Lately we're hearing more about the benefits of plant sterols and stanols - but what are they and where can you get them?

Sterols and stanols are natural compounds called esters, which occur, in a variety of plants such as wheat, corn, rye, oats, and rice as well as nuts and olive oil. They have a similar structure to cholesterol, and therefore compete with that substance for absorption in the digestive tract. When the body absorbs the stanols instead, the cholesterol is excreted out of the body. When less cholesterol is delivered to the liver, LDL uptake increases, thereby decreasing serum LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) levels.

These compounds are present in such small quantities in food that it is not feasible to achieve their cholesterol-lowering effects by eating foods that contain them. They are available in margarines such as Benecol and Take Control; since the recent NIH recommendation to increase intake to about 3 grams/day as a supplement to a cholesterol-lowering eating pattern, you can be sure that additional foods will become available that offer a sufficient amount.

According to the Heart Foundation, a daily intake of 2 to 3g of plant sterols or stanols reduces LDL cholesterol levels 10% to 15%. This occurs in people with normal cholesterol levels as well as those with high levels, in males and females, in adults and children.

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