FAQ

• What are Plant Sterols?
  Plant sterols are natural substances found in all plant foods which we eat in small amounts every day. This includes foods rich in vegetable oils such as margarines, salad dressings, nuts and seeds. They are also found in smaller amounts in legumes, breads, cereals, fruit and vegetables. Plant sterols have no smell or taste.
• What are Plant Sterol Spreads?
  Plant sterol spreads are enriched with natural plant sterols which reduce the absorption of cholesterol. Flora pro-activ is a plant sterol enriched spread.
• How do plant sterol spreads work?
  Plant sterols and cholesterol have a similar cellular structure. Due to this similarity, when we consume a sufficient level of plant sterols they compete with cholesterol in the small intestine. This reduces the amount of cholesterol being absorbed into the bloodstream. The unabsorbed cholesterol and plant sterols then pass through the body.
• Have plant sterols spreads been scientifically proven?
  Plant sterol spreads are scientifically proven to reduce cholesterol absorption in three weeks ¹.
  ¹Jones PJ et al. J Lipid Research 2000;41:697-705
• Where do the plant sterols in Flora proactiv plant sterols come from?
  Plant sterols are natural plant ingredients and most abundantly found in nuts, seeds, vegetables etc. The plant sterols come from a mixture of vegetable oils such as sunflower, canola and soy.
• What does the Heart Foundation (1) say about plant sterol spreads?
  The Heart Foundation (1) says that "For people with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, plant sterols and stanols provide an additional option for risk reduction."
• What are stanols?
  Plant sterols and stanols are similar. Products with plant stanols are not currently available in Australia or New Zealand but are available in Europe.
• Are plant sterol spreads safe?
  Plant sterol spreads have been extensively and favourably reviewed by regulatory bodies in 22 countries, including Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and all indicate that plant sterols have no negative health effects.
• Are there any side effects of plant sterol spreads?
  There are no known negative health effects of plant sterol spreads.
• How do plant sterols work in the human body?
  Plant sterols partially block the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine and thereby reduce the amount that reaches the bloodstream.
• Do plant sterols affect "good" HDl cholesterol?
  No. Flora pro-activ® has no effect on the level of beneficial HDL cholesterol in the blood.

1. Heart Foundation. Lowering Blood Cholesterol Levels. April 2006