Pectin - A Natural Means Of Lowering Cholesterol

Author: Victoria Aly Time for reading: ~2 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

Pectin - A Natural Means Of Lowering Cholesterol

Pectin is successfully used in diabetes, prevention of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, the formation of gallstones.

Pectin is a representative of soluble dietary fiber. Contact with water may form highly viscous solutions.

Pectin is not an energy source or a building block for the human body, but its role as a ballast substance is indispensable. It is almost indigestible and only a small part of it decomposes under the influence of bacteria in the colon.

Unlike insoluble cellulose, pectin is fully fermented by microbes in the colon.

A number of medical studies have shown that the inclusion of pectin in the diet of patients with disorders of lipid metabolism lowers blood cholesterol levels by 5-18%.

The ability of pectin to bind bile acids in the intestine also determines its effect on bile acid excretion. Pectin successfully lowers the levels of so-called "bad cholesterol" and triglycerides without reducing the level of good cholesterol in high-density lipoproteins. Pectin has the ability to slow the emptying of the stomach and prevents a sharp rise in blood sugar after carbohydrate intake.

As a representative of the fibers, pectin irritates the nerve endings of the colon and thus improves peristalsis and promotes difficult defecation.

Pectin is also considered a suitable supplement in dietary regimens aimed at reducing food intake. The reason for this is that it slows down the digestive processes and creates a feeling of satiety.

There are two types of pectin - highly esterified and low-esterified.

Low-esterified pectin has the ability to bind to heavy metals trapped in the gastrointestinal tract and helps to remove them from the body. At the same time, however, low-esterified pectin is associated with vital minerals such as iron, calcium, copper and zinc.

Prolonged intake of pectin can lead to deficiencies of these minerals. To avoid their deficiency, it is recommended that they be taken in the form of food supplements.

Neither form of pectin, however, affects the absorption of vitamins contained in food and does not lead to disturbances in their balance in the body.

A natural source of pectin is fruit. The highest content of the substance are apples, quinces, citrus fruits.
Nutritionists explain that the amount of pectin that can be taken only from food is too small - 0.5 grams is obtained by eating half a kilogram of apples.

To reduce weight or lower cholesterol, it is recommended to take pectin as a dietary supplement. Most often it is in the form of powder and is extracted from various fruits - apples, citrus, etc.

In addition to the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, pectin is successfully used in diabetes, prevention of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, the formation of gallstones.

Pectin - A Natural Means Of Lowering Cholesterol

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