Plant sterols are fat-like substances that occur naturally in many vegetables and fruits. They have been found to have the ability to lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, while not affecting the levels of the HDL or “good” cholesterol in the body. When plant sterols are changed into plant sterol esters, they become more lipid-soluble and, therefore, are better distributed in the digestive tract. During digestion, plant sterol esters break apart and reduce cholesterol levels by competing with cholesterol for incorporation in micelles, by which cholesterol is normally absorbed into the bloodstream.