The exact term is Phytosterols and it is used to describe Plant sterols and their saturated derivatives, Plant stanols. Phytosterols are bioactive compounds found naturally in foods of plant origin and present a chemical structure similar to that of cholesterol, which is found only in foods of animal origin.

Phytosterols or Plant sterols or Plants steroids, represent an important group of compounds in unsaponifiable plant oils that confer biological activities to the oils (1) and the increasing demand for alternative health remedies has expanded the global nutraceutical market (2).

Food sources of phytosterols include vegetable oils :

• mainly corn (909 mg/100 mL)
• sunflower (411 mg/100 mL)
• soybean (320 mg/100 mL)
• olive (300 mg/100 mL)

oleaginous fruits such as:

• almonds (183 mg/100 g)
• cereals like wheat germ (344 mg/100 g)
• wheat bran (200 mg/100 g)

in addition to fruits and vegetables, such :

• passion fruit (44 mg/100 g)
• orange (24 mg/100 g)
• cauliflower (40 mg/100 g) (3).

Phytosterol-enriched food products have been engineered and marketed to lower serum cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risks (4).

Phytosterols are also valuable in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and colon cancer (5).

Among the plant steroids (more of 250 identified), I report Panax ginseng, a plant very widely used herbal medicine globally and Ergosterol.

Over the last decade, the beverage industry has taken a serious jump into the future by introducing a broad range of new, convenient, natural, and functional beverages. These beverages, often called health drinks, include (iced) teas and juices but also shakes and “super drinks” such as pomegranate juice or Aloe vera extract–based drinks. For most of these products, a range of different nutrition and health claims are being formulated on the label and in advertisements. These claims stimulate the consumer to purchase these particular beverages in order to increase their personal health status. Popular health claims are “free from” claims such as gluten-free or lactose-free but also vegan, organic, “helps to prevent coronary heart disease” and “lowers cholesterol” claims are being used quite often. To streamline these claims, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and EC (European Commission) rules have been adopted on the use of nutrition and health claims on foods. Up until now, only very few compounds have been appointed an approved health claim by both organizations. Plant sterols are part of that limited list of approved compounds for their cholesterol-lowering properties (FDA Health Claim; Phytosterols and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease) (EFSA, Article 14 (1)(a) “Reduction of disease risk” of the Regulation on nutrition and health claims 1924/2006) (6).

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the FDA have concluded that, compared to a placebo, LDL cholesterol levels in the blood can be reduced from 7 to 12.5% if a person consumes from 1.5 to 3 grams of plant sterols and stanols (expressed as free sterols) per day (EFSA, Article 14 (1) (a)) (7)

This study aimed to quantify free and conjugated plant sterols and ergosterol in a broad range of plant-based (health) drinks. Concentrations of water-soluble glycosidic phytosterols (e.g., BSSG) showed to be much higher than what could have been expected from concentrations previously (indirectly) determined in solid foods such as grains, fruits, and vegetables. Plant-based milk alternatives and fresh juices for example showed to contain up to 90 mg BSSG per 100 mL. Due to their water-soluble nature, these sterols may have been enriched throughout the liquid extraction process used to produce these beverages. Most concentrate based beverages and extracts on the other hand only contained low concentrations of plant sterols. In addition, previously used extraction and chemical hydrolysis protocols might not have sufficed to release all conjugated plant sterols from the matrix and complete hydrolysis of the β-glycosidic bound at the same time. In light of the ever-growing market of health-conscious consumers, one should be looking into more detail at production processes to increase enrichment of (conjugated) plant sterols were possible (8).

References______________________________________________________________________

(1) Jones P.J.H., MacDougall D.E., Ntanios F., Vanstone C.A. Dietary phytosterols as cholesterol-lowering agents in humans. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1997;75:217–227

(2) High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of phytosterols in Panax ginseng root grown under different conditions. Lee DG, Lee J, Kim KT, Lee SW, Kim YO, Cho IH, Kim HJ, Park CG, Lee S. J Ginseng Res. 2018 Jan;42(1):16-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2016.10.004. Epub 2016 Nov 10.

(3) Berges R.R., Windeler J., Trampisch H.J., Senge T. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of β-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. β-Sitosterol study group. Lancet. 1995;345:1529–1532

(4) Berges R.R., Windeler J., Trampisch H.J., Senge T. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of β-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. β-Sitosterol study group. Lancet. 1995;345:1529–1532

(5) Kobayashi Y., Sugaya Y., Tokue A. Clinical effects of β-sitosterol (phytosterol) on benign prostatic hyperplasia: preliminary study. Hinyokika Kiyo. 1998;44:865–868

(6) Plant-Based Beverages as Good Sources of Free and Glycosidic Plant Sterols. Decloedt AI, Van Landschoot A, Watson H, Vanderputten D, Vanhaecke L. Nutrients. 2017 Dec 29;10(1). pii: E21. doi: 10.3390/nu10010021.

(7) Kritchevsky, D.; Chen, S.C. Phytosterols—Health benefits and potential concerns: A review. Nutr. Res. 2005, 25, 413–428.

(8) Plant-Based Beverages as Good Sources of Free and Glycosidic Plant Sterols
Anneleen I Decloedt, Anita Van Landschoot, Hellen Watson, Dana Vanderputten and Lynn Vanhaecke. Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Brewing, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Laboratory of Chemical Analysis, Ghent University, 133 Salisburylaan, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Biosciences and Food Sciences, University College Ghent, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium Nutrients 2018, 10(1), 21; doi:10.3390/nu10010021