An increase in dietary carotenoids when consuming plant sterols or stanols is effective in maintaining plasma carotenoid concentrations.
BACKGROUND
Plant-sterol-enriched spreads lower LDL cholesterol but may also lower lipid-standardized carotenoids.


OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to assess whether advice to consume specific daily amounts of foods high in carotenoids prevents a reduction in plasma carotenoid concentrations in subjects who consume plant sterol or stanol esters.


METHODS
Forty-six hypercholesterolemic free-living subjects completed a 3-way, double-blind, randomized crossover comparison. Subjects consumed each of the following 3 spreads (25 g/d) for 3 wk: control-1 (sterol-free), sterol ester-1 (2.3 g plant sterol esters), and stanol ester-1 (2.5 g plant stanol esters). During the 3-wk interventions, subjects were advised to eat > or =5 servings of vegetables and fruit/d, of which > or =1 serving was to be carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, tomatoes, apricots, spinach, or broccoli.


RESULTS
The dietary advice resulted in a 13% increase in plasma beta-carotene in subjects who consumed control-1 (P = 0.04). The plasma beta-carotene concentrations of subjects who consumed control-1 did not differ significantly from those of subjects who consumed stanol ester-1 or sterol ester-1. This result was achieved by an increase of one daily serving of high-carotenoid vegetables or fruit. LDL cholesterol decreased 7.7% and 9.5% after consumption of sterol ester-1 and stanol ester-1, respectively (P < 0.001 for both), and differences between the LDL-cholesterol values obtained were not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary advice to consume an additional daily serving of a high-carotenoid vegetable or fruit when consuming spreads containing sterol or stanol esters maintains plasma carotenoid concentrations while lowering LDL-cholesterol concentrations significantly.
Noakes
Manny
M
CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia. manny.noakes@hsn.csiro.au
Clifton
Peter
P
Ntanios
Fady
F
Shrapnel
William
W
Record
Ian
I
McInerney
Jenny
J
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000975:Antioxidants; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
D000975:Antioxidants; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004041:Dietary Fats; D010840:Phytosterols; D012855:Sitosterols; C407042:plant stanol ester; D002338:Carotenoids