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Cholesterol Current Topics in Cholesterol

The Nuts that May Clobber Cholesterol

If you are looking for a way to keep your heart healthy and still satisfy your snacking mood, pistachios and sunflower seeds may be the powerful cholesterol-fighting tool your body needs.

A new study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, shows that these nuts and seeds rank at the top of the list for containing cholesterol-lowering compounds, phytosterols. While many nuts contain this helpful compound, the study is the first to determine which of these little treats have the largest amount of this cholesterol-clobbering ingredient.

"We tried to establish values for all these foods, so others can determine their value in the diet," said Dr. Katherine Phillips, study author from the department of biochemistry and food chemistry at Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

Phytosterols are found only in plant-based foods and very closely resemble the molecular structure of cholesterol. But unlike cholesterol, phytosterols are not easily absorbed by the body. Scientists believe that because of this, the compound can partially block cholesterol from being absorbed, thereby lowering overall cholesterol levels naturally.

Philips and her colleagues recognized that nuts and seeds tend to be high in phytosterols, but no study had adequately compared the amounts of the compound found in all of the varieties, which range in size from poppy seeds to walnuts.

While wheat germ and sesame seeds were found to contain the highest amount of phytosterols, according to the tests, most people do not eat these foods by themselves, let alone in high enough amounts for it to matter. So, the third and forth place finishers, sunflower seeds and pistachios, were considered by Philips to be the most practical nutty snack for people looking to lower their cholesterol.

Even if you don't consider sunflower seeds or pistachios a desirable treat, any of the nuts and seeds tested were found to contain at least a small amount of phytosterols. So, if walnuts are more tempting than pistachios, munch away. But Philips also advises you to consider other options, such as diet and exercise, that are proven to substantially help lower your cholesterol.

"This isn't the only food product to prevent high cholesterol," she said. "There are many other factors at play."