Researchers provide new dietary recommendations for individuals with high cholesterol

People who buy Lipitor know that controlling cholesterol levels is not easy. This is why it is so important to eat a healthy diet that does not make the problem worse. However, a new study challenges conventional wisdom about controlling cholesterol through diet.

For decades, doctors have recommended that their patients limit their saturated fat intake. This substance was thought to be most closely associated with cholesterol. However, researchers from St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto recently reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that diets containing high levels of plant sterols may actually do more to lower cholesterol.

Plant sterols are most commonly found in nuts and soy. Numerous investigations have shown that they have a positive impact on patients' blood fats. The current study showed that individuals on plant sterol-rich diets lowered their cholesterol to a greater degree than those who simply restricted their saturated fat consumption.

"In conclusion, this study indicated the potential value of using recognized cholesterol-lowering foods in combination," the researchers wrote in their report. "We believe this approach has clinical application."