Great Taste, High Fibre and Lowers Cholesterol with Plant Sterols*
This tasty blend of crunchy clusters, crispy flakes and juicy sultanas is a great way to start your day while lowering your cholesterol. Also it is high in fibre so its good for your gut too. Sultana Bran + with Cholesterol Lowering Plant Sterols contains the 2g sterols you need to lower your cholesterol.
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How do plant sterols lower cholesterol?
Plant sterols are very effective at lowering cholesterol by up to 9%1 . They work by stopping the body from absorbing bad cholesterol into the blood. It’s not easy to get the 2g of sterols you need from regular plant foods, but foods with added plant sterols make it much easier.
1. Ras et al, Br J Nutr 2014, 112 (2): 214-9.
What is cholesterol and why is high cholesterol a problem?
Cholesterol is a fat found in the blood. It’s produced naturally in the body and is important for many body processes. There is also some cholesterol in animal foods. When cholesterol in the blood is too high it can accumulate in blood vessels and cause blockages. This increases the risk of developing heart disease. There are good and bad cholesterol types and it’s the bad cholesterol that needs to be managed.
What is a healthy cholesterol level?
Health authorities recommend that cholesterol levels should be less than 5.5mmol/L. However, if you are a smoker or have high blood pressure, you should be aiming much lower.
What can I do to manage my cholesterol levels?
Lifestyle and diet are key to helping manage cholesterol levels. Some of the things that may help include:
Eat more fibre rich plant foods such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans as they help to lower cholesterol levels and have antioxidants that help protect the blood vessels from damage.
Eat lean meat and chicken that are trimmed of fat and limit your intake of processed or deli meats such as bacon and sausages. Eat fish several times a week.
Limit full fat dairy, cheese and butter but don’t cut out dairy altogether as it is an important source of calcium. If you choose dairy alternatives, make sure they are calcium-enriched. Choose nut butters, avocado or hummus as spreads.
Limit fried foods and commercial baked goods that often contain high levels of saturated and/or trans fats. Instead, choose foods with good fats such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, oily fish and avocado.
Eat 2g of plant sterols a day. These are found in small amounts in many plant foods, but there are foods that are enriched with plant sterols such as spreads, milks and specialised breakfast cereals.
Give up smoking and limit alcohol consumption. Make water your drink of choice.
Exercise regularly, including both weight bearing and cardiovascular training to maintain a healthy weight.
* A 50g serve of Sultana Bran® + with Cholesterol Lowering Plant Sterols contains 2g of plant sterols, which can reduce cholesterol as part of a healthy varied diet low in saturated fat. 2g of plant sterols daily is required to help lower cholesterol. Additional consumption does not provide further benefit. May not be suitable for children under 5 years and pregnant or lactating women.