? about plant sterols in orange juice

[Ann1965]

Hey folks! My husband has been recently diagnosed with high cholesterol. I've read in several articles that plant sterols added to certain brands or types of orange juice have shown to lower the bad cholesterol. Well, I spent a little while in the grocery store looking, but exactly what am I looking for? Will the ingredients have plant sterols listed or is it called something else? All this label reading is really confusing. I was looking at our margarine and found that what we'd been using for years is actually lower in fats than the stuff touted to be "heart healthy" and "cholesterol lowering". TIA for all your wonderful knowledge! Ann

[wallycat]

It may have "stanol" or "sterol" listed and have a "heart-wise' type of label.

Here is an ingredient list from Minute Maid's product:

Ingredients

Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise 100% PURE SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE WITH ADDED INGREDIENTS CONTAINS PURE FILTERED WATER, CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE, LESS THAN 2% OF EACH: PLANT STEROLS, VITAMIN E (ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE), VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE), VITAMIN B12, BETA CAROTENE (FOR COLOR).

[mbrogier]

Don't forget to watch out for trans-fats on your margarine. Anything partially hydrogenated is seriously bad for your heart. Some of those "heart healthy" margarines still have partially hydrogenated oils.

Macadamia nuts are a plant sterol that have been proven quite effective in lowering cholesterol. You can buy macadamia nut oil to use in salads and cooking. Not all fat is bad fat. Vegetable and nut based fats can be heart healthy.

[Ann1965]

Thanks for the advice. My brother-in-law just found out also that his cholesterol is high and my sister is waiting to hear what advice y'all had to give. Thanks!