Lecithin For Your Health

There are so many supplements and health claims being made by pharmaceutical companies these days, it’s hard to know what’s really good for you. One popular element that you can count on is lecithin.

Since first discovered in 1850 by French scientist Maurice Gobley, the effects of lecithin have benefited millions of people. It’s is a powerful emulsifier that holds a variety of purposes in many industries. The textile, paint, commercial food and pharmaceutical industries all rely on lecithin for the production of their goods.

The effects of lecithin seem to transcend the commercial world, holding an important position in the health industry as well. Scientists have discovered that lecithin makes vital contributions to the cells of every living organism on this planet.

Emulsifier

Over 150 years ago, Maurice Gobley discovered lecithin as a compound found in egg yolk. In the decades to follow, right into the 1930s, egg yolk remained the premier source of commercial lecithin. The name “lecithin” is actually derived from “lekithos”, the Greek word for egg yolk.

Then, seemingly by chance, it was discovered that lecithin was found in a by-product created in the de-gumming process of soybean oil. Since then, soy remains the main source of commercial lecithin.

The benefits of lecithin to commercial food and materials production are numerous. Lecithin acts as an antioxidant, lubricant, anti-dusting agent, mixing and blending agent, and a wetting and separating agent. But even while all of these functional properties make lecithin extremely useful, its main purpose is still as a widely used emulsifier.

Lecithin is preferred by the food and health industries because it is one of the safest emulsifiers. In 1998, the United States’ Food and Drug Administration named lecithin as one of few emulsifiers that are currently available and generally safe for public consumption.

Lecithin makes astounding contributions within the food industry. It is often added to foods that are high in fat and oils, such as chocolate, shortening, margarine, baked goods, confectionery coatings, peanut butter, powder mixes, and dietary foods. The emulsifying properties keep the fats from separating away from other ingredients. Lecithin also promotes crystallization, stabilization, antioxidation and spattering control.

Animals have also benefited from the powers of lecithin. Commercial animal foods contain lecithin to stabilize the products and provide antioxidant properties.

Health Benefits of Lecithin

Lecithin is one of the major components that make up the cell membrane, a thin semi-permeable layer that envelops the surfaces of the cells. This layer is comprised mainly of phospholipids, which include phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylethanol (PE). Many biochemists will interchange lecithin and phosphatidylcholine. They consider lecithin to be most significant because it can be synthesized to form an essential nutrient called choline, and it plays an important role in stabilizing fat in the bile.

Phosphatidylcholine is one of the major precursors of the effects of lecithin. It contributes to the structural integrity and repair of cell membranes. This material helps the flow of information that occurs within cells, from DNA, to RNA, to proteins. It also assists in the formation of cellular energy and aids intracellular communication or “signal transduction”.

Researchers have shown that phosphatidyinositol, on the other hand, may stimulate reverse cholesterol transport by enhancing the flux of cholesterol into HDL and by promoting the transport of HDL cholesterol to the bile and liver. This compound is partly responsible for the effect of lecithin in reducing high cholesterol levels in the blood stream, as well helping in normal liver function.

Many studies have shown the benefits of lecithin for health. If you’re not getting enough, consider boosting your lecithin intake through food sources or pharmaceutical supplements. Columnist Julius Riason is a writer for a variety of popular Internet magazines, on life fitness and lifetime fitness subjects.