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  "path": "/health/high-cholesterol-plant-stanols-green-tea",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-28T17:37:12.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Two-day diet slashes bad cholesterol by 10% in just 48 hours",
    "The pantry staples that can drag harmful lipids out of the body",
    "High cholesterol: The pantry staples that can drag harmful lipids out of the body",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nAnyone looking to bring down their cholesterol is advised to cut fatty foods from their diet, but research also points to two beverages with particularly strong scientific backing.\n\nPlant stanol ester drinks and green tea often emerge as frontrunners thanks to their ability to reduce \"bad\" cholesterol levels and support heart health, according to Registered dietitian Carlyne Remedios, from JM Nutrition.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nShe told GB News that products like Benecol, which contain plant stanols, can make a real difference to cholesterol levels while green tea offers a gentler effect.\n\nBoth options have their place, though they work quite differently and deliver varying results.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n#### How do plant stanol drinks work?\n\nThe naturally occurring compounds, found in small amounts in grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds, have a structure remarkably similar to cholesterol.\n\nThey compete with cholesterol for absorption in your small intestine, blocking some of it from entering your bloodstream and lowering circulating LDL levels.\n\nFortunately, the results come on quickly, as consuming two grams of plant stanols daily can reduce your LDL cholesterol by around 10 per cent, with changes typically appearing within just two to three weeks.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGreen tea takes a different approach to lowering cholesterol, as it's packed with polyphenols called catechins, particularly EGCG and ECG, which help reduce LDL through several pathways – from blocking cholesterol absorption to boosting LDL receptor activity.\n\nThe effects are more modest compared to plant stanols, with LDL dropping by roughly two to five per cent.\n\nIt should also be noted that the benefits typically show up after six to twelve weeks of consistent drinking. To see noticeable differences, aim for two to four cups of unsweetened green tea daily.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Two-day diet slashes bad cholesterol by 10% in just 48 hours\n  * The pantry staples that can drag harmful lipids out of the body\n  * High cholesterol: The pantry staples that can drag harmful lipids out of the body\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTiming is key with plant stanol drinks; taking them with a meal helps optimise their cholesterol-blocking effect.\n\nIt's worth noting that once you stop consuming them, your LDL levels will generally drift back to where they started – so consistency is essential.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nWhat's more, these drinks aren't magic bullets on their own.\n\nThey work best as part of an overall heart-healthy eating pattern that's low in saturated fats, limits ultra-processed foods, and includes plenty of soluble fibre from oats, barley and legumes, along with nuts, seeds and healthy fats.\n\nThey're also not substitutes for prescribed cholesterol medications.\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "High cholesterol: The drinks that can cut 'bad' levels within weeks, according to a dietitian"
}