Beta-sitosterol is the most common plant sterol and is structurally similar to cholesterol. As a dietary supplement, beta-sitosterol is mainly used to reduce high cholesterol and to decrease symptoms of an enlarged prostate, as noted by eMedTV. Food manufacturers add beta-sitosterol to fortify certain foods, and several plant foods are natural sources of this nutrient.
Nuts and Seeds
Several types of nuts and seeds are natural sources of beta-sitosterol, with good amounts available in each 3.5 oz. serving, as listed by Top 200 Food Sources. The nuts can be eaten raw, blanched or roasted. Pistachio nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, filberts and macadamia nuts provide 100 to 199 mg per 3.5 oz. serving, while pecans have 96 mg and and English walnuts 64 mg. Roasted pumpkin seeds and squash seeds have 13 mg per 3.5 oz. serving.
Chocolate
Add nuts to dark or milk chocolate for some tasty beta-sitosterol treats. Dark chocolate with 45 to 69 percent cacao solids, as well as unsweetened baking chocolate, contains 66 to 86 mg of beta-sitosterol per 3.5 oz serving. You can get smaller amounts from milk chocolate candy and chocolate cookies.
Fruit
With 76 mg of beta-sitosterol per 3.5 oz serving, avocado was worthy of an article published in the April 2001 issue of the "Journal of the Dietetic Association" titled "Avocado Fruit is a Rich Source of Beta-Sitosterol." You'd need to eat quite a bit more pomegranate for similar amounts, at 4 mg per 3.5 oz serving.
Herbal Source
Saw palmetto berries contain large amounts of beta-sitosterol and other plant sterols, and concentrated extracts of these berries are recognized as helpful for relieving symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, or a noncancerous enlarged prostate. The berries and the supplements created from these berries promote urination and decrease inflammation, according to the MSKCC, even though saw palmetto does not actually reduce the prostate size.
Amaranth
The grain amaranth also is high in beta-sitosterol, according to a study published in Vol. 58, No. 3 of "Plant Foods For Human Nutrition" in 2008. Amaranth grain and flour are commonly available at natural food sections of grocery stores. In addition to using amaranth for cereals and baked goods, including amaranth in stir-fry and stew adds extra texture and flavor. Chet Day's Health and Beyond notes that amaranth flour must be combined with other flours for baking yeast breads, because it does not contain gluten.
