What Is Vaccenic Acid (18:1t n-7) & What Foods Can I Find It In?
Vaccenic acid is a naturally occurring monounsaturated omega-7 fatty acid.
Vaccenic acid has been found in the human orbitofrontal cortex of patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Unfortunately, there is limited scientific evidence that exists regarding the effect of vaccenic acid on health.
More studies are needed for this fatty acid.
But even though it is a trans-fatty acid it is believed to possess some health benefits.
Table of Contents
Vaccenic Acid Is A trans-Fatty Acid
18:1t n-7 is also called vaccenic acid. It's a naturally occurring trans-fatty acid.
Vaccenic acid is a structural isomer of oleic acid and is a precursor of the eicosanoids.
Vaccenic acid is an omega-7 fatty acid. (source ◳)
Vaccenic Acid In Fat
The two major dietary sources of vaccenic acid are ruminant dairy and meat fat. (source ◳)
Trans-fats are uncommon in nature, except for the vaccenic acid that you find in fat. (source ◳)
You find it in fat from fish, poultry and beef, and in the milk from cows fed on grass.
It is also found in milk from goats and sheep fed on plants that are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) such as flax.
Health Benefits Of Vaccenic Acid
Vaccenic acid may have health benefits instead of being bad for you that normally other trans fatty acids are. But research is lacking. (source ◳)
There is a growing interest in obtaining vaccenic acid for use in the production of eicosanoids, which are known to be potent biological mediators of inflammatory conditions.
Vaccenic acid is believed to be beneficial in the treatment of epilepsy, chronic pain, and other disorders.
Foods You Can Find Vaccenic Acid (18:1t n-7) In
You find Vaccenic Acid (18:1t n-7) mostly in beef, lamb, veal, and game products.
Examples of food sources include
Foods in our nutrition tool
You can find regularly updated top-ranked lists of foods for over 200+ nutrients in our nutrition tool.
If you are interested in what foods contain the most Vaccenic acid, we recommend you visit our tool.
Here's our top-ranked list of foods that contain Vaccenic Acid (18:1t n-7).
