Plant sterols and stanols: another natural way to lower cholesterol

Jill K. Fulk, R.D., L.D.
Registered and Licensed Dietitian

A diet high in fiber and low in dietary cholesterol and saturated fats is a great start for lowering blood cholesterol. For people who have high cholesterol, a heart-healthy diet may also include daily doses of plant sterols and stanols.

Plant sterols and stanols are natural edible substances that have shown to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) without affecting HDL (good cholesterol) or triglycerides. Research has shown that incorporating these into the diet can lower LDL by 10 percent to 15 percent. This is good because LDL cholesterol may be the most dangerous. It contributes to hardening and clogging of the arteries, leading to heart attack and stroke.

Plant sterols and stanols are structurally similar to cholesterol and compete for absorption, thus interfering with the body's ability to absorb cholesterol. Plant sterols are naturally found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, oils, nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils). Plant stanols are found in vegetable oils, beans and corn.

In 2000, the Food and Drug Administration authorized a labeling claim that "diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include at least 1.3 grams of plant sterol esters or 3.4 grams of plant stanol esters, consumed in two meals with other foods, may reduce the risk of heart disease." Unfortunately, the average intake of plant sterols and stanols is only 250 milligrams and 25 milligrams per day, respectively, because they occur in food in very small amounts. Therefore, margarine spreads have been fortified with them and new sterol/stanol containing products are being introduced into the market, which will make it easier to achieve recommended amounts.

Take Control and Benecol are both available in regular and "light" forms. They should be used in place of regular butter or margarine, and the lower fat varieties should not be used for baking, cooking or frying. Studies have shown that when consumed with a heart-healthy diet, Take Control can lower LDL levels by up to 17 percent when used twice daily to provide 3.4 grams of plant sterols. Consuming three servings of Benecol a day for a total of 5.1 grams of plant stanols, can lower LDL by up to 14 percent and total cholesterol up to 10 percent.

Also available are supplements such as Benecol SoftGels (Benecol), Cholest-Off (Nature Made) and Cholesterol Success Plus (Twinlab). Most recommend two capsules twice a day. These are more expensive; however, some people may prefer to take capsules instead of using margarine. You can also drink Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise (Coca-Cola Co.) orange juice and get 1 gram of plant sterols in an 8-ounce serving.

If you decide to incorporate plant sterols and stanols in to your diet, make sure you discuss this with your health care provider first. For more information, visit http://www.takecontrol.com/, http://www.benecol.com/, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ or http://www.americanheart.org/.