Product Information

Phytosterols are a class of natural active ingredients widely present in plants, belonging to the steroid compound family. It plays an important role in stabilizing the cell membrane structure and regulating physiological functions in plants.

Structurally, plant sterols have a similar four ring steroid nucleus structure to cholesterol, but there are differences in their side chains, which endows them with unique physiological activity. There are many types of plant sterols, including β - sitosterol, stigmasterol, brassinosteroids, etc. They are widely distributed in various plant-based foods such as vegetable oils, nuts, grains, and beans. For example, corn oil and soybean oil are rich in plant sterols.

In terms of physiological functions, plant sterols are most well-known for their lipid-lowering effects. It can compete with cholesterol for absorption sites in the intestine, effectively inhibiting cholesterol absorption and reducing cholesterol levels in the blood, which helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Research has shown that daily intake of a certain amount of plant sterols can lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ("bad cholesterol") in the blood, which has a positive protective effect on cardiovascular health.

In addition, plant sterols also have various potential health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune regulation. In terms of anti-inflammatory effects, it can regulate inflammation related signaling pathways and reduce the damage of inflammatory reactions to body tissues; The antioxidant effect helps to eliminate free radicals in the body, reduce oxidative stress damage to cells, thereby delaying aging and preventing various chronic diseases; In terms of immune regulation, it can enhance the body's immune function and help the body better resist the invasion of pathogens.

In the food industry, plant sterols are often used as functional additives in food production due to their good emulsifying properties and stability. For example, adding it to foods such as margarine, spreads, yogurt, etc. can not only increase the nutritional value of the product, but also improve the texture and taste of the food. In the field of cosmetics, plant sterols are widely used in the development of skincare products due to their excellent moisturizing and skin barrier repairing functions. They help moisturize the skin, reduce moisture loss, and keep the skin smooth, delicate, and elastic.

Plant sterols were approved as new food ingredients in 2010. Announcement No. 3 of 2010 approved two new food ingredients related to sterols, plant sterols and plant sterol esters.

According to the approval document information, plant sterols are produced using vegetable oil fractions such as soybean oil or tarot oil as raw materials through processes such as saponification, extraction, and crystallization. Main physical and chemical indicators: plant sterol content ≥ 90%, consumption ≤ 2.4 grams/day.

Plant sterol esters are produced by using vegetable oil fractions such as soybean oil or tarot oil as raw materials, and obtaining plant sterols through processes such as saponification, extraction, and crystallization. Then, plant sterols are esterified with sunflower seed oil fatty acids to produce plant sterol esters. The main physical and chemical indicators are that the content of plant sterol esters and plant sterols (total) is ≥ 97%, and the consumption amount is ≤ 3.9 grams/day. The application scope of these two raw materials does not include infant and toddler food.

With people's pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and the continuous deepening of research on plant sterols, the application prospects of plant sterols in food, medicine, cosmetics and other fields will become increasingly broad, and are expected to bring more benefits to human health.