Lecithin, sometimes referred to as phosphatidylcholine (PC), is a type of phospholipid that is used for a variety of purposes. It was first discovered in 1846 after French scientist Maurice Gobley extracted the compound from an egg yolk, but was only given its present name in 1850, coined from lekithos, Greek word for “egg yolk.” For several years after that, organic lecithin sold commercially was derived entirely from eggs.
As a powerful emulsifying agent and an additive that could extend the shelf life of processed foods, the commercial food industry used the product in baked goods, chocolates, salad dressings, nut butters, candies, protein drinks, instant soups, and prepared foods. Organic lecithin could also be added into recipes to improve flavor and to act generally as an emulsifier.
Then, in the 1930s, soybean consumption experienced a boom and that when it was discovered that the sludge that was the by product of soybean processing actually contains about 1.8% hydrophosphatides, which consist of organic lecithin. Through a process called “degumming,” organic lecithin was extracted from the sludge and sold as an alternative to egg lecithin.
Organic lecithin that comes from plants is generally regarded as safe. That is because animal lecithins are often excreted through the kidneys which may contain toxins and harmful substances, whereas you will never face that kind of danger with organic lecithins from plants. As a result, majority of the organic lecithin sold commercially in the market consist of soybean lecithin.
Besides being used in foods that we generally consume, organic lecithin has also expanded its function to include animal feeds, cosmetics, paints, and metal tape. The compound is even available as a supplement in capsules, pills, or granules.
Effects and Benefits
There are several functional effects associated with lecithin. First, it is an emulsifier, capable of keeping oils from separating and keeping fat molecules dispersed in food products. This ability of organic lecithin to keep essential oils and disperse fats is the basis of the scientific premise that the compound may have positively affect those with high cholesterol levels in the blood stream. But while there is very little evidence to prove that scientific claim, there is 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 compound is used as a quick fix to weight loss.
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Organic farming is definitely healthier than non-organic farming
... are safe for human consumption. Organic products are gaining popularity with consumers these days. Many people buy only organic products. Therefore, you may find the cultivation of organic products more lucrative as well. While organic .farming may involve more work and effort than non-organic farming, it is well worth it. One of the foundations of organic farming is healthy soil. When the soil is properly nurtured you will find it easier to grow organically. If you want to find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of organic farming, there is plenty of information on the Internet that can help you. You will find websites devoted to farming organically as well as many forums and message boards where you can network and socialize with other organic farmers. In addition, there are many books devoted to the subject of organic farming also. One great title is Organic Farming: Everything You Need to Know by Peter V. Fossel. Another title you may want to Organic Lecithin consider is Profitable...
Lecithin Weight Loss
... 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 Organic Lecithin 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...
Lecithin Sources
... 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 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 sold commercially today are derived from soybean oil. In the United States, soy food consumption is increasing annually. This may help to increase the level of lecithin consumption. Soy food is one of the most versatile of lecithin sources. The soybean can be eaten whole after it has been boiled or roasted. It can also be transformed into a great Organic Lecithin variety of foods, the more popular of which are tofu, meat alternatives, soy sauce, soy flour, and soybean oil (usually...
Lecithin And Weight Loss
It Organic Lecithin is critical in digestion, particularly in the metabolism and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Many of the body's waste products are also excreted into the bile. The role of lecithin is bile is that of an emulsifier and antioxidant. It helps disperse cholesterol in and breaks it down into essential fatty acids. The phosphate group in lecithin makes it hydrophobic so it will always move away from water (which the area surrounding molecules are mostly composed of) while its lipophilic (fat-loving) head will move towards where the fats are. As such, lecithin helps stabilize the fatty acid molecules by forming a semi-permeable, lipophilic/hydrophobic ring around them. This emulsifying action of lecithin ensures that the bile is stable and the liver is able to perform its many functions, among which is fat metabolism and cholesterol breakdown. Lecithin and Weight Loss Ever since...
Organic Farming
... preserve the earth and help to undo some of the damage that we have all done. Both of these ideas of organic farming, however, are somewhat distant from the actual reality of the thing. First of all, organic food is great and all, but unless you specifically know that it comes from a small, local organic farm, it probably doesn't. Organic farming is big business now. Do you think that a nationwide chain like Whole Foods stocks itself from ma and pa and their tractor, living in the middle of Missouri? If you do, then you'd better think again. There is so much money to be made with organic farming, that the big food product bullies have taken it over, the same as they did with the rest of farming almost a century ago. You can buy food grown with organic farming locally, but you have to go to your local organic food store to do it, and check out the labels. Usually some...
What is Lecithin
... use. Today, it is not even a major source of lecithin in nutritional supplements. The reason may be that lecithins that come from plants are GRAS or generally regarded as safe. Who needs to take lecithin? When you know all there is to know about what is lecithin, then you probably know already that the substance is synthesized by the body from food. This means that it is not an essential nutrient, since the body can always get its supply of lecithin from its diet. This is also one of the reasons why hardly anyone ever suffers a deficiency in lecithin. Still, having a steady supply of lecithin for our body's use is good, if only to take advantage of the benefits it has to offer. Lecithin is naturally found in the foods that we eat, especially rich foods, such as egg yolk, soybeans, grains, wheat germ, fish, legumes, yeast, peanuts, etc. The compound can also be found as supplement sold to the public. Lecithin...
Lecithin Benefits
So what is it 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 Organic Lecithin 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...
Lecithin Effects
... 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 Organic Lecithin 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...
Facts about Lecithin
... be true, have you gotten the facts about lecithin down? What exactly is lecithin? And what can it do for us? A Phospholipid One of the first facts about lecithin that you ought to know is that it is a phospholipid, one of the many found in all living organisms, including humans. But more than that, lecithin is actually a complex mixture of phospholipids, glycolipids, triglycerides, sterols, and small quantities of fatty acids, carbohydrates, and sphingolipids. Its primary phospholipid components include phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatic acid (PA). Now, since lecithin is present in the cells of all living organisms, you must think and believe that it is an essential nutrient. Certainly, that is what the adverts have been telling us. However, the facts about lecithin will tell you that the substance...
Lecithin Side Effects
... by the liver. There have been studies that show how lecithin could also have positive lecithin side effects on persons with high blood 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 Organic Lecithin 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. 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...
Structure of Lecithin
... and phospholipids, which differs considerably from plant lipid mixtures. Egg yolk lecithin contains long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids known as LC-PUFAs or Arachidonic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid. Both are bound phospholipids, the former occurring Organic Lecithin exclusively in cell membranes while the latter is found in high amounts in optic nerve membranes. In the structure of lecithin derived from egg yolk, arachidonic acid is involved in signal transduction and ensures high membrane fluidity. It is important for body weight development. On the other hand, docosahexaenoic acid is required for normal development of the brain, nervous system, and visual acuity. Consequently, both these important components of the structure of lecithin play a vital role during pregnancy and infancy. Since babies have only limited capacities, they need arachidonic acid...
Lecithin is Powerful
Drug Administration named lecithin as GRAS, or Generally Regarded as Safe, making it one of the few emulsifiers currently sold in the market as such. This is because compared with its synthetic alternatives, lecithin can be totally biodegraded and metabolized. In addition, lecithin is powerful since it is already an integral part of biological membranes, making it virtually non-toxic. Other emulsifiers can only be excreted via the kidneys so they may contain impurities. Phosphatidylcholine is a mixture of differently substituted sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine backbones. Chemically, its structure is utterly variable and dependent on fatty acid substitution. Another reason that lecithin is powerful is its role in protecting fatty acids from the damages caused by oxidation. An essential nutrient, fatty acids are highly vulnerable but greatly needed by the body. They are polyunsaturated fats and are a vital pat of each molecule. By keeping these fatty acids from becoming...
Soy Lecithin Allergens
... as the "sinister seven." Besides soy lecithin allergens, other allergens that are considered part of the "sinister seven" are peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, fin fish, and wheat. Allergies are a result of an oversensitized immune system that once exposed to a certain type of allergen, such as soy lecithin allergens, reacts by producing vast amounts of antibodies, known as immunoglobulin E (IgE). This results in reactions which may include coughing, sneezing, runny hose, hives, diarrhea, facial swelling, shortness of breath, a swollen tongue, difficulty swallowing, lowered blood pressure, excessive perspiration, fainting, anaphylactic shock, or even death. There are also delayed allergic reactions to soy lecithin allergens. While the reactions Organic Lecithin of this kind are less dramatic, they are even more common. Instead of producing...
Liquid Lecithin
... available in high purity and used for a variety of purposes in the food industry as well as other industries. However, for the most part, liquid lecithin Organic Lecithin is utilized as an emulsifier, and is in fact one of the limited number of emulsifiers commonly regarded as safe to use. Benefits While lecithin is a natural part of the body, it is, however, not an essential nutrient, unlike fatty acids or amino acid. Our bodies already have lecithin and can manufacture more if needed. What is essential however is the synthesized form of liquid lecithin, which is choline. Our bodies derive choline from phosphatidylcholine component in liquid lecithin. To maintain cell membrane integrity and facilitate the movement of fats in and out of cells, as well as ions, wastes, and nutrients, we need a constant supply of choline. In addition, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine needs choline for its normal functions. Due to...
Health Lecithin
... benefits are but the tip of the iceberg. As more and more researchers are focusing much of their time and energy on investigating the compound, more and more of the health lecithin benefits may be uncovered. Where Lecithin Comes From Lecithin is found in many of the foods we have for our daily diet. However, if you want foods that are rich in lecithin, then turn no further from those same foods that are high in cholesterol and fats. The most concentrated sources of dietary lecithin are organ meats, red meats, and eggs, which is where lecithin got its name by the way - lekithos, Greek for "egg yolk." But with today's current trend in low-fat, low-calorie diet, many Organic Lecithin have turned away from lecithin-rich foods. This reduction may likely result in an inadequate dietary intake of lecithin and choline, a component of lecithin. In order to make up...