Benefits of Plant Sterols and Stanols

Plant sterols and stanols, also known as phytosterols and phytostanols, are cholesterol-like compounds that are found in various plants and plant products. Research studies have shown these substances to be helpful in lowering blood cholesterol, a finding that has set off a flurry of activity by food processing companies, which have begun to add sterols and stanols to all types of food products.

• Plant sterols and stanols added to milk help to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Naturally Occurring Substances

• Small amounts of sterols are found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, cereal grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, vegetable oils and other plant products, according to a fact sheet from the International Food Information Council. Stanols also are found in many of the same plant products, although in even smaller quantities than sterols, according to the IFIC.

Cholesterol-Lowering Effects

• Registered dietitian Becky Hand explains that the effects of plant sterols and stanols in lowering blood cholesterol levels have been studied for more than half a century. This research shows that these plant substances are similar in makeup to dietary cholesterol, derived from animal product. When both cholesterol and phytosterols are present in the digestive tract, the latter keep some of the cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream. Hand explains that "with regular use, plant sterols and plant stanols can result in a reduction in blood cholesterol levels."

Other Benefits

• An article by Alvin Berger, Peter Jones and Suhad Abumweis on the website of DietaryFiberFood.com suggests that these plant substances also show benefits beyond the lowering of blood cholesterol levels. They write that "plant sterols possess anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenicity and anti-oxidation activities, and should thus be of clinical importance, even for those individuals without elevated LDL [low-density lipoprotein] cholesterol." The IFIC reports that these substances have also shown beneficial effects in people with Type II diabetes.

Use as Food Additives

• Encouraged by studies showing the effectiveness of plant sterols and stanols in reducing cholesterol, food processors have jumped on the bandwagon and added these plant substance to a wide variety of food products. Such products include margarine, mayonnaise, cheese, milk, yogurt, salad dressings and a wide range of other processed foods. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a finding in the summer of 2009 that supported claims for the effectiveness of sterol/stanol additives in the products specifically listed here but suggested that their use in other products was less helpful.

Recommended Daily Dosage

• In issuing its findings on sterol/stanol additives, the EFSA suggested that a daily dosage in the range of 1.5 to 2.4 mg was sufficient to achieve the benefits that are claimed for these substances. Examples of sterol content in common food and food products, according to Becky Hand, include a small avocado with 0.13 gram, one tablespoon of corn oil (0.13 g), a quarter-cup of sunflower seeds (0.19 g), 8 oz. of milk with added sterols (0.40 g), 8 oz. of orange juice with sterols added (1 g), oat bar with plant sterols (0.40 g) and a tablespoon of vegetable oil spread with added sterols (1 g).