Proven To Lower Cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease.
Pop into your local supermarket and you'll see plenty of people, studying labels to gauge which food will offer them or a family member the most health benefits. All of us have probably done this at some point, as we become more interested in diet, and its relationship to health, but do we really know what we're looking for; whether the endorsement logos and the bright bold nutrition and health claims are valid and trustworthy, and how relevant the information is to us as consumers?
'Health' claims made on food labels often leave consumers confused or unclear about the properties of the foods, according to research carried out on behalf of the Food Standards Agency.
The good news is that consumer confidence in health claims has just been given a boost, as the first 'disease risk reduction claims' for foods have been approved as part of the new European Health Claims Regulation, this will help ensure that the health claims made on foods are accurate and are helpful to you in making healthy diet choices.
Benecol's heart health claims can be proven, say EU 'Health Watchdogs'
One of the first disease risk reduction health-boosting claims given permission for use by the European Commission is for Plant Stanol Esters. Not only does this approval confirm that Plant Stanol Esters, which are unique to the Benecol® range of foods, 'have been proven to lower cholesterol', it also acknowledges that 'high cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of heart disease'.
Can we trust these new claims?
Yes, this positive opinion follows the rigorous review of the science by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Why are reducing cholesterol and the risk of heart disease so important?
Heart disease has multiple risk factors, some of which you can’t change, for example family history, getting older and ethnic origin. But on the positive side, there are many factors that you can change in your diet and lifestyle, for instance, a high level of cholesterol is recognised alongside obesity, smoking, type 2 diabetes, stress and lack of exercise as one of the main causes of heart disease. Altering one of these may or may not lower your risk.
Unfortunately 2 out of 3 people aged 16 and over in the UK have more cholesterol in their bodies than is recommended. Diet and lifestyle changes are always a great place to start in reducing cholesterol, but many of us aren’t aware of what a big difference it can make to the health of our hearts.
Used every day, no other food is more effective than Benecol® at lowering your cholesterol. A reduction in ‘bad’ cholesterol of 7-10.5% is achievable when 1.5-2.4g of Plant Stanols is included in your daily diet, as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Other small changes you can make to your diet are: cutting down on saturated fat, eating more fruit and vegetables, enjoying at least two portions of oily fish (such as mackerel, sardines, salmon) a week and including pulses and whole grains in your diet - it's also good to moderate your intake of salt and alcohol.
See our downloadable servings guide for suggestions on how to get your optimal 2g of Plant Stanols.
For a free fact sheet from the Benecol® Nutrition Team click here. Please discuss any changes to your diet, lifestyle or medication with your healthcare professional.
For more information about how Benecol works, and the science behind Benecol click here.
1 Health Claims on Food Packaging. Consumer Related Qualitative Research. Prepared for COI Communications on Behalf of the Food Standards Agency. September 2002.
2 British Heart Foundation. Coronary Heart Disease Statistics: http://www.heartstats.org/
3 Blair, S et al. Incremental Reduction of Serum Total Cholesterol and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol With the Addition of Plant Stanol Ester-Containing Spread to Statin Therapy. American Journal of Cardiology 2000;86:46–52
4 Law, M. Plant sterol and stanol margarines and health. British Medical Journal 2000; 320: 861-864