Phytosterols

This chapter introduces the phytosterols, a group of natural compounds found in plant, structurally similar to cholesterol present in animals. It starts by presenting their natural occurrence in oils, nuts, seeds, vegetables, cereals, legumes and fruits. It then shows the main healthy effects related with phytosterol consumption, paying particular attention to the lipid-lowering effects, the anti-inflammatory properties and the antitumor activities, trying to elucidate also the molecular mechanisms involved in these effects. Finally, the chapter describes the main food applications of phytosterols, the techniques for food extraction and the principal analysis used to evaluate these compounds in food.