A new study found that compounds in many plant-based oils, fruits, vegetables and whole grains may reduce risk. Type 2 diabetes And heart disease.
The conclusions “support the long -standing recommendation, which to increase the amount of food items that eat people,” The lead author of the study, ” Fengli Wang, PhDA research colleague of Harvard V Chan School of Public Health told Health,
Previous studies have found that compounds called phytosterol or plant sterols can help closure high cholesterolDiabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. New ResearchThis week was presented at the American Society for Nutrition Conference in Orlando, in depth whether eating a high phytosterol diet affects chronic disease. This has not yet been published in a magazine reviewed by a colleague.
Phytosterol are compounds found in foods of all plantsSuch as fruits, vegetables, legumes and seeds. They are found in high amounts in nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pistachios – as well as linseed, wheat germ, rye bread and other types of grains.
The substances are also concentrated in the oils of unrefined plants including some seed oils. in recent months, Seed oils have faced criticism Online, with claims that they fuel the chronic conditions and are less healthy than beef legs or other animal fat – but a larger body of research shows that seed oils can be a healthy option.
Vegetable oil – Some of which are considered seed oil – with olive oil and walnut oil, are among the best sources of plant sterols.
Additionally, you can find phytosterol in complementary form.
Instead of focusing on supplements, like many previous papers, like Wang and his colleagues Wanted to see how much people can get from the foods they eat,
He investigated how three main types of plants sterols-β-sitosterol, campestrol, and stigmasterol-One Intestine microbiom And metabolic biomarkers that can indicate underlying issues such as inflammation and insulin resistance. Both type 2 are bound by the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Researchers used data from three studies, which included over 206,000 people, which were followed for 36 years. About 80% of women were women. The data expanded what people ate, as well as blood biomarkers for over 40,000 participants and blood metabolites for about 11,500. The team was capable of analyzing the intestine microbiom of 465 participants.
Using this data, scientists saw the relationship between the type of phytosterol and type of people, people who meet in their diet and the metabolism biomarker associated with the disease.
Compared to those who eat at least phytosterol -rich foods, Those who ate the most were 9% less to develop heart disease and were 8% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.People of the high-service group consumed almost daily intake:
- Four to five servings of vegetables
- Two to three servings of fruit
- Two servings of full grain
- Half -nut service
Î’-sitosterol, which is found in vegetables, was most associated with potentially beneficial changes in broccoli and cauliflower, as well as oranges, avocados and soybean oil, intestine microbiomes.
The compound is metabolized in the intestine, a process that produces more intestinal bacteria that produces short-chain fatty acids, which is firmly connected to the low risk of type 2 diabetes, explained, explained Dariash Mojaferion, MD, MPH, DRPHA cardiologist and director of Tufts Food is a Medicine Institute at Tufts University at Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
Î’-sitosterol can also reduce the trimthylmine n-oxide, or TMAO, which is a compound manufactured by the intestine bacteria that breaks red meat. He said that high TMAO has been linked to an increase in cardiovascular risk.
The new study was observed, which means that it only shows an association, but does not prove the reason. It also used survey data, seeking people to remember what they ate, which could be slanting people to remember. Nevertheless, Mozaferian said the results support that a growing body of research has found – that plant sterols have a positive effect on health.
Researchers have long known that phytosterol can help low LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, Plant-rich compounds have a structure similar to cholesterol and compete with cholesterol in the intestine, which prevents the body from absorbing some of the LDL cholesterol you eat.
According to the Disease Control and Prevention Center, about 10% of American adults and 7% of children and adolescents have high cholesterol. Over time, additional cholesterol is formed as a plaque on the inside of the arteries, puts you at high risk Heart disease,
Plant phenol can have anti -inflammatory properties In addition to blocking the body from absorbing LDL cholesterol, said Julia Zampano, RDThe Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition with a registered dietist who was not involved with new studies.
The new study has more questions about other methods that plant phenols can adjust throughout the body that change the risk of a person’s disease. “We usually think of the sterols of the plant, such as mechanical – it absorbs in the intestine, blocks cholesterol,” Mojaferian said. “But now we are learning about all these interesting routes. It metabolize the intestine and releases metabolites that can affect health.”
Zampano said that in its own preventive cardiology practice, it often writes plant sterol supplements to patients who need to reduce their LDL cholesterol.
According to Wang, the studies found in plant sterols can reduce LDL cholesterol, usually using supplements that provide 2,000 mg or compounds per day.
“Dietary data suggests that people usually get less than 600 mg from food,” he said that the study found that the amount of food still has a positive effect.
Dietary sources of phytosterol are less well studied than supplement, but many Experts prefer them for their potential health benefits. In general, people should ensure that they are eating a lot of plant foods that are usually found. Mediterranean Diet,
“As nutrition researchers, we always focus on increasing the consumption of foods because these foods – etiquette, fruits, whole grains – are not only rich in phytosterol, but also other beneficial compounds,” Wang also said.
