They have a fused polycyclic structure and vary in carbon side chains and / or presence or absence of a double bond (saturation). They are divided into 4,4-dimethyl phytosterols, 4-monomethyl phytosterol… See more

The richest naturally occurring sources of phytosterols are vegetable oils and products made from them. Sterols can be present in the free form and as fatty acid esters and glycolipids. The bound form is usually hyd… See more

The European Foods Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that blood cholesterol can be reduced on average by 7 to 10.5% if a person consumes 1.5 to 2.4 grams of plant sterols and stanols per day, an effect usually est… See more

The ability of phytosterols to reduce cholesterol levels was first demonstrated in humans in 1953. From 1954 to 1982, phytosterols were subsequently marketed as a pharmaceutical under the name Cytellin as … See more