Phytosterols, Acai and Your Health
If you want to remain healthy, you must incorporate phytosterols into your diet. What are phytosterols? Simply defined, phytosterols are a type of chemical found in the cellular membranes of many plants. They have no taste or odor, though in its natural state, phytosterols have a white, powdery appearance.
Anyway, phytosterols can work wonders for human health, especially when it comes to lowering cholesterol. Why is this so? Well, after phytosterols have been ingested, the chemicals prevent HDLs, (the bad type of cholesterol), from forming into micelles. In turn, fewer amounts of HDLs are able to be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.
With that being said, what foods does a person need to consume to take advantage of phytosterols’ health benefits? Well, some brands of vegetable oils, margarines and other fattening foods are already fortified with the substances. In fact, it is not unusual for many manufacturers to tote about how ‘heart-healthy’ their foods are… even if they contain a ton of calories, sugars and fat. But if you’re not aware of other alternatives, it can be very easy to get taken in by all the hype.
So, what exactly are the alternatives one can consider when trying to incorporate more phytosterols into their diet? The best way to answer this question is to look into the nut family, especially cashews, pistachios and walnuts. They contain some of the highest amounts of phytosterols, especially in comparison to fruits and vegetables.
However, don’t get too excited. While nuts are a very healthy food, they still contain a high amount of fat. This means, if you consume too many nuts, even in their natural form, you risk gaining weight. And, when a person is overweight or obese, they increase their chances of developing high cholesterol anyway.
Of course, some people may think if they only eat a handful of nuts they can avoid developing a weight problem. And such a notion is 100% true. But in the process they would be sacrificing phytosterols, which are still in limited supply even in nuts.
Fortunately, there is a way one can eat the proper amount of phytosterols while still watching their weight. It involves consuming products containing acai, which is a superfruit grown in the Amazon forest. Containing a plethora of phytosterols already, the acai won’t require you to consume 7,000 calories. You may not even need to consume 100 calories, since acai is often distributed in supplement/vitamin form. Really, the only challenge associated with the acai is finding it… and even that’s not very difficult thanks to online health food stores.
In conclusion, phytosterols need to be a part of every person’s diet. Yet, if people acquire them through the wrong type of foods, the disadvantages will outweigh the advantages. So, to combat that problem, consider consuming phytosterols through acai juice or supplements. You’ll get the same benefits with much less hassle, since you won’t have to worry about fat or calories.