Registered Dietitian, Sarah Ware, B.Sc.(Hons), RD, CDE.

discusses the benefits of plant sterols in your diet.

Natural Dietary Sources While plant sterols occur naturally in many foods, typical diets only provide around 200–400 mg per day:

  • Vegetable Oils: Unrefined canola, corn, soybean, and olive oil.

  • Nuts & Seeds: Sesame seeds, pistachios, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

  • Legumes & Grains: Wheat germ, rice bran, chickpeas, and lentils.

  • Fruits & Vegetables: Passionfruit, avocados, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

How They Work :  Plant Sterols

  • Intestinal Competition: Plant sterols bind to digestive micelles in the small intestine, displacing cholesterol so it cannot be absorbed.

  • Excretion: The unabsorbed cholesterol passes through the body and is eliminated as waste.

  • LDL Reduction: Consuming 1.5 to 3 grams of plant sterols daily can lower LDL cholesterol by 7% to 12% within two to three weeks without significantly affecting HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Registered Dietitian discusses which foods contain plant sterols

Fortified Foods & Supplements To reach therapeutic doses (2 g/day) for cholesterol management, fortified options or supplements are often used:

  • Fortified Foods: Margarines/spreads, orange juice, milk, and yogurts explicitly labeled with added plant sterols or stanols.

  • Supplements: Available in softgels, gummies, or chews, typically taken alongside meals containing fat to maximize effectiveness.

How food allergies can affect mental health
  1. Stress and anxiety
    • People with serious food allergies may experience ongoing worry about accidental exposure, especially if reactions can be life-threatening.
    • This can lead to increased anxiety, hypervigilance, and fear around eating, traveling, social events, or dining out.
  2. Social isolation
    • Food allergies can make school, work, parties, restaurants, and family gatherings more challenging.
    • Feeling different or excluded may contribute to loneliness, low mood, or reduced quality of life.

Registered Dietitian, Sarah Ware, B.Sc.(Hons), RD, CDE.

Plant Sterols and High Cholesterol

Considerations

  • Fat-Soluble Vitamin Absorption: High intake can slightly lower the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, particularly beta-carotene. Eating a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables easily offsets this effect.

  • Phytosterolemia: A rare genetic condition where individuals absorb excessive amounts of plant sterols; people with this condition should avoid supplements.