Sterols And Stanols Help Reduce Cholesterol

Sterols occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, legumes, vegetable oils, and many other plant sources. Stanols are found in many of the same foods but in much smaller quantities. What exactly are plant sterols? Just as cholesterol is a component of animal cell membranes, plant sterols play a similar role in the cell membranes of plants. The National Cancer Institute, explains that plant sterols play a beneficial role, because they can be absorbed in the intestines in place of dietary cholesterol, resulting in lower blood cholesterol levels. Unlike cholesterol, plant sterols don't have a negative impact on heart health. When sterols and stanols travel through your digestive tract, they get in the way of dietary cholesterol, preventing it from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

You might ask yourself if they are safe and effective. Plant sterols and stanols have been studied for over 50 years. More than 140 published clinical studies have shown that plant sterols and plant stanols lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol. For example: Consuming 1.8 to 2.8 grams of plant sterols per day over a 4 week period to 3 months, significantly lowered total cholesterol in participants by 7% -11%. Consuming 2.0 to 2.5 grams of plant sterols and stanols per day resulted in 10% -14% reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol without side effects.

To put these numbers into perspective, lets assume that your total cholesterol is 225 mg/dl (that's considered high), and you added a therapeutic dose of plant sterols and plant stanols daily (according to package directions). You could lower your cholesterol down to 202 mg/dl - a significant reduction. Because of the proven efficacy of sterols and stanols, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has approved the following health claim:"Diets low in saturated fats and cholesterol that include at least 1.3 grams of plant sterols or 3.4 grams of plant stanols, consumed in two meals with other foods, may reduce the risk of heart disease."

If you've ever used orange juice, yogurt, and chocolates that boast cholesterol lowering benefits, then you've probably encountered plant sterols and stanols without even knowing it. The foods that contain them boast heart healthy benefits on their packages, which may have caught your interest. Plant sterols and stanols can occur naturally in foods or be fortified into other food products. Check out the chart below for examples:

Plant sterols and stanols are NOT a replacement for prescribed medications. Always consult your doctor and/or a registered dietician concerning any dietary changes you may consider making, especially if you are taking other mediactions.



Some other products that may be benificial are, Heart Wise orange juice, Benecol and Take Control margarines, and Nature Valley Healthy Heart Granola Bars. Also, Yoplait Yogurt with Carowise. Scientists working with the Coca-Cola Company decided to support clinical studies. Those studies, conducted by scientists at the University of California Davis Medical Center, found that participants with normal to borderline high total cholesterol who drank two 8-fluid ounce servings of orange juice containing 1.0 grams of plant sterols per ounce serving daily with meals, for 8 weeks, significantly lowered their LDL (bad) cholesterol. A new sterol containg cracker was launched across the U.S. by the leading snack firm Kashi, proving yet another indication that the sterol food category is slowly but surely expanding. The new Kashi crackers contain 0.4 grams of plant sterols per servinig and are called Kashi Heart to Heart Crackers. Another beneficial addition to your diet is something I have been taking. It is called Promise Active Super Shots, and can be found in your grocery store, in the dairy section. It contains 2 grams of plant sterols and is a yogurt based drink. It comes in a variety of flavors and is suprisingly tasty. I drink one shot a day.



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