Contents:
- Medical Video: 7 Best supplements that will clean your arteries naturally at home
- What is phytosterol?
- What are the benefits of fitosterol for health?
- 1. Lowers high cholesterol in the body
- 2. Prevent cancer
- 3. Maintain healthy skin
- What foods contain fitosterol?
Medical Video: 7 Best supplements that will clean your arteries naturally at home
Having high cholesterol can indeed cause you to experience heart disease. Today, many people are 'aware' and switch to adopting a healthy lifestyle to prevent having high cholesterol in their bodies. One thing you can do to reduce high cholesterol is by eating foods that contain fitosterol. What is phytosterol? Its name is similar to cholesterol, but what distinguishes it?
What is phytosterol?
If you notice, the name of fitosterol with cholesterol is almost the same. Yes, it's true that both of these substances have similar chemical forms, even arguably, phytosterol is another form of cholesterol. Phytosterol is formed from various plants, while cholesterol is produced by the body naturally and can also be found in some animal foods.
Although similar, unlike cholesterol which will cause various heart diseases if there are too many in the body, phytosterol is actually a deterrent from heart disease.
What are the benefits of fitosterol for health?
There have been many studies that prove that phytosterol is indeed good for the body. Here are the various benefits of phytosterol:
1. Lowers high cholesterol in the body
Cholesterol and fitosterol have almost the same shape, causing the body to be fooled. Described by a study published in the journal Annual Review of Nutrition, phytosterol which enters the body will rival the absorption of cholesterol in your stomach. This condition will prevent cholesterol absorption and eventually prevent high cholesterol in the body.
When cholesterol levels are low, there is less risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases. Even consuming 1-2 grams of phytosterol in a day can reduce 6-10% of body cholesterol and prevent heart disease.
2. Prevent cancer
From the results of a European Journal of Clinical Nutrition journal in 2009, phytosterol is known to prevent several types of cancer, such as ovarian cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer. In the study it was known that phytosterol was able to prevent cancer cells from growing and spreading in the body. In addition, the workings of fitosterol against cancer are believed to be the same as antioxidants, which are able to stop the formation of free radicals in the body.
3. Maintain healthy skin
Not only is it able to reduce high cholesterol, phytosterol is also beneficial for maintaining healthy skin. Phytosterol can prevent collagen - a substance that makes your skin supple and healthy - destroyed due to unfavorable environmental exposure. So eating foods with high phytosterol can keep you young and prevent premature aging.
What foods contain fitosterol?
Take it easy, foods that contain fitosterol are very easy to get and around you. Examples of foods containing high phytosterol are:
- Various types of beans
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- All types of wheat
Phytosterol does have many benefits for health, not that fitosterol can be consumed in large quantities. Eating foods that contain fitosterol is okay, but remember you don't need additional supplements that contain high phytosterol. Too much fitosterol in the body will only block the absorption of beta carotene - a type of vitamin A.
