phytosterol
Sign in to savethumb|right|β-sitosterol, a prototypical phytosterol Phytosterols are phytosteroids, similar to cholesterol, that serve as structural components of biological membranes of plants. They encompass plant sterols and stanols. More than 250 sterols and related compounds have been identified. Free phytosterols extracted from oils are insoluble in water, relatively insoluble in oil, and soluble in alcohols.
Article
10 sectionsContents
- Structure
- Dietary phytosterols
- Health claims
- EFSA
- FDA
- Health Canada
- Cholesterol lowering
- Safety
- Functions in plants
- References
thumb|right|β-sitosterol, a prototypical phytosterol Phytosterols are phytosteroids, similar to cholesterol, that serve as structural components of biological membranes of plants. They encompass plant sterols and stanols. More than 250 sterols and related compounds have been identified. Free phytosterols extracted from oils are insoluble in water, relatively insoluble in oil, and soluble in alcohols.
Phytosterol-enriched foods and dietary supplements have been marketed for decades. Despite well-documented LDL cholesterol-lowering effects from long-term consumption of phytosterols, typically in the range of about 5-10%, there is no conclusive evidence from long‑term outcome trials that phytosterols themselves reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, improve fasting blood sugar, or glycated hemoglobin levels, or overall mortality rate.