Value of a cholesterol-lowering diet for hypercholesterolemia

A cholesterol-lowering diet has been suggested as a management approach — independently or in addition to drug therapy — in children and adults with familial (passed down through families) high cholesterol blood levels. Researchers from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, in Chandigarh, India, provide this Cochrane review of the evidence.

CholestOff reduces cholesterol, but not as much as advertised

I received some emails promoting Nature Made CholestOff. It contains plant extracts called phytonutrients, specifically phytosterols and phytostanols. They work by reducing the absorption of LDL “bad” cholesterol and total cholesterol from the intestines. The ad emphasizes a 24% reduction in LDL cholesterol when combined with diet and exercise. However…

Canola is granted a heart health claim by the US FDA

Canola oil and products that contain canola oil can now place the following statement on the label. “Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 1/2 tablespoons (19 grams) of canola oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the unsaturated fat content in canola oil. To achieve … Continue reading Canola is granted a heart health claim by the US FDA

ConsumerLab.com tests cholesterol-lowering supplements

Three of 16 products failed the content analysis test. One product did not release its ingredients and two others had less than half the expected ingredients. That’s less than a 20% failure rate, which is better than often reported by this lab. An article in Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals reports that the following supplements were … Continue reading ConsumerLab.com tests cholesterol-lowering supplements