Health Check Podcast: Can plant stanols lower your cholesterol?

We speak with Helena Gylling, Professor Emerita of Clinical Nutrition and senior lecturer in Internal Medicine at the University of Helsinki in Finland, on whether plant stanols and a more natural diet can help reduce cholesterol. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

Joyce Teo

Senior Health Correspondent

Updated

Published

Sep 29, 2021, 06:00 PM

Health Check Ep 69: Can plant stanols lower my cholesterol?

15:35 mins

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

In this episode, we look at whether plant stanols and a more natural diet can help reduce cholesterol. Plant stanol ester is a natural compound which is used as a cholesterol-lowering ingredient in functional foods and food supplements.

ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Helena Gylling, Professor Emerita of Clinical Nutrition and senior lecturer in Internal Medicine at the University of Helsinki in Finland. This episode is brought to you by VITAPLUS Benecol: www.benecol.com.sg

They cover the following points:

1. What are plant stanols, that are present in plant-based foods? Do they get absorbed by the body? (1:15)

2. How studies in plant stanols as dietary means to lower LDL cholesterol began in 1989 in Helsinki, and their safety profile (2:22)

3. Why 2-3g of plant stanols consumed daily can lower LDL cholesterol by 9-12% (3:57)

4. How a dietary approach with plant stanols can lower cholesterol by an additional 35%, before factoring in other lifestyle controlling measures (7:11)

5. How to avoid being prescribed statin drugs early on in your life (10:35)

6. Do food products fortified with plant stanols work in the same way as plant stanol supplements? (12:34)

7. Why plant stanol products should be taken with meals for effectiveness (13:11)

More about VITAPLUS Benecol: www.benecol.com.sg

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Fa'izah Sani

Edited by: Penelope Lee

Subscribe to Health Check Podcast channel, hear the latest episodes every first and third Wednesday of the month and rate us on your favourite audio apps:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN

---

Discover more ST podcast series:

Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf

Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN

ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE