What is Campesterol?

Campesterol is a phytochemist that is structurally similar to cholesterol. It is a type of sterol known as phytosterol that is produced by plants. This type of compound inhibits the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Campesterol is one of the plant sterols that are added to food to improve their ability to reduce the level of total and LDL or "bad" cholesterol. These compounds are present in different plant foods, often at low level. Corn and rapeseed oil has a relatively high level of Campesterol. Their primary function is to help stabilize plant membranes. In humans, they are metabolized in a similar way to cholesterol. Part of the cholesterol in the blood is bound to HDL or "good" cholesterol and taken to the liver, WDE is excreted to bile and removed from the system. Some of them may end recycled back into the bloodstream. This may result in a decrease in cholesterol levels. The presence of phytosterols in the blood seems to be beneficial and assumedIt may reduce the chance of developing cardiovascular disease.

manufacturers began to add phytosterols to foods such as margarins at the end of the 90's. In addition to plant sterols themselves, there are derivatives known as esters . Such compounds have fatty acid associated with sterol using ester connection. Another class of phytosterol derivatives is Stanols in which the double bond was removed by adding hydrogen. Both plant sterols and stanols are added to food to increase their attraction to health.

It is assumed that our ancestors ate a large number of phytosterols. However, a typical Western diet is woefully insufficient. The consumption of other phytosterols and its derivatives in the diet can reduce the total levels of LDL cholesterol. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States has allowed such functional food to claim that they have abilities to reducecholesterol when they are consumed as part of the heart of a healthy diet.

There is some concern that because phytosterols block cholesterol absorption, they can also block the absorption of other important nutrients. For this reason, it may be wise to reduce food intake with increased phytosterols to those with elevated cholesterol levels. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are recommended against replenish of their diet phytosterol, such as Campesterol.