Ever seen lecithin effects in action? Try putting an energy bar or a piece of chocolate inside the freezer. Wait a few minutes before taking it out. You will notice that the whole bar is covered in white. That’s lecithin effects in action right there!
Often used as a food additive, lecithin was first derived from egg yolk in 1950 during its discovery by French scientist Maurice Gobley. In fact, that is how it got its name - lethikos, the Greek word for “egg yolk.” But by the end of the 1930s, it was soon discovered that lecithin may also be extracted from crude soybean oil after it has undergone a process called hexane extraction.
Lecithin Effects as an Emulsifier
The food industry is among the first industries that discovered the wonderful lecithin effects of this natural emulsifier. Since its discovery, it has been used in foods such as chocolate, cheese, margarine, and salad dressings. Acting as an emulsifier, the lecithin effects help mix fats with water and keep them from separating. When you place the chocolate bar in the freezer, the low temperature causes the lecithin effects on the fat to fall apart. That’s why the fat rises to the surface, giving the chocolate that whitish tinge.
Besides being found in egg yolks and soybeans, lecithin is also present in all living cells of the body. Lecithin is actually a complex mixture of phospholipids, the most important of which is phosphatidylcholine, which is the number one source of choline. With its emulsifying lecithin effects, the substance is said to help keep fatty substances in bile produced by the liver. Bile is a kind of juice that your body secretes to ease digestion and help your body absorb valuable nutrients, as such, lecithin plays a role in the normal digestive processes of your body.
Steven Zeisel, M.D., PhD., professor and chair of the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, says that the lecithin effects of this great emulsifier helps maintain the structural integrity of cells. Lecithin is one of the major components that make up the cell membrane or outer covering of our cells.
“Without lecithin, nothing would survive, because you wouldn’t be able to separate the various compartments within cells, nor would you be able to separate cells from each other,” he further adds.
Lecithin Effects and Choline
The word lecithin actually has several different meanings. The generic term refers to lecithin, the compound of lipid and phosphate acid mixtures used in the commercial food industry. However, in chemistry, biochemistry, and other similar sciences, the term takes on a whole different meaning. Often, lecithin is used synonymously with choline, kelecin, lecithol, soy lecithin, vegilecithin, vitrellin, and phosphatidylcholine. Strictly speaking though, choline is actually just a component of lecithin - a major one, that is.
Out of the many chemicals found in lecithin, the most important and the most studied is choline. For years, the lecithin effects of choline has been the subject of countless studies and extensive research, all investigating the purported benefits of lecithin. To name a few, lecithin effects have been investigated on the following conditions: dementia, stroke, Alzheimer’s Disease, substance abuse, brain infection, injury to the brain, and spinal cord injury.
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Lecithin Side Effects
The unique structure of lecithin plays a role in the protection of our body from the destructive effects of oxidation. It also helps in the digestive processes through the action of bile which contains lecithin produced by the liver. There have been studies that show how lecithin could also have positive lecithin side effects on persons with high blood Lecithin Effects cholesterol level, appearing to lower it down. Lecithin, the Wonder Food Unlike other chemical substances such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oils, lecithin is actually not an essential nutrient. Well, yes, it does do wonders for the body, but a deficiency in lecithin won't make life bad for you. Besides, it is not like you are going to run out of lecithin anytime soon. You can always get your supply of lecithin from the foods that you eat, like eggs (yolks), soybeans, sunflower, grape seed, wheat germ, to name a few. Lecithin has been the subject of various extensive research studies, particularly...
Lecithin Sources
... contribute to just how good lecithin is. And yet as good as lecithin is made out to be, a lot of people do not consume adequate amounts of the compound. While a deficiency in lecithin does not seem to have any adverse effects on people, Lecithin Effects a deficiency in choline, a component of lecithin, however, can lead to serious illnesses such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. The reason for the reduced consumption of lecithin may have something to do with the lecithin sources themselves. Before World War II, people were in the habit of eating large amounts of organ meats, red meats, whole eggs, whole milk with cream, dairy cream, and liver, all of which are excellent lecithin sources. But what makes these foods such excellent lecithin sources also make people turn away from them. That's because these foods are often very rich in fats and calories, which in today's diet-conscious...
Facts about Lecithin
... will also tell you that its function encompasses even the framework of the cell itself. Along with protein and carbohydrates, lecithin helps keep the cell structure strong and retain its shape. Functions and Benefits All the facts about lecithin will lead you only to one thing: that it's a good thing the French scientist Maurice Gobley Lecithin Effects discovered it when he did in 1950. Otherwise, we would still be stuck with using the other emulsifiers in our foods which contain toxins that are harmful for human consumption. One of the most popular facts about lecithin is that it exhibits emulsifying properties, which the food industry has found many uses for. Aside from keeping margarine and butter in its solid state and provide coating for chocolates and other foods, lecithin can also be used to enhance the nutritional and physical properties of your everyday recipes. One...
Organic Lecithin
... however enough proof of organic lecithin's emulsifying action to go around the commercial food industry. Lecithin can be used to lower the fat content of some foods at the same time enable them to still taste good. Organic lecithin sold commercially is composed of a naturally occurring mixture of the phosphatides of choline, ethanolamine, and insotil, with smaller amounts of other lipids. This compound is present in every cell of all living organisms, but is especially vital in organs such as the liver and the reproductive tract and muscles containing high concentration of phospholipids. The function of organic lecithin in the liver bears much attention from the medical field. Its role in keeping the fats in the bile and dispersing cholesterol is one of the many reasons why people believe that organic lecithin may be a potential treatment for high cholesterol. Even now, supplements of this...
Benefits of Lecithin
... their source of lecithin from egg yolk. Then in the mid 1930s, lecithin was recovered from the waste products of soybean processing, a discovery that changed the whole face of commercial lecithin. Today, most of the commercial lecithin we find sold in the market come from soybeans. Lecithin - Its Benefits Lecithin is regarded in the scientific community as a synonym for phosphatidyl choline (PC), Lecithin Effects which is said to be the main compound responsible for all the benefits of lecithin, specifically its medicinal effects. When we consume phosphatidyl choline, the compound is broken down into the nutrient choline, which many consider as an essential nutrient. "Essential" because our bodies cannot manufacture their own supply of choline and instead we have to depend on the foods that we eat to maintain the right levels. Lecithin is an essential component in the cell membrane. In fact, it defines its structure. As...
Soy Lecithin
... and are heated and pressed into flakes. Next, the flakes undergo a distillation process where the soybean oil is extracted, after which crude soy oil is made to undergo a "degumming" procedure. The sludge that is produced as a result is where soy lecithin comes from. Of course, the sludge would have to undergo another process first, to extract the lecithin. The waste product usually contains solvents and pesticides that could be harmful if not purified through a process called the hexane extraction. This process actually yields less soy lecithin than the older ethanol benzol process. Lecithin Effects However, the process also produces a more marketable lecithin with better color, reduced odor and less bitter flavor. Why are they good? The food industry uses soy lecithin for a variety of purposes. As an emulsifier, the substance helps promote solidity in margarine and give consistent texture to...
What is Lecithin
... and small quantities of fatty acids, carbohydrates, and sphingolipids. The polar lipid Phosphatidyl choline is present in commercial lecithin in concentrations of 20 to 90%. Where does lecithin come from? After asking what is lecithin, you want to know where it is found. Lecithin that contains phosphatidyl choline is produced mainly from vegetable Lecithin Effects sources, although it may also be found in animal and microbial sources. Majority of commercial lecithins sold in the market today come from soybean (mostly), sunflower, and grape seed. When talking about plant lecithins, the most common source is soybean. When Maurice Gobley, the French scientist discoverer of lecithin, found lecithin in egg yolk in 1950, egg yolk was the sole source of lecithin used by the commercial food industry. However, by the 1930s, the time when soybean lecithin was discovered, egg yolk no longer held its former place of being the major source of lecithin for...
Lecithin Granules Vegetarian
... inadequate intake is lecithin. What is Lecithin? A phospholipid sometimes referred to as phosphatidylcholine, lecithin is most often found in foods that are rich in fats and oils, such as organ meat, red meat, whole eggs, whole milk with cream, dairy cream, and liver. However, while these foods are rich in lecithin, vegetarians and some health-conscious consumers often turn away from them. Not only are these foods rich in fats and calories, they are also animal products which vegetarians want to avoid. Lecithin is an important nutrient that our body needs. It is a major component of our cell membranes and helps keep the liver to function normally, particularly in the metabolism of fat by bile, an enzyme secreted by the liver. A component of lecithin, choline, is also an essential nutrient. "Essential" because our body can only get its supply of choline from the foods that we eat. There have been studies conducted wherein a deficiency in Lecithin Effects choline led to the occurrence of symptoms commonly...
Lecithin Benefits
... that, why not include in our discussion the lecithin benefits that make this type of fat so uniquely good for the body? Lecithin, the Good Fat Depending on who you're talking with, lecithin can have two different meanings. Commercially, the term refers to a complex mixture of neutral and polar lipids that is popularly used as an emulsifier and/or lubricant. In biochemistry, it refers to phosphatidylcholine (PC), a phospholipid compound comprised of glycerol, two fatty acids (linoleic acid and inositol), a phosphate group and choline (a type of B vitamin). Lecithin is Lecithin Effects typically found in the cell membrane or cell walls of every single living cell of an organism, whether plant or animal in origin. As you may already know, the cell membranes or cell walls are a semi-permeable layer that is responsible for regulating the passage of nutrients into and out of cells. Lecithin forms one of the major components of this membrane. In addition, lecithin is also a...
Lecithin China
... soybean. It is comprised mainly of neutral and polar lipids, glycerol, a phosphate group, and choline. Although lecithin may also be extracted from egg yolk, majority of the commercial lecithin available in the market today come from soybean. Lecithin China varies in color from light tan to dark reddish brown. In terms of consistency, it also varies from fluid to a plastic solid. During soybean processing, a thick gummy material is usually produced as a by product of the crude soybean oil. This gummy material is where you can find lecithin China. How Lecithin China is Produced Lecithin China is one of the most important derivatives of soybean processing. The crude soy oil contains an average of 1.8% hydratable compounds, primarily lecithin phosphatides. Through a process called "degumming," the sludge (the gummy material) is separated from the crude soy oil by the use of a centrifuge. The result is a lecithin China and water emulsion containing 25-50% water, which may be bleached typically with hydrogen peroxide in...
Lecithin
... actually widely found in many animal and plant based foods, including liver, peanuts, wheat germ, cauliflower, grape juice, and cabbage. There are various studies that show lecithin from soy may have some positive effects on persons with high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. The benefits seem to be attributed to the presence of choline. As a lipotropic substance, choline functions as an agent in the body's metabolism, giving aid in the digestion of fats. To put it simply, choline helps in burning fat that gets stored in tissues, thereby acting as an agent to support weight loss. The more choline you have in your body, the faster your fat metabolism Lecithin Effects becomes, and the lower your blood cholesterol level goes. As you probably know, a large number of health problems...
Structure of Lecithin
... "lecithin." Commercially, the structure of lecithin consists of a mixture of neural and polar lipids that act as emulsifiers and/or lubricants. In biochemistry, it refers to phosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid composed of glycerol, two fatty acids, a phosphate group and choline. Lecithin was first discovered in 1846 when Lecithin Effects French scientist Maurice Gobley separated the nutrient from egg yolk. In 1850, he gave it the name lekithos, which is Greek for "egg yolk." But by the 1930s, majority of the lecithin sold commercially was derived from soybean oil. The nutrient was found as a by product of the degumming process of soybean oils. The Structure of Lecithin: Egg Yolk There are differences in the structure of lecithin derived from egg yolk and those derived from plants, such as soy lecithin. First, the structure of lecithin derived from egg yolk is essentially composed of triglycerides and phospholipids, which differs considerably from plant lipid mixtures. Egg...
Lecithin Weight Loss
... help burn Lecithin Effects fat. When you eat fatty foods, the fat gets deposited in the liver, which will then break it down so the body can use it as a source of energy. If the fats are not properly broken down, they will accumulate and can become rancid producing free radicals that damage liver cells. Lecithin in liver cells helps facilitate proper functioning of the liver, particularly in fat metabolism. In addition, lecithin helps keep fats in liquid form. That way, they do not cling to the veins and arteries and clog the passages - a symptom of the condition called atherosclerosis. By dispersing fat in the water instead of letting them stick to the walls of the arteries, lecithin aids the cardiovascular functions of the body. Lecithin Weight Loss Supplementation The ability of lecithin to facilitate...
Lecithin is Powerful
... bar of chocolate inside the freezer and wait several minutes before taking it out again. Study the chocolate bar carefully. Do you see that thin layer of white coating the candy? That is lecithin in action for you. A Versatile Nutrient The purposes of lecithin in the commercial sector are varied. It is used as a natural emulsifier and/or lubricant and utilized as an important ingredient for products ranging from pharmaceuticals to protective coverings. But lecithin is powerful not only for these reasons. Lecithin is powerful because it is one of the important nutrients that make up the cell membrane found in the cells of every living organism on earth and plays a vital role in normal cell functions. Lecithin - Its Composition and Functions In biochemistry, lecithin is often used synonymously with another term, phosphatidylcholine,...
Soy Lecithin Allergens
... for "egg yolk", lekithos, the first commercially available lecithin was mostly derived from egg yolk, until the 1930s when the use of soy products in processed foods arose. The compound lecithin was discovered in the by product of soybean processing. After the soybeans were processed and its oils extracted, the liquid waste that is left is made to under go a "degumming" process in order to separate its lecithin content. Since then, most of the lecithin sold in the market today are derived from soya. Soy lecithin is said to contain many benefits that help improve overall lecithin. The presence of lecithin in every cell of the human body as a major component of the cell membrane has led many scientists to conduct investigations on the role of lecithin in the normal bodily processes. It was found that a component of lecithin, phosphatidylcholine and its synthesized form, choline, are vital to liver health in that they help keep fats...