health benefits excluding fat loss:
- Improves Heart Health: Reduced risk of heart diseases like atherosclerosis and stroke.
- Combats Obesity: The oil binds PPAR molecules to improve the metabolic rate for effective and safe fat loss.
- Increases Lean Muscle Mass: Increased metabolic rate and ATP levels accelerate cell growth in the muscle tissue.
- Alleviates High Blood Pressure: CLA combats hypertension and reduces high blood pressure.
- Counters Diabetes: Reduced insulin sensitivity when taken in sufficient doses.
- Helps Against High Cholesterol: This CLA-rich oil reduces LDL cholesterol levels.
- Combats Chest Pain (Angina Pectoris): Safflower Yellow can treat Angina Pectoris to reduce chest pain.
- Improves Skin Health: Combats skin conditions like Phrynoderma by improving skin roughness and dryness.
- Improves Brain Function For Stroke Victims: Safflower yellow improved cognitive function in stroke victims.
- Alleviates Painful Menstrual Periods: Safflower seed oil relieves menstrual period pains.
- Fights Some Cancers: Studies indicate CLA lowers risk of cancer.
What Is CLA Safflower Oil Diet?
The Safflower Oil diet is quite popular online.
This diet uses safflower oil for cooking and is a great way to improve health and speed up fat loss.
You can get many health benefits if you replace saturated fats with safflower oil for cooking,
Users can easily reduce bad cholesterol levels, improve heart health, and reduce hypertension, all without even changing what you eat.
However, the safflower oil diet requires the reduction and elimination of trans fats from the diet.
Where Can You Get Enough CLA Through Your Diet?
You can get CLA from sheep, goat, and cow meat as well as dairy products. But the amount of CLA you can get from cattle meat that has been grass-fed is 3-5 times higher than that of grain-fed cattle.
3400 mg of CLA per day is considered to be a safe limit for consumption.
Supplements that contain CLA can contain up to 2000 mg per serving.
Natural sources of CLA have a higher concentration of c9 and t11 while supplements often contain higher levels of the t10 and c12 variant.
What Are The Promises Made By Most CLA Pill Manufacturers?
CLA pills are readily available online and in stores. Some pills use natural ingredients while others use chemically altered CLA. But while the latter is cheaper to make, it isn’t as effective as natural CLA from safflower oil.
- Hydrates and improves skin health
- Improves digestive health
- Improves heart health
- Safe and side-effect free benefits
- Combats stress and depression
- Fast and easy weight loss
- Combats acne and other skin issues
- Reduced blood pressure
- Enhances cardiovascular function
- Strengthens immune system
- Contains antioxidants to protect from free radical damage
- Increases lean muscle mass
- Improved stamina and endurance
- Increased energy levels
- Alleviates symptoms of respiratory problems
- Reduces the chance of cancer
- Improve metabolism
- Improved blood glucose regulation
Is CLA Good For Weight Loss?
Most people use CLA safflower oil for its weight loss and other health benefits.
What Are The Side Effects Of CLA From Safflower Oil?
When buying safflower oil, find out if its refined or unrefined as the unrefined oil can go bad faster. But while refined oils last a lot longer, they often strip some of the healthy nutrients found in unrefined safflower oil.
I didn’t find anyone complaining about safflower oil causing side effects.
Pros Of Using Safflower Oil:
- Doesn’t require major changes to diet for improving health and fat loss
- Can replace trans fats for better health
- Boosts overall immunity
- Combats cancer, diabetes, hypertension and other major health problems
- Supported by many clinical studies
- Available in foods or dietary supplements
Cons Of Using Safflower Oil:
- Has a distinctive taste and smell
- Has a high-calorie count
- Natural sources like safflower oil have lower CLA levels
- Safflower Oil is a traditional remedy for abortions
Should You Be Taking CLA Safflower Oil As Part Of Your Diet?
This safflower oil has convinces me to try the oil for its many health benefits.
I found that natural sources of CLA like with safflower oil are healthier and more effective.
However, they just aren’t enough if you want to see results like visible weight loss and reduced blood pressure.
The best alternative then is to use CLA Pills that contain a natural and safe form of CLA.
