PhytoSterol: The Cholesterol Nemesis

Phytosterols are chemicals found in fruits, vegetables, nuts and oilseeds. They are known to aid the prevention of myriad pronblems ranging from heart disease to cancer.

Phytosterols phyto-plant, sterol-cholesterol are chemicals found in fruits, vegetables, nuts and oilseeds. They are known to aid the prevention of myriad pronblems ranging from heart disease to cancer. Our ancestors8217; diet had adequate amount of phytosterols. Present-day dietary phytosterol intake has been estimated to vary between 150-450 milligrams per day in different diets. Vegans, generally have the highest intakes of dietary phytosterols. The optimum level of phytosterol intake should be about 2 grams per day.

Dietary cholesterol has always been linked to cardio-vascular diseases. Phytosterols are essential components of plant cell membranes and structurally resemble cholesterol. There are over 40 phytosterols, but Beta-Sitosterol alone comprises about 50 per cent of dietary phytosterols. Other phytosterols found in the diet include Campesterol, Stigmasterol Brassicasterol, Delta-7-Stigmasterol and Delta-7-Avenasterol. It is one of the few food components, permitted by US Federal Drug Agency to claim that they lower the risk of heart disease.

Health heart

When esterified with fatty acids, phytosterols inhibit the absorption of cholesterol, especially the 8220;bad8221; type8212;LDL Low Density Lipoprotein and thus lower its level in plasma. Daily consumption of 1 gm phytosterol in ester form, help to reduce LDL cholesterol. Plant stanol esters provide a novel approach to lowering plasma low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol by dietary means. The effective dose is 1 to 3 grams per day, which, in placebo-controlled studies, decreased LDL cholesterol by 6 to 15 per cent. HDL cholesterol or triglyceride remain unaffected.

Studies have revealed that recommended intake of about 2 to 2.5 grams per day of products enriched with plant sterol esters lower plasma LDL cholesterol levels by 10 to 14 per cent without any reported side effects. Thus, plant sterols can be considered to be natural, effective and safe cholesterol-lowering functional food ingredients.

Diabetes protection

Studies also report that phytosterols derived from Aloe Vera gel have a long-term blood glucose level control effect and are useful for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Anti-cancer effect

Phytosterols present in berries, soybeans, lentils and peas show resistance to estrogen promoted cancer.

Sources of phytosterols:

Phytosterols are present in all plant foods, but the highest concentration is found in unrefined oils like mustard, groundnut, sesame, corn, sunflower, vegetable, nut and olive oils. Nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes are also good dietary sources of phytosterols. The phytosterol contents of some commonly consumed foods are presented in the table above.

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The Western food industry has come up with many commercially prepared vegetable oils, margarine and other stanol esters8217; dietary supplements, which are still unavailable in India. Incorporation of plant stanol esters in margarine is one of the first examples of functional food with proven cholesterol-lowering effectiveness.

The National Cholesterol Education/Adult Treatment III programme guidelines strongly recommend plant sterols/stanols as part of a healthy eating plan for the heart. A low fat diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, plant sterols, complimented by regular physical activity, helps to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.