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What are Plant Sterols and How They Can Benefit You
Plant sterols are a type of compound found in plants, nuts, and seeds that is used in a wide variety of products. They can reduce the level of bad cholesterol in your body and can even reduce the risk of heart disease.
Plant sterols are compounds found in plants that have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.
That's great news! Let's take a deeper look to understand more about this fascinating compound!
Plant compounds that can lower cholesterol? Nice work, plants!
Plant sterols lower cholesterol by binding to bile acids in the gut, which reduces their ability to be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream.
Plant sterols are not cholesterol-lowering drugs. Medications like statins work differently by lowering the amount of cholesterol made by the body.
Sterols are found naturally in vegetable oils, seeds, nuts and other plant sources. But the amounts available in these foods aren't enough to lower cholesterol on their own.
You'll need to consume 2 grams of plant sterols a day to reduce cholesterol absorption. That's why you might notice several products on supermarket shelves with a higher concentration of plant sterols added to them, like margarine, milk and some yoghurts. These products will advertise that they can assist in lowering cholesterol on their product packaging.
How to use Foods fortified with Plant Sterols?
Follow the product instructions on sterol fortified foods for their recommended serving sizes. You'll need to consume 2 grams/day for a therapeutic effect. These fortified products are designed with this quantity in mind.
It's also good to know that any more than 2g/day won't make a difference to your cholesterol than the recommended amount. So save your cash and use them as directed as these products can be more expensive than similar products that don't contain plant sterols.
Plant-sterol containing products can be a good complement to an existing cholesterol-lowering treatment. If you are undergoing treatment, check in with your doctor or dietitian to make sure it's right for you.
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