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Depending on whom you’re talking to, the word “lecithin” has two meanings. First, it refers to a whole class of natural fat and water soluble compounds, more commonly known as phospholipids, sold commercially as powerful emulsifiers. Secondly, 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., metabolism, breathing, energy production and transport, and nerve function. Many researches have shown the health lecithin benefits include the following:
– Enhance memory
– Normalize reproductive health
– Reduce risks of cancer
– Increase physical activity
– And improve liver and heart health
These health lecithin benefits, however, are but the tip of the iceberg. Additionally, as more researchers are focusing their time and energy on investigating the compound, more health lecithin benefits may be uncovered.
Where Does Lecithin Come From
Lecithin is found in many of the foods we eat every day. If you want foods that are rich in lecithin, then turn no further from the same foods that are high in fats and cholesterol. The most concentrated sources of dietary lecithin are eggs, organ meats, and red meats, which is where lecithin got its name – lekithos, Greek for “egg yolk.” But with today’s current trend in low-fat, low-calorie diet, many have turned their back from lecithin-rich foods. This reduction may probably result in an inadequate dietary intake of lecithin and choline, a component of lecithin. In order to make up for the lecithin lost through reduction of egg consumption, red meats and organ meats, health lecithin supplements are taken.
Why is it Good?
As a phospholipid, lecithin is both fats (lipids) and phosphorus. As such, it is a primary source of essential fatty acids, which are a part of each molecule. Because phospholipids are both fat loving (lipophilic) and water loving (hydrophilic), lecithin helps protect the cell’s essential fatty acids, which are polyunsaturated and highly vulnerable to oxidation. By taking in health lecithin supplements, especially in the form of granules, we can help secure the essential fatty acids in our bodies, keeping them from turning rancid and start harming other healthy cells.
Another health benefit from lecithin is its role as one of the special chemicals that easily crosses the blood-brain barrier. Not only is lecithin permeability necessary for the metabolic processes that are happening in all cells but also, it provides for the constant regeneration of the phospholipid-rich membranes of the brain.
The component of lecithin, choline, is crucial for the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. When acetylcholine malfunctions, it could lead to a variety of symptoms, including: Friedreich’s ataxia, Tardive dyskinesia (Dystone’s syndrome), Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s chorea, and Gilles de la Tourette’s syndrome.
Interestingly enough, when treating these diseases, it has been found that dietary health lecithin is more effective than choline alone, that de-oiled lecithin is more effective than crude lecithin, and that enhancement in the general health was observed (greater attentiveness, quicker reactions, and better orientation).
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Filed under: Lecithin