The topic of how to keep “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood under control regularly stimulates medical and scientific debate about which foods and substances can be used to treat the problem most effectively.
Nutraceutical formulations have focused on the plant world for years. In fact, many varieties of fruit and vegetables have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ischemic and anti-platelet properties.
Alesco’s laboratories have concentrated their research on the use of sterols. As a result they have developed UltraSterol, an innovative complex of plant phytosterols formulated to contribute to cardiovascular and metabolic protection and well-being, which exploits the natural hypocholesterolemic function of these substances. UltraSterol is a functional ingredient that is suitable either for different types of food supplements, in the form of tablets, bars or gelatin capsules, or as an additive in various kinds of food and drink, including milk, drinking yoghurt, cereals, bread, sauces and condiments.
Plant phytosterols: what are they?
Plant sterols are plant-based fats with hypocholesterolemic properties and can be ingested as part of your diet, mainly through vegetable oils and dried fruit and, in smaller quantities, also via fresh fruit and vegetables.
The effectiveness of plant sterols is closely related to their chemical structure, which interacts directly with cholesterol and limits its intestinal absorption. As a result, plant sterols help to protect the body, reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disorders, strokes and heart attacks due to excessive levels of LDL in the blood.
Furthermore, the body has specific carriers in the intestinal wall which actively transfer the absorbed phytosterols back into the intestine, amplifying their therapeutic effect, while at the same time maintaining plasma cholesterol concentrations at very low levels.
According to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), for plant sterols to effectively reduce cholesterol, the ideal quantity to consume through diet is 1.5-3.0 g per day.
UltraSterol: Alesco research
Products enriched with plant sterols have therefore demonstrated a positive effect in improving cardiovascular health, as they act directly to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.
Unfortunately, phytosterols are insoluble in water so they cannot be used in their raw form in foods, drinks or liquids. To overcome this limitation, Alesco has developed an innovative microencapsulation technology which allows the free phytosterols to be incorporated into a complex of sucresteres and maltodextrins that makes the product perfectly water-dispersible, thus transforming the plant phytosterols into a highly safe and efficacious functional ingredient.
UltraSterol is a 100% plant-based functional ingredient of the highest quality, with a high concentration of phytosterols derived exclusively from pine to guarantee the absence of soy allergens.