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Hi!

Just a little note from a little chemist - anything that requires you to
eat it three times a day, every day to get an effect is still a drug.
Actually, this product would fall under the heading of a
"nutraceutical".  These are substances which are not regulated as drugs,
but their providers promise some sort of effect.  They are not required
to prove this benefit in the same sort of trials as regular drugs
(actually, they aren't required to prove it at all, they just can't make
"outrageous" claims, whatever that means).  If plant sterols were shown
to have definite cholesterol lowering effects in the "proper" government
assays, they would have been classified as drugs.

I'm not saying don't try this stuff - it MAY work!  And looking at the
ingredients for the spread, there's nothing in there that's too bad,
except the hydrogenated oils and what they use for a preservative.  For
those of you who can't have lactose, this may be a viable alternative.
However, from their website, I was not satisfied with the information
given as to the mode of action of these plant sterols and their possible
side effects.  If you're going to purchase this sort of thing, I would
ask some more questions and do a little more research into it before
blindly buying it (and probably at a premium).  Funny, this stuff isn't
in Canada yet - but then, neither is Olestra which, by the way, will
ultimately give you bowel cancer from the fat pooling in your
intestines, not to mention the other side effects mentioned by Vance.
(I learn such interesting things in medicinal chemistry classes!)

At least it's gluten free - and we can smile that the McNeil group of
companies is paying attention to us!

Becky :)
Calgary, Alberta