Easy to incorporate, with minimal effect on taste and texture
Sterols are ingredients that should be of particular interest to dairies. They have been well studied for 50 years and have clearly been shown to lower cholesterol levels to a clinically significant extent. These sterols help lower blood cholesterol because they are structurally similar to cholesterol, and consequently, compete with in-gested cholesterol for absorption through the small intestine. In essence, when plant sterols are present in the gastrointestinal tract, cholesterol absorption will occur to a lesser degree. Sterols themselves, interestingly enough, are not absorbed to the same degree as cholesterol (5-20-plus times less). They simply block cholesterol and are then excreted.