Palmitic Acid

• a long chain saturated fatty acid found in palm and coconut oils as well as whole dairy products, meat, animal fats and a bit in olive oil and chocolate
• in animal studies, this fatty acid has shown to have a mild antioxidant effect in addition to anti-atherosclerotic properties, findings published in a 2010 edition of Journal of Medicinal Food
• an article published in Asian Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2002 gives enlightening evidence that despite conventional belief this fatty acid does NOT raise cholesterol levels
• your body makes this fatty acid out of excess carbohydrates as well as excess protein (not a good idea to get it this way, however it is your bodies last resort mechanism)
• our body uses it in biochemical stabilization processes called palmitoylation - cell signaling and protein trafficking 
• "is the major fatty acid in normal lung surfactant" per Mary Enig, lipid biochemist - in fact 68% of the fat protecting our lungs is palmitic acid
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"Palmitic is the most common saturated fatty acid in animals, plants, and microorganisms," says Dr. Michael Gurr, lipid textbook author and biochemist

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For more great info about this fat click here.