Plant Sterols

Sterols are present in both plants as well as animals. Animal sterols are nothing but cholesterol, while plant sterols or phytosterols are plant versions of cholesterol. They are compounds found naturally in the cell walls of plants and are present in small amounts on all kinds of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, etc. Plant sterols are present in larger amounts in corn oil, sesame and cotton oil and help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risks of heart diseases. They work primarily by blocking the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine, thereby lowering the LDL cholesterol in the body. Plant-based foods contain small amounts of plant sterols, however, the interest in them has spearheaded their addition into dietary supplements and functional foods like margarines and spreads. Chemically similar to cholesterol, plant sterols are also available in dietary supplement form. Plant sterols are found naturally in the following foods:

• almonds
• Brussels sprouts
• peanuts
• vegetable oils (including canola, corn, olive, and sesame oil)
• wheat bran
• wheat germ
• In addition, a number of fortified foods (including cereal, milk, orange juice, vegetable oil spreads, and yogurt) contain added plant sterols.

Special Precautions of Plant Sterols

Over 80 studies conducted have shown no signs of any side effects when plant sterols are taken in appropriate amounts. However, when taken in high doses, certain mild side effects are seen to have occurred. The different side effects are:

• Heartburn
• Indigestion
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Erectile Dysfunction or Impotence
• Decreased sex drive

The benefits of Plant Sterols are

• Studies suggest that plant sterols may help keep cholesterol in check by inhibiting the intestines' absorption of cholesterol. In doing so, plant sterols help to reduce circulating levels of cholesterol and lower your levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

List of Foods (with High Phytosterol) That Help Lower Serum Cholesterol</a></h2>

In the following table is a list of foods high/low in phytosterols. Generally, oils have high phytosterol content where as vegetables and fruits have lower content. The phytosterol content presented below is the sum of beta sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol.</p>

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Phytosterol food sources	Total phytosterol content (mg/100g)
Oils
Rice bran	1055
Corn	952
Wheat germ	553
Flax seed</a>	338
Cottonseed	327
Soybean</a>	221
Peanut	206
Olive	176
Coconut	91
Palm	49
Vegetables
Beet root	25
Brussels sprout	24
Cauliflower	18
Onion	15
Carrot	12
Cabbage	11
Yam	10
Fruits
Orange	24
Banana	16
Apple	12
Cherry	12
Peach	10
Pear	8
Nuts
Cashew	158
Almond	143
Pecan	108
Pistachio	108
Walnut	108
Legumes
Pea	135
Kidney bean	127
Broad bean	124