If you eat chocolate, salad dressing, mayonnaise, drink tea or take supplements you may have noticed that soy lecithin is an added ingredient. Soy lecithin is one of the most common additives in our food supply. Because it is a good emulsifier that helps products with water and oil stick together.
We all love that smooth, velvety taste of chocolate. Soy lecithin is a mixture of phospholipids and oils derived from s oybean oil, phosphytidyle choline, phospholipids and glycolipids. Lecithin is naturally found in soybeans although it is often extracted using harsh chemical solvents. The major concerns regarding soy lecithin pertain to people with soy allergies and the issue surrounding genetic modification.
There is a big difference between drinking soy milk or eating tofu and consuming soy lecithin in chocolate or a supplement. The amount of soy protein in soy milk, tofu, or soy-based protein powders is significantly higher than the amount in the food additive soy lecithin.
According to Soy Lecithin: Why is it in Everything? However, apparently, soy lecithin does not contain sufficient soy protein residues to provoke allergic reactions in the majority of soy-allergic consumers. Many allergists do not even advise their soybean-allergic patients to avoid soybean lecithin when it is included as an ingredient on food products. From this practical standpoint, we can surmise that most soybean-allergic individuals do not react adversely to the ingestion of soybean lecithin.
The potential for soy lecithin to trigger an allergic response depends on the amount of the actual soy protein in the lecithin. Phytoestrogens Soy is the richest source of phytoestrogens a plant analogue of female sex hormones.
A number of studies have found high estrogenic activity in soybean lecithin, but this is due not to our known genesin but to the previously unknown compound. The alternative - lecithin from sunflower seeds. The other crop that contains high levels of lecithin is sunflower.
Some prefer sunflower lecithin to soybeans because it does not hide the potential for GMO and allergic reaction. A major advantage in sunflower lecithin is the way it is obtained - by cold pressing without the use of chemicals.
It has all the benefits of soy lecithin, plus a few more: - does not contain phytoestrogens; - contains antioxidants and slows aging; - improves the process of healing of both internal and external wounds; - helps with nervous system disorders; - promotes better sleep; - Reduces the risk of arthritis, improves joint movement. How can you take lecithin? Due to its neutral taste, lecithin is also suitable for salted salads, dippers and soups.
Here is our recipe: Comparative characteristics of soybean and sunflower: Fatty acid content: Palmitic acid soya - 16; sunflower - 17 Stearic acid soybeans - 5; sunflower - 6 Oleic acid soya - 19; sunflower - 19 Linoleic acid soya - 53; sunflower - 63 Linoleic acid soybeans - 6; sunflower - 1 Phospholipid content: Phosphatidylethanolamine soybeans - 8; sunflower - 7 Phosphatidylcholine soya - 12; sunflower - 15 Phosphatidic acid soya - 3. Added items to compare Compare Clear.
Your favorite products Clear. Phone orders:. Cleaning preparations Laundry detergents. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Lecithin also known as alpha-phosphatidylcholine is a naturally occurring nutrient found in foods that is also sold as a dietary supplement. Lecithin is not a single substance but rather a group of chemicals belonging to compounds called phospholipids.
Phospholipid, a type of fat that helps maintain the integrity of cells, are vital to the normal functioning of the brain, nerves, liver, and other vital organs. Lecithin can be found in green vegetables, red meat, and eggs. Commercial preparations are most often made from soybeans, egg yolks, or animal products. Not only is lecithin taken as a supplement, but it is also used in the manufacture of eye drops, skin moisturizers, and food emulsifiers agents that keep ingredients from separating.
As a supplement, lecithin is thought to lower cholesterol and treat certain neurological and inflammatory conditions. However, it is not approved by the U.
When ingested, lecithin is broken down into a substance called choline , which the body uses to transport fat, regulate metabolism, maintain the structural integrity of cells, and facilitate nerve transmissions by synthesizing a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Choline is not readily produced by the body; most of it is obtained from the foods we eat.
Lecithin has been touted for its potential benefits in treating many health conditions and is said to:. To date, there is insubstantial evidence that the supplemental use of lecithin can treat any medical condition. This suggests that lecithin may be an effective supplemental treatment of hypercholesterolemia high cholesterol.
With that said, lecithin also plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis "hardening of the arteries" , with some studies suggesting that the excessive intake may increase cardiovascular risk. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that has been linked to low levels of a chemical found in lecithin called phosphatidylcholine.
Phosphatidylcholine, a component of mucus in the digestive tract, helps protect the colon from inflammation and the infiltration of bacteria in stools. The findings, however, were limited by the small size of the study 18 adults. Mastitis , the inflammation of breast tissues, is a common ailment in breastfeeding mothers.
Some studies have reported that lecithin can help to prevent clogged milk ducts that lead to mastitis. Lecithin appears to decrease the viscosity of breastmilk and is generally regards as safe for human consumption. With that said, lecithin remains understudied in women with mastitis and should not be used without first consulting an obstetrician or other qualified health professional. As a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, lecithin may help increase nerve transmissions in the brain and ease the symptoms of these progressive and often devastating neurologic disorders.
To date, the findings to support these benefits are lacking. There is currently no evidence that supplemental lecithin can slow or reverse the progression of dementia in people with Alzheimer's or any other neurologic disorder. However, some animal studies have suggested that lecithin may have a neuroprotective effect, reducing the risk of dementia by slowing the degeneration of glial cells that protect and stabilize brain tissues.
Although lecithin supplements are generally regarded as safe, they are not regulated in the same way as prescription drugs.
Therefore, it is important to consult with a doctor before taking lecithin or any other supplement, particularly if you are managing a health condition, have allergies, or are taking medications of any sort.
Common side effects of lecithin may include:. Allergic reactions have been known to occur, although they are relatively uncommon, even among people with soy allergies. As a precaution, lecithin should not be used in women who are breastfeeding, pregnant, or trying to get pregnant unless under the direction an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Children should avoid lecithin due to the lack of safety research. Lecithin is available as a pill, tablet, capsule, softgel, granules, powder, liquid, or paste. There are no guidelines for the appropriate use of lecithin, although many manufacturers endorse a daily dose of 2, mg for adults.
As a general rule never exceed the recommended dosage on the product label. There are no regulatory agencies in the United States, including the FDA, that govern the purity or safety of supplements.
To better ensure safety and quality, choose supplements that have been independently tested by a third-party certifying body like the U. These authorities can certify that the ingredients are pure and in the amounts listed on the product label.
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