I don't understand the science behind plant sterols, and according to dictionary definition, sterols are any of a group of solid, mostly unsaturated, polycyclic alcohols, as cholesterol and ergosterol, derived from plants or animals.
Can somebody explain? =)
Plant sterols are classified as "good cholesterol" (HDL-High Density Lipoprotien) . The bad cholesterol is LDL – Low Density Lipoprotein. A good cholesterol (HDL) is different from the bad cholesterol (LDL) in its molecular content because it has less fat (lipid) and more protein, against the bad cholesterol -LDL which has more fat (lipid) than protein content. The less fat – the less prone to heart diseases. The "good" cholesterol also is different from the "bad" in it's specific function. The good chole is responsible in transporting fat from the liver to be excreted outside of the body, while the bad chole transports fat from the blood stream to the liver for metabolism; so in a sense, the bad chole brings fat into the body , while the good chole brings fat out of the system.
The more fat retained in the system, the more prone a person is to cardiovascular diseases and related conditions.
As an additional info, cholesterol is also the basic nucleus of steroid hormones – like estrogen and testosterone – which are very important in the development of our secondary sexual characteristics – a very important function that I would like to mention.