Foods with Plant Sterols

In nature, small quantities of plant sterols can be found in a range of foods, particularly vegetable oils. In the American diet, the average plant sterol intake is about 250 milligrams. Vegetarians consume in a range of 400 to 750 milligrams. Plant sterol intake in traditional diets has been estimated to be about 1g (1000mg). Medical studies have concluded that 2-3g (2000-3000mg) effectively lower cholesterol. Fortified foods or supplements are typically required to obtain these levels.


At our sister site, Kardea Gourmet, you can find a listing of a variety of foods with plant sterols --- naturally-occurring and fortified. You also can find (and contribute) great recipes for foods that actively work to improve cholesterol levels.

Father's Day Gourmet & Cholesterol Management

The science is clear and convincing. Therapeutic nutrition---that incorporates 2g of plant sterols, over 10g of soluble fiber, monounsaturated fats replacing saturated and trans fats, and reduced animal sources of protein-- can achieve cholesterol reductions comparable to many of the widely prescribed medications.

With my daughter, we have created a delicious, natural, cholesterol-lowering Father’s Day menu.

We recommend recipes for lunch, a snack and dinner. With a single serving of each dish, you will enjoy:

• 2g of natural plant sterols from foods and taken through the course of the day.
• 30g of total fiber
• 7 grams of heart healthy soluble fiber.
• 1g Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA)
• Only 150mg of dietary cholesterol (from the chicken and salmon)
• Saturated fat is below 7 percent of total calories.
• Monounsaturated fats equal about 23% of total calories.

Overall, we are nearly in-line with the recommendations of the National Cholesterol Education Program, but we fall a bit short on the heart healthy soluble fiber.

So look to breakfast to finish your therapy. Here are some simple guidelines. A good morning start would be an oat cereal and fruit. If you are looking for something a bit more interesting, there are a number of oat pancake recipes that can be found online. Stay away from the ones with butter and lots of eggs in the ingredients. Either way, you should get you to the 10g minimum recommendations for soluble fiber.

In my life, I actually shoot for the higher, 20-25g recommendation. The only way I have been able to achieve this goal is with psyllium husk or concentrated oat bran. I dissolve a tablespoon of one of these fibers into my morning juice. A heaping tablespoon of the psyllium husk, for instance, delivers 9g of heart health soluble fiber. Most people can tolerate such a dosage, but it is probably something you need to work up to.

The Menu

Luncheon
Mediterranean Salmon Salad
Chick Peas with Oregano
Roasted Asparagus
Whole Grain Bread or Whole Wheat Roll

Snack
Kardea Gourmet Nutrition Bar with 1g plant sterols, 7g fiber, and 7g protein.

Dinner
1st Course
Gazpacho: Quick, Bold & Delicious

2nd Course
Chicken Balsamic Reduction
Steamed Broccoli
Barley Pilaf

Dessert
Sorbet of Your Choosing
Fresh Berries or Sliced Ripe Peaches.

WebMD Addresses Natural Cholesterol Management

WebMD has recently released an online video addressing natural cholesterol management. View Video.

In the accompanying artcle, WebMD reports, "To lower your cholesterol, ...a handful of some "functional foods" have been shown to make a big impact on your cholesterol levels."

"These foods may not be magic, but they're close to it," says Ruth Frechman, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association quoted in the WebMD article.

The article continues that "studies have shown that a diet combining these "superfoods" may work as well as some cholesterol-lowering medicines to reduce your "bad" LDL cholesterol levels." This is great news for the 105 million adults in the U.S. with high cholesterol, particularly for the many people that can't handle the side effects from cholesterol drugs.

The Kardea website provides an excellent overview of how these key nutritions fit into a heart health diet. And for recipes enabling therapeutic nutrition for cholesterol management, click to Kardea Gourmet.