Moducare Information Service - Fruit, Veg and your immune system

Sterols are found naturally in the cell membranes of both plants and animals. In animals the sterol is called cholesterol and in plants we call them phytosterols (plant sterols). It is well known that we actually do need some cholesterol in our bodies, it plays an important role in the function of the cell membranes of our cells, and without it we could not survive. In order for the membranes of our cells to work absolutely perfectly we also require a small amount of plant cholesterol in the cell membranes. If we do not have this small but essential plant sterol then our immune system cells will not be able to function and communicate in the normal way. Usually the affects of not having enough plant sterols available in our cell membranes is very subtle and goes unnoticed.

However when this small amount of plant cholesterol will usually come from our diet.

Plant sterols naturally occur in plants. They can be found in vegetable oils like sunflower seed oil, rapeseed oil and soybean oil, and in nuts, seeds and grains. Plant sterols lower cholesterol levels in the blood by reducing the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine. Examples of products with added plant sterols include yellow fat spreads and yellow drinking yoghurts.

However when this small amount of plant cholesterol will usually come from our diet.Plant sterols naturally occur in plants. They can be found in vegetable oils like sunflower seed oil, rapeseed oil and soybean oil, and in nuts, seeds and grains. Plant sterols lower cholesterol levels in the blood by reducing the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine. Examples of products with added plant sterols include yellow fat spreads and yellow drinking yoghurts.

Proof that we do not eat enough fruit and veg

Quite simply the modern diet was designed to provide enough calories to sustain a population that predominantly does not have access to food production sites such as farms. This diet consists mainly of animal fat in the form of beef, chicken, pork, lamb, milk cheese and eggs. This is fine if you simply want to look at the nutritional status of the population from a distance but the effects that this has on individuals could be extremely negative.

Plant sterols are absorbed in our gut by a specific protein; it is coded for in our DNA. Therefore we can see that we require a certain quantity of plant sterol in our diets, and in order to get this plant sterol we are required to eat a certain quantity of fruit and veg.

We know from numerous studies that are still ongoing today, that the Mediterranean diet can increase life span, reduce long-term illness, and lower the risk of heart disease.

How fruit and vegetables reduce disease

A vegan diet has been proven to reduce symptoms and disease progression of rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that is characterised by aggressive auto immune reaction to peoples joints.

McDougall J, Bruce B, Spiller G, Westerdahl J, McDougall M. Effects of a very low-fat, Vegan diet in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis. J Altern Complement Med 2002; 8(1): 71-5

Diets from around the world

Take a good look at the diet of each country and what is consumed in one week. Note the balance of meat to vegetable based products.

To the left you will see what the average American family buys and eats in one week. Note the high level of meat derived products, and the small amount of fruit.

the typical grocery purcahse for a family in Germany again note the high level of meats and low level of fruit in this diet.

A typical family grocery shop for an Italian family, here we can see the high level of fresh vegetables and fruit that are typical of the mediteranean diet. There is not a great deal of meat, even though Italy is in Europe.

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village

I bet they have more than five a day, low calorie rich in unprocessed fruit and veg the key to a long life.

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp

Food expenditure for one! week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23, this is a humbling picture and shows we should respect the food the food we put in our mouth and where it comes from.

From these pictures we can see that the Mediterranean diet is rich in unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables, this corresponds to the known benefits of the Mediterranean type diet.

Look at Germany and the USA the diets are rich in processed food especially animal derived products such as sausage and pizza. These countries have some of the highest rates of cancer, heart disease and auto immunity including allergies.

As the countries become less developed we see the diet become richer in unprocessed varieties of fruit and vegetables. The least developed countries of all represented here as Ecuador, Bhutan and Chad, illustrate a very natural diet rich in unprocessed plant based produce, the groceries presented here are very rich in plant based nutrients. These countries are known to have low levels of heart disease, cancer and autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

Five a day campaign

Through careful surveys conducted by the World Health Organisation, it was discovered that the amount of fruit and vegetables (horticultural produce) that humans consume around the world directly (negatively) correlates to the level of Heart and circulatory disease and cancer. The more fruit and vegetables we eat the less heart disease and cancer we die of.

These studies are conducted every year, and make interesting reading. It was concluded that from these studies the population of world should be encouraged to consume more fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. Governments all over the world jumped at the chance of getting involved, any many including the UK and Ireland began national awareness campaigns highlighting the importance of fruit and Vegetables, In the UK we call it "5 a day," the public are encouraged to count and eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Government are very happy to back these campaigns as it is clear from the population studies carried out by the WHO that over time a successful healthy diet campaign such as five a day, will prevent many diseases and as we now prevention is better than cure, as well as a lot cheaper. Interestingly enough the UK five a day campaign contains one of the lowest guidance on fruit and vegetables consumption on the globe for example in Japan the figures is as high as thirteen different fruit and vegetables to be consumed daily!

Remember though it is better to eat more vegetables than fruit as veg contain less sugar.

What is in fruit and veg that makes it so important.

We all know the fruit and vegetables that we eat contain lots of vitamins and minerals that are essential for our every day health and function. What most people do not realise is that fruit and vegetable also contain also minute amounts of substances called phyto nutrients that are just as important.

Have you ever heard of alpha-linoleic acid, proanthrocyanins, flavanoids, fructoligosacharides, resveratrol, salvestrol, ß-sitosterol, ß-sitosterol glucoside? These are just a few complex molecules that are found in all fruit and vegetables and that we consume every day. In fact along side the vitamins and minerals found in fruit and vegetables these trace nutrients keep us very healthy. In deed if one eats a wide variety of fruit and vegetables each day the WHO has proven through population studies that you will lower your risk of heart disease ( kills one in three in the developed world) and all types of Cancer ( kills one in three in the developed world). It is important to understand that the more vegetable and fruit are processed the more these vital nutrient are lost, that is why it always best to raw unrefined fresh vegetables and fruit to get these nutrients.

One of those nutrients discussed above is called ß-sitosterol and ß-sitosterolin, it is found in all fruit and vegetables in the oily parts of the plant material. It has been discovered that this substance has modulating affect on the immune system. In fact it is essential to human health and we require a certain level in our bodies at all time, these two substances beta sitosterol and sitosterolin are required to stabilise the cell membranes of the human body, these is particularly important in the immune system, the ß-sitosterol and ß-sitosterolin help stabilise the cell membranes of the lymphocytes, when these cells have a stabile and ideal cell membrane they regulate the immune system within the ideal parameters. A normal well regulated immune system has two effects, one the TH1 Helper cell levels rise and affect good immunity against bacteria’s, viruses, funghi and increase the anti cancer vigilance of the immune system. The second affect is the raised TH2 helper cells that are so prevalent in autoimmune and long term inflammatory conditions are reduced to normal levels. Disease such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, eczema, asthma are autoimmune diseases and are characterised by raised TH2 cells in the immune system. An intake of good levels of ß-sitosterol has been proven to modulate the immune system. Rebalancing the levels of TH1 and TH2 cells.

If you are unsure that you levels of ß-sitosterol and ß-sitosterolin are adequate then you can take Moducare which gives an intake of ß-sitosterol and ß-sitosterolin that is equivalent of taking three pounds of fruit and vegetables a day.

If you suffer a dysfunctional immune system then your requirements will be higher, take Moducare as part of immune system maintenance regime. It is safe and its effects have been proven in clinical evaluation.

Useful Web Links

Food Standards Agency, Dietary surveys http://www.food.gov.uk/science/dietarysurveys/

World Health Organisation, Promoting fruit and vegetable consumption around the world http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/fruit/en/index.html

Eat well Be well, http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/

5 a day, http://www.5aday.nhs.uk/topTips/default.html

Plant sterols