Background

• Phytosterols, also called plant sterols, are a group of chemicals that occur naturally in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, soybeans, breads, peanuts, peanut products, olive, flaxseed oil, and tuna.
• Beta-sitosterol is one of the most common dietary phytosterols and is classified as a noncholesterol sterol, or neutral sterol. However, it is structurally similar to cholesterol and is the main sterol in the Western diet.
• Margarines enriched with phytosterol have been marketed for their cholesterol-lowering effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) has authorized the use of labeling health claims for foods containing plant sterols and plant stanol esters. Sitosterols are also used in products for the treatment of other health disorders, including, but not limited to, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and for immune stimulation. However, more research is needed on the use of plant sterols for these conditions in humans.

References

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