Do you know what keeps chocolate and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating? No? Well, it’s actually some type of emulsifier or lubricant. Lecithin, to be exact. Now, I’m sure that you have heard of this substance. A number of vitamin supplements available in the market today contain lecithin and the substance itself, as already mentioned, is a common ingredient used for products ranging from pharmaceuticals to protective coverings.
But what exactly is lecithin?
In biology, the human body produces this substance in the liver and transports it throughout the nervous and circulatory systems. It is a phospholipid and is usually used as a synonym for phosphatidylcholine or PC. It is composed mainly of B vitamins, phosphoric acid, choline, linoleic acid, and inositol.
As a phospholipid (fat-based), lecithin is a key building block of cell membranes, without which, cell membranes would harden and would no longer stay semi-permeable. As such, lecithin protects cells from the destructive effects of oxidation, a naturally occurring process in the body due to the presence of oxygen.
In the food industry, lecithin is regarded as one of the few emulsifiers commonly regarded as safe and was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for human consumption. Since the substance is already an integral part of biological membranes, it can be totally biodegradable and metabolized, making it virtually non-toxic, unlike its synthetic alternatives.
The lecithin used in commercial food industry is often extracted from egg yolk and soy. But the food is 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 becomes, and the lower your blood cholesterol level goes. As you probably know, a large number of health problems are due to high levels of blood cholesterol levels, which actually leads to a congestion of blood vessels. The condition therefore results in the likely occurrence of heart attacks and strokes.
The intake of lecithin may help you avoid this thing from happening to you. As it supports fat metabolism and has been shown to aid in bringing down cholesterol levels, lecithin can protect you against heart attacks and strokes.
In addition, choline in its dietary supplement form is commonly recommended for treating liver, nerve, and a variety of other conditions. It has even been used to treat degenerative conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and memory loss.
As a treatment for memory loss or impairment, many nutritionally oriented doctors consider lecithin or phosphatidylcholine a valuable nerve-building nutrient that may help slow or reverse memory loss because of its function as a phospholipids that serves as a major structural component of brain cells.
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Lecithin Sources
... 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 community may pose several negative health effects. If eating these lecithin sources is a concern for most people, then getting alternative sources, such as supplements may be the solution to look for. According to the USDA, particularly its Economic Research Service, the average American consumed 12 fewer pounds of red meat in 1996 than 20 years ago. In addition to that, it was also found that the average American, even with all the varied uses of lecithin, consume only about 3 g/day of the compound. To maintain adequate supply of lecithin in the body, we need Lecithin to turn to other lecithin sources, over and above the normal diet. Soy Foods One of the most popular lecithin sources is soy. In fact, most lecithin sources...
What is Lecithin
Where does it come from? And what can it do for you? 'What is lecithin?' and other such questions are what we are going to tackle in this article. What is Lecithin? Actually the term lecithin connotes two meanings that are somewhat related but are not used in the same sense. In biochemistry and other related science, lecithin is a synonym for phosphatidyl choline. It is the main lipid component in biological membranes, like our cell membranes or cell walls of plants. On the other hand, commercial lecithin is actually a natural mixture of neutral and polar lipids, including glycolipids, triglycerides, sterols, 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...
Lecithin Benefits
... about lecithin benefits that our body craves? Especially when lecithin is apparently no more just another type of lipid, and lipid, if you don't know yet, is just another term for "fat." Yes, that's shocked right there, and there's dumbfounded, along with a whispered: "So fat can be good for the body, too?" The answer is an absolute YES! But before we drop our jaws completely at that shocking news, let's discuss what lecithin is, shall we? And while we do 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...
Lecithin Effects
... chocolate inside the freezer. Wait Lecithin 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,...
Facts about Lecithin
... the facts about lecithin will tell you that the substance actually comes from Lecithin the diet and is only synthesized in the body. Therefore, it is not an essential nutrient, although it may have some beneficial effects. As a phospholipid, the facts about lecithin will indicate that the substance is a major component in cell membranes. Lipids make the cell membrane semi-permeable - that is, it allows some substances in while keeping other substances out. With its main component of choline, lecithin facilitates the movement of fats in and out of cells, as well as ions, wastes, and nutrients. Besides providing protection around the cells, the 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...
Lecithin Side Effects
... 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 concerning its role in degenerative diseases. Lecithin Because of its being a major component in the structure of myelin sheath and nerve cells, scientists believe that lecithin side effects include a possible cure for conditions involving cognition or those that affect the mental processes used to acquire, maintain, retrieve, and utilize information. One example is dementia, which is a mental condition that may due to stroke. It has been observed that people who suffer form this condition often have a low level of a natural chemical known as acetylcholine. One of the chemical compounds found in lecithin is acetylcholine. This compound is actually a neurotransmitter that...
Structure of Lecithin
... 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 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 Lecithin 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. ...
Lecithin Weight Loss
... to keep the fatty acids from mixing with other organic molecules also found in bile, such as bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, and bilirubin. By acting as an emulsifying agent, lecithin ensures that bile does all its functions smoothly. Lecithin, the Aid to Fat-Burning Another function of lecithin is to help burn 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 Lecithin 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...
Lecithin is Powerful
... 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, which is actually one of the three main types of phospholipids found in the phosphatide fraction Lecithin isolated from either egg yolk or soy beans. On the other hand, the lecithin used by many food manufacturers is a mixture of these phospholipids in oil, 20% to 90% of which is phosphatidylcholine. One of the many reasons why lecithin is powerful is because of the presence of phosphatidylcholine. Lecithin that contains this substance is produced from vegetable, animal and microbial sources, but mainly from vegetable sources, the most important sources of which are soybean, sunflower, and grape seed. In 1998, the US Food and Drug Administration named lecithin as GRAS, or Generally...
Soy Lecithin Allergens
... 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 in the bile and protect liver cells from the ravages of oxidation. Other studies Lecithin also showed that choline may play a significant role in the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. This led others to believe that lecithin may help improve the cognitive functions of the brain, even going so far as to help enhance...
Liquid Lecithin
... protect them from the ravages of oxidation. The compound also helps keep the liver cells healthy so they can continue doing their function of filtering and cleansing the blood of all toxins and harmful molecules. Sources Liquid lecithin can be found in nearly all kinds of food. But the richest sources of liquid lecithin are those that are high in fat and cholesterol, such as eggs, red meat, organ meat, etc. Soybeans are also good sources of liquid lecithin. In fact, majority of commercial lecithin sold in the market today are derived from soybean oil even as the first lecithin was separated from egg yolk in 1850. Every person needs adequate supply of liquid lecithin. While it Lecithin is true that there are only very rare cases of lecithin deficiency, including lecithin-foods in your diet is one good way of protecting yourself from cholesterol-related problems. What's more, when the body synthesis lecithin, it becomes choline,...
Health Lecithin
... whom you're talking to, the word "lecithin" could mean two things. On the one hand, it refers to a whole class of natural fat and water soluble compounds, more commonly known as phospholipids, sold commercially as powerful emulsifiers. On the other hand, scientists often use the term as a synonym for phosphatidylcholine (PC), a phospholipid component found in every living cell of the body, whether that body is plant or animal in origin. Scientists say that the health lecithin functions encompass everything that pertains to life, e.g., breathing, metabolism, energy production and transport, and nerve function. Many studies have shown the health lecithin benefits include the following: * Improve memory * Normalize reproductive health * Lower risks of cancer * Increase physical performance * And enhance liver and heart health. However, these health lecithin benefits Lecithin are but the tip of the iceberg. As...
Benefits of Lecithin
... 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 such, one of the benefits of lecithin is to maintain the integrity of cell membranes, helping facilitate the movement of fluids inside and outside the cell. As a component of bile, lecithin keeps fats emulsified. You have noticed how fats work under certain conditions. When exposed to low temperature, they tend to turn white and go into a semi-solid state. And when exposed to high temperature, they turn completely liquid. Imagine what would happen to the body if our fats, or lipids, are subject to the slightest change in temperature. That is why one of the benefits of lecithin is its emulsifying...
Lecithin Supplements
... the other hand, can only be derived from the foods we eat. A deficiency in this compound could lead to various debilitating diseases, not least of which is cirrhosis of the liver. The good thing about it is that phosphatidyl choline is normally synthesized by the body to form choline, so taking in lots of lecithin supplements containing a high percentage of the compound could help boost your supply of choline and overcome a potential deficiency. Lecithin supplements are one of the few emulsifiers approved by Lecithin the United States Food and Drug Administration as GRAS or Generally Recommended as Safe for consumer use. There are no Recommonded Dietary Allowances for lecithin supplements; however some scientists do recommend an Adequate Intake for choline. For men, 550 mg is often recommended as adequate for daily use while for women, 425 mg is needed. Both choline and lecithin supplements are available in the market. However, if...
Soy Bean Lecithin
... beans contain isoflavones, gensitein, daidzen, and a generous amount of antioxidants. All these substances contribute the bean's health-promoting goodness. There is, however, one compound found soy bean that is generating much interest from the scientific and medical circles. That compound is soy bean lecithin, or if you prefer, phosphatidylcholine (PC). It is a kind of lipid that is found in all cells of all living organisms in the world. It forms a major component of the cell membrane, alongside cholesterol and glyceride. So if this lecithin substance can be found in every cell, then we already have it right? Why do we need alternate sources such as soy bean lecithin? The answer is simple: because this compound is so vital to our body that we cannot afford to have inadequate supply. Soy bean lecithin was first discovered in the 1930s when the compound was extracted from sludge, a by product of soybean oil processing. Of course, decades before that, lecithin was already found in...