The Cholesterol-Lowering Power of Plant Sterols

In our fast paced, fast food society today, is it really any surprise there are so many people fighting high cholesterol? Most of us know that regular exercise is very important to maintaining our body's health. However, we sometimes forget how crucial a healthy and balanced diet can be to maintain or better our current health. We are going to take a look at the cholesterol-lowering power of plant sterols.

Plant sterols, also known as phytosterols, are cholesterol-like molecules found in plants. They are proven to help block the digestion of dietary cholesterol into the body and therefore help lower overall cholesterol. Research has shown that phytosterols can lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) without having an effect on HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). The FDA has approved the following claim for plant sterols: "Foods containing at least 0.4 gram per serving of plant sterols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 gram, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."

Because it can sometimes be difficult to get enough phytosterols through diet alone to achieve any medicinal benefit, many foods are now fortified with plant sterols. These foods are called functional foods, some examples are juices, margarines, spreads and some salad dressings. Make sure to check labels carefully, while cholesterol-lowering agents are healthy, extra calories are not. Experts say that phytosterols must be taken daily to effectively lower cholesterol.

So even in our fast paced, fast food society today, nature still offers a way of maintaining and even lowering our cholesterol through a diet enriched with phytosterols.

Matthew Segerstrom, Team Member of The Cholesterol Guru

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