Lecithin For Health

With the variety of supplements and number of claims made by pharmaceutical companies these days, it’s hard to know what’s really beneficial for your health.   However, one element that you can count on is lecithin.

Since its discovery in 1850 by Maurice Gobley, a French scientist, the effects of lecithin have wowed millions of people. The compound is a powerful emulsifier that contains a variety of purposes in many industries.  Commercial food processing, paint, textile,  and, of course, pharmaceutical industries all rely on lecithin for the production of their goods.  Additionally, the effects of lecithin seem to transcend the commercial world, taking a vital role in the health industry as well.  Scientists have discovered the essential contributions that lecithin makes to the cells of every living organism on this planet.

Emulsifier

The benefits of lecithin to commercial materials and food production are numerous.  Lecithin acts as an antioxidant, anti-dusting agent, lubricant, mixing and blending agent, and a wetting and separating agent. But even while all of these functional properties make lecithin highly useful, its main purpose is still as a widely used emulsifier. In addition, it is also one of the safest.  In 1998, the United States’ Food and Drug Administration named lecithin as one of the few emulsifiers presently available on the market that are generally safe for consumption.

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

Additionally, animals can also benefit from the wonders of lecithin. This compound is often added to animal feed, for the same purposes of stabilizing the products and providing antioxidant properties.

Lecithin for Health

Lecithin is one of the major components making up the cell membrane, that thin semi-permeable layer that covers the surfaces of cells.  This layer is mainly comprised of phospholipids including phosphatidylinositol (PI),  phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanol (PE).  Many biochemists use lecithin and phosphatidylcholine synonymously.  They consider this component to be most significant, not only because it can be synthesized to form one vital nutrient called choline, but also because of the role it plays in stabilizing fat in the bile.

As one of the major precursors of the effects of lecithin, phosphatidylcholine contributes to the structural integrity and repair of cell membranes.  Its functions include the formation of cellular energy,  the information flow that occurs within cells from DNA to RNA to proteins, and the signal transduction or intracellular communication.

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

Many studies have shown the advantages of lecithin for health.  If you’re not getting sufficient supply, consider boosting your lecithin intake through food sources or pharmaceutical supplements.

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