What Is Stigmasterol & What Foods Can I Find It In?
Stigmasterol is a plant sterol.
It’s a member of the class of phytosterols that are found in the plant fats or oils of numerous plants.
It’s among the most abundant plant sterols.
Stigmasterol is used as a food additive in manufactured food products, especially in Europe.
Table of Contents
Stigmasterol Is A Sterol
Stigmasterol is a steroid or sterol. (source ◳)
Stigmasterol is a major phytosterol found in edible plants, such as rice bran and other foods such as wheat germ oil, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and broccoli.
Sterols are often used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. (source ◳)
Stigmasterol is one of the most common sterols found in plant membranes in a variety of plant species. (source ◳)
The biosynthetic pathway of stigmasterol is known to be different from those of other sterols and is thought to be involved in plant growth and development.
Stigmasterol And Acidity
Stigmasterol is related to the quality of virgin olive oil.
High levels of stigmasterol usually mean high acidity. (source ◳)
Stigmasterol In Cocoa
Stigmasterol and acidity are the two most important indicators of the maturity and quality of cocoa.
Stigmasterol content increases during fermentation, whereas acidity decreases.
The cocoa butter content of cocoa beans is a function of the percentage of stigmasterol in the bean.
Beans that are 20–25% stigmasterol are of the best quality and command the highest prices.
Benefits Of Stigmasterol
Stigmasterol has been shown to be a promising candidate for the development of a natural health product that can be used to treat depressive symptoms and to prevent the onset of depression.
Stigmasterol is used in medicament for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Stigmasterol is also often found in skin care products and hair care products.
Foods You Can Find Stigmasterol In
You find Stigmasterol mostly in fats and oil products.
Examples of food sources include
Foods in our nutrition tool
You can find regularly updated top-ranked lists of foods for over 200+ nutrients in our nutrition tool.
If you are interested in what foods contain the most Stigmasterol, we recommend you visit our tool.
Here's our top-ranked list of foods that contain Stigmasterol.
