Phytosterols in wheat germ may be a superfood to lower bad LDL cholesterol
-------------------------
Wheat germ has phytosterols, which are actually steroid compounds similar to cholesterol. These phytosterols can lower unhealthy cholesterol and promote a healthy heart.
One French study from 1992 found that eating 30 grams, or about a quarter of a cup, of raw wheat germ a day for 14 weeks lowered total cholesterol by 7.2%. It also lowered LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, by 15.4%, and triglycerides, a fat and sugar molecule in your blood, by 11.3%.
Another study from the 2003 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that if you removed the phytosterols from the wheat germ, you would not get the same cholesterol-lowering effect. This shows us that the phytosterols are the compound needed to lower cholesterol. In this study, wheat germ with the original phytosterols reduced cholesterol absorption from the intestines by an impressive 42.8%.
Other studies suggest that reducing bad cholesterol by just 7% can lead to a 15% lower risk of heart disease. Since wheat germ is one of the most robust sources of phytosterols, wheat germ may indeed be a superfood to lower bad LDL cholesterol.
===+===============
Picture source: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/archive/wheatgerm/background.html
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment