Plant stanols and sterols

What are they?Components of fruit and vegetable plant membranes shown to lower cholesterol. New food-processing techniques have made it possible to extract and infuse them into products.

Recommended amount: 1.3–3.4 grams, over two meals.

Which foods do they fortify? Spreads, salad dressings, breads, and potato chips.

Why are they good for you? Stanols are believed to compete with cholesterol and keep it from being absorbed into the bloodstream. Studies have shown that consuming 1.8–2.8 grams of sterols/stanols per day for four weeks to three months can lower total cholesterol by 7 percent to 11 percent.

Consider: Be sure you are getting enough. Spreading mayo with stanols on your sandwich or eating a bag of stanol-rich potato chips won’t likely make a significant impact. Two cups of fortified orange juice or two tablespoons of fortified margarine supply an adequate amount.