Dr Oz: Plant Sterol Diet
Dr Oz shared that Plant Sterols can be an effective statin drug alternative. They come in a supplement form, but they are also found in food. Dr Melina Jampolis said they are found in many common foods. She also shared an Applesauce Muffins Recipe and a Taco Salad to help you get them naturally in a diet.
Dr Oz: Vegetarian Cholesterol Levels
Since plant sterols are in a lot of fruits and veggies, that means omnivores are getting plenty in their diets, which led Dr Jampolis to an interesting conclusion.
“Vegetarians eat a lot more than the rest of us, and that may be one of the reasons that they tend to have lower levels of cholesterol,” she said.
Adding foods fortified with plant sterols can help you get the recommended 2000 mg per day in your diet.
Dr Oz: Wheat Germ Applesauce Muffins

Dr Oz shared a Wheat Germ Applesauce Muffins Recipe and an Upside Down Taco Salad as examples of sterol-fortified meals that can help you lower cholesterol.
How can you find foods that contain sterols? Check the label, she said. Look for keywords like “heart healthy” and ingredients such as “plant sterols” or “phytosterols.” They could be in spreads, juices, milk, or even snack bars.
Wheat Germ or fortified spreads can help you get in half your daily value at breakfast. Dr Oz agreed that it’s an easy substitute for butter.
Dr Oz: Wheat Germ Applesauce Muffins Recipe
Sunflower Seeds can help you get them in as well. You can combine these ingredients in a heart-healthy applesauce muffins for breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat White Flour
- 1 cup Wheat Germ
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/3 cup Chia Seeds
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 cup Applesauce
- 1/2 cup Soy Milk
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Combine flour, chia, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and wheat germ in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg with soy milk, applesauce, brown sugar, and oil.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients until evenly mixed.
- Scoop mixture into prepared muffin tins and bake about 16 minutes.
Dr Oz: Upside Down Taco Salad Recipe
Some tortilla chips are fortified with plant sterols. You can combine them into an Upside Down Taco Salad Recipe that will help you get your sterols. All you need, she said, is seven chips.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Romaine Lettuce
- 3/4 cups Kidney Beans
- 1/4 cup Avocado
- 7 Sterol-Fortified Tortilla Chips, crumbled
- 2 tbsp Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/4 cup Salsa
Directions
- Combine ingredients into a salad and toss.
- Use salsa as a salad dressing. (Add olive oil if desired.)
Dr Oz: Cruciferous Vegetables
Have some cruciferous vegetableson the side with your dinner to get a few more sterols in your diet. Try broccoli, Brussels sprouts, canola oil, or heart healthy fish to balance out your dinner menu.
Combining plant-based foods can help you get closer to the target: 2000 mg of Plant Sterols daily.
Dr Oz: Plant Sterol Snacks
If you like to snack, choose almonds, apples, or fortified Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Bars, with 800 mg Plant Sterols. That’s a good choice if you have a sweet tooth, Dr Jampolis said.
Sharon Daugherty says
I lived the segment in Dr Malina Jampolis. Would you please send me her recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Bars. I looked everywhere on your website and couldn’t find it. Thanks.
Pat Howard says
I don’t think there was a recipe for those. I think she was recommending a store-bought product containing plant sterols.
Geri says
I saw the oatmeal chocolate chip energy bars on Dr. Oz’s segment with Dr. Malina Jampolis. and they are in fact the ones made by Corazonas which contain the plant sterols. They also carry tortilla chips which I’m pretty sure were on the show also. Excellent products that I highly recommend.
Here is the link to their website
.http://corazonas.com/our-snacks/oatmeal-squares/