Diet & Nutrition - Lower Cholesterol by 14%

A new polyunsaturated margerine, Benecol, with added plant stanols has been introduced in the United States and in several European countries and claims to lower total cholesterol by 10% and LDL cholesterol by 14%. Well it's true!

These figures have been published as a result of a number of trials, the most famous being a Finnish study carried out in the early 1990's. 153 volunteers were divided into two groups. 102 consumed a margarine containing a stanol, while the remaining 51 ate a canola oil margarine with no stanol. After one year, the stanol margarine proved effective, lowering total cholesterol levels by 10% and LDl levels by 14.1%. Blood triglyceride and HDL levels remained the same. A number of other studies concluded the same results.

Stanols and sterols

The proven ability of plant sterol esters to lower cholesterol is supported by more than 20 scientific studies, both in the United States and Europe.

Sterols are an essential component of cell membranes, and both animals and plants produce them. Cholesterol is exclusively an animal sterol. More than 40 plant sterols (phytosterols) have been identified, but ?-sitosterol (especially), campesterol and stigmasterol are the most abundant. These 3 sterols are structurally similar to cholesterol.
Stanols are saturated sterols (i.e they have no double bonds in the sterol ring). Stanols are less abundant in nature than sterols. Plant stanols are produced by hydrogenating (adding hydrogen atoms across double bonds) sterols.

How much should I consume and how often?

Overall results form several trials suggest that eating 2g of plant sterols or stanols a day lowers LDL cholesterol levels by 9-20% (Harvard Health Letter 2002). This is the equivalent to just 2 servings of Benecol per day as part of a healthy eating plan low in saturated fat and trans fat. It must be eaten every day to exert its effect of reducing LDL cholesterol by up to 14% and total cholesterol by up to 10%. These figures illustrate optimum effect and will vary across individuals.

Are there side effects?

Plant sterols and stanols lower blood concentrations of ?-carotene by between 8-19%and vitamin E by 8%. However eating more fruit and vegetables would counteract this decrease. The blood concentration of vitamin D was unaffected.
People who suffer from a rare genetic disorder known as phytosterolemia or sitosterolemia, who absorb stanols and sterols at an abnormally high rate, are advised not to consume such substances. Once inside the body, plant sterols and stanols accumulate and cause the same problems as too much cholesterol.
Also benecol is substantially more expensive that other spreads
So far no other adverse affects have been reported. However because it is a relatively new product, the American Heart Association does not recommend consumption by children or pregnant women.

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