ABSTRACT
I n t ro d u c t i o n Phytosterols (PS), abundant in the fat-soluble fractions of plants, are consumed at levels of 200-400 mg/d in Western diets (1). PS have become dietary ingredients of increasing importance since Peterson first reported in 1951 that the addition of soy sterols to a cholesterol-enriched diet prevented increases in plasma cholesterol levels and significantly reduced the incidence of atherosclerotic plaque in chick aortae (2,3). Clinical investigations under a wide range of study conditions indicated that the administration of PS to humans reduces plasma total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels (1). A number of theories have been advanced concerning the mechanism by which PS functions to reduce serum cholesterol. It is generally accepted that PS inhibit the intestinal absorption of cholesterol (1,4).
