The amount of cholesterol you absorb in your intestines can lead to changes in plasma low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol levels. If you decrease the amount of cholesterol you absorb, you may be able to lower your plasma LDL level. Plasma LDL levels are related to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which cholesterol and other lipids are deposited in the artery wall. If atherosclerosis progresses, you will likely develop coronary artery disease, which is the leading cause of death among American men and women.
Inhibiting Cholesterol Absorption
Fortunately, you only absorb about 50 percent of the cholesterol that passes through the intestine. This means that when you consume three eggs that have 560 mg of cholesterol, your intestines will only absorb 280 mg of cholesterol. There has recently been a class of drug developed to effectively inhibit cholesterol absorption. You may prefer to consume a safe and all-natural food or food product that reduces cholesterol absorption.
Foods That Reduce Cholesterol Absorption
A variety of foods or food ingredients are available that reduce cholesterol absorption. These dietary components include soluble fiber, soy proteins and the saturated fatty acid stearic acid. Another food component widely used to reduce cholesterol absorption are plant sterols and plant stanols. When you consume a diet that contains one or more of these food components, not only will you reduce cholesterol absorption, you may improve overall health as most of these come from plant sources.
Fiber
Soluble fibers have a number of health benefits associated with their consumption. When you consume foods high in soluble fiber, you benefit from a diminished glycemic response, improved bowel function and reduced plasma LDL cholesterol levels. Males should consume between 30 to 36 g of soluble fiber per day, while females should consume 21 to 29 g per day. Foods high in soluble fiber include oranges, carrots and oats.
Plant Sterols
Plant sterols are the plant version of cholesterol. Plant sterols have been known to reduce cholesterol absorption since the 1950s. It is recommended that you consume 2 g per day of plant sterols to effectively reduce cholesterol absorption and plasma LDL levels. You can eat fruits and vegetables to obtain the necessary amount of plant sterols. Plants with high amounts of plant sterol include figs, oranges, broccoli and cauliflower. You can also purchase margarine and orange juice that contain plant sterols as a food ingredient, as these products are designed and marketed to reduce cholesterol absorption and LDL cholesterol.
References
- "Circulation"; Heart Disease and Stroke Statisitcs-2007 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee; W Rosamond, et al.; February 2007
- "Advances in Food and Nutrition Research"; Food Components That Reduce Cholesterol Absorption; TP Carr, et al.; September 2006
- "Nutrition Research"; Sitosterol Reduces Messenger RNA and Protein Expression Levels of Neimann-Pick C1-Like 1 in FHs 74 Int Cells; ED Jesch, et al.; October 2009
