Low-fat formulations of plant stanols and sterols

Clinical trials have shown that an intake of 2 to 3 g/day of esterified plant stanol--when incorporated in margarines or spreads--significantly reduces serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations without affecting serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglyceride levels. There is also a growing interest in incorporating cholesterol-lowering ingredients into low-fat foods. Esterification of stanols with long-chain fatty acids increases fat solubility by 10-fold and enables the incorporation of plant stanols into different food products, even low-fat foods. It provides a means of introducing an adequate daily amount of stanol for optimal reduction of cholesterol absorption, while maintaining a high-quality food product. Recent clinical trials show that esterified plant stanols effectively reduce serum total and LDL cholesterol levels, even when used in food vehicles with a low-fat content.