what are plant sterols and stanols

Plant sterols and stanols—often called phytosterols—are naturally occurring compounds found in plants, especially nuts, seeds, whole grains, and vegetable oils. Because they are structurally similar to cholesterol, they compete with dietary cholesterol during digestion and absorption. This unique property helps reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, supporting overall heart health without significantly affecting HDL or triglycerides. While the two terms are often used together,…