What are phytostanols?
Phytostanols are a fully-saturated subgroup of phytosterols (contain no double bonds). Phytostanols occur in trace levels in many plant species and they occur in high levels in tissues of only in a few cereal species. Phytosterols can be converted to phytostanols by chemical hydrogenation.
Are phytosterols good for you?
Phytosterols (called plant sterol and stanol esters) are found in plant cell membranes. Phytosterols are similar in structure to cholesterol in the human body and block cholesterol from being absorbed. They should be part of a heart-healthy eating plan.
Does Benecol really lower cholesterol?
Absolutely! More than 80 independent clinical studies prove that plant stanol ester – the active ingredient in Benecol – can reduce cholesterol.
Do bananas have phytosterols?
Banana – 16 mg per 100 g serving.
Do plant sterols affect the liver?
The amount of plant sterols in lipid emulsion affects serum liver enzyme levels more than the amount of lipid.
Can you have too much plant sterols?
Plant sterols/stanols are generally safe for most healthy people. Side effects include diarrhea or fat in the stool. In people with sitosterolemia, high plant sterol levels have been associated with increased risk of premature atherosclerosis.
Are there any side effects to taking Benecol?
Raisio claims that Benecol has no side-effects, although some studies have suggested that it lowers levels of carotenoids such as vitamin A. They say 200,000 people in Finland have eaten their product daily for three years without ill effects.
Can you have too much Benecol?
Scientific studies show that a daily intake of up to 9g of plant stanols per day is as safe as consuming the current recommended daily amount of 1.5-3g plant stanols per day, so you don’t need to worry, if you’ve got carried away and occasionally enjoy too many Benecol products.
Which two foods are high in phytosterols?
Phytosterols are found in all plant foods, but the highest concentrations are found in unrefined plant oils, including vegetable, nut, and olive oils (3). Nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes are also good dietary sources of phytosterols (4). The phytosterol content of selected foods are presented in Table 1.
Does phytosterols reduce testosterone?
I point out that daily intake of 500 to 1,000 mg of cholesterol may result in an approximate increase of 130 ng/dL of total testosterone in men. In rats, the ingestion of phytosterols for 22 days reduced serum testosterone by 33%, in comparison to controls.