Have you heard about sterols and stanols yet? These plant compounds are super healthy for your heart! Studies show that sterols and stanols can cut your risk of heart disease by twenty percent!
Studies from around the world are proving the power of sterols and stanols. Adding just two grams of either sterols or stanols to your daily diet can cut your total cholesterol by as much as ten percent — often in just two weeks. That’s pretty amazing. A ten percent reduction in total cholesterol is what gives you that lowered risk of heart disease.
How do they work? Sterols and stanols are soft and waxy substances that act a lot like cholesterol. They are building blocks for hormones, vitamins, and cell walls and compete with cholesterol in the digestive tract. Sterols and stanols can be absorbed into your bloodstream instead of harmful cholesterol. Even better — sterols and stanols don’t interfere with good HDL cholesterol, only the bad LDL cholesterol.
Who needs sterols and stanols in their diets? These plant compounds work the best for people who already have slightly high cholesterol levels (LDL levels between 130 and 159). People with high cholesterol levels (LDL levels more than 160) may benefit from a combination of cholesterol-lowering statins and sterols. Studies from the Netherlands show that combining medications and sterols can work just as effectively as a double dose of medications — and have fewer side effects.
People with healthy cholesterol levels (less than 100 LDL) won’t be hurt by adding sterols to their diets — they just may not see extremely dramatic reductions in bad cholesterol levels!
One thing to keep in mind: sterols can interfere with the absorption of some carotenoids (like beta-carotene, which is used to make vitamin A in the body). Add some extra veggies to your diet — like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, and dark leafy greens — a few times a week to help keep things balanced.