Hi there I'm Monica Reinagal and you're listening to the nutrition divas quick and dirty tips for eating well and feeling fabulous.

The word phytosterol might be unfamiliar, but you've probably been eating

them your whole life. At least I hope you have because a diet rich in phytostroals

is a great way to reduce your risk of heart disease.

And now researchers suspect that phytostroals may also play a role in the prevention of Alzheimer's

disease. And now back to phytostorals. The word phytoh means plant of course, but what does

sterile mean? Well, sterile's are a family of molecules with a specific shape and structure.

Phytosterols are sterols found in plants.

And the sterols you find in animals are called zoosterols.

And the best known of these is cholesterol.

And here's where the link between phytosterols and heart disease comes into play.

Phytosterols and cholesterol are similar enough in structure that they're absorbed

through the same mechanisms and only so many molecules are going to get through the

gate. When your diet is high in phytostroals, you absorb less cholesterol.

And this can lead to lower LDL or bad cholesterol levels and a reduced risk of heart

disease. Now new research suggests that phytostorals might also help reduce your risk of

Alzheimer's.

One phytostorol in particular, called stigmasterol, appears to inhibit the formation of the beta amyloid protein

that builds up in the brain of people with Alzheimer's.

The research is still preliminary. We have to see if it works as well in people as it does in animals

but if stymosterol can help protect our brains as well as our hearts that's going to be a

welcome bonus so where do you get phytostroals? Pistachios, peanuts, sunflower, and

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