Contents
The term “lecithin” has ancient Greek roots and comes from the word “lecithos”, which means “egg yolk”. Indeed, one can hardly imagine a food product that would contain more lecithin than yolks. However, modern “commercial” lecithin in 99% of cases is produced from soybean oil – an available vegetable raw material, and is a by-product of refining and hydration.
Food emulsifiers and biologically active food supplements sold under the name “lecithin” consist of the following components:
Phosphatidylcholine – 19-21%;
Phosphatidylethanolamine – 8-20%;
Inositol – 20-21%;
Phosphatidylserine – 5-6%;
Soybean oil – 33-35%;
Tocopherol, free fatty acids, esters, sterols, styrenes and biological pigments – 2-5%;
Carbohydrates – 4-5%.
As you can see from this list, almost two-thirds of lecithin consists of phospholipids, which is why in many medical sources these concepts are synonymous. Almost all hepatoprotectors are produced from soy lecithin – drugs that are credited with the ability to restore and protect the liver. Although the radical therapeutic effect of taking these drugs has not yet been clinically confirmed, lecithin itself is of great importance for human health.
Once in the body with food, lecithin enters into a number of complex chemical reactions, resulting in the following substances:
Higher fatty acids – palmitic, oleic, stearic, arachidonic;
Phosphoric acid;
Glycerol;
Choline.
Without these lipids and amino acids, it is impossible to imagine the normal development and functioning of the nervous system in general and the brain in particular, adequate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, healthy cholesterol balance, correct blood composition, and high-quality work of the cardiovascular, digestive and reproductive systems.
Lecithin is the main structural component of all cell membranes, provides homeostasis of cells, participates in all energy and metabolic reactions. This substance is present in nature in absolutely any living organisms and biological fluids, and even in plant tissues. There is especially a lot of lecithin in the brain, caviar, eggs, sperm, nerve fibers and special fighting organs of some animals, for example, electric rays.
Without lecithin, our body cannot function and regenerate normally at all, since this substance simultaneously acts as a building material for new cells and as a transport for the transfer of components of cellular reactions. A person experiencing a chronic deficiency of lecithin loses the ability to regenerate, rapidly ages and becomes seriously ill, moreover, it is impossible to help him with drugs and vitamins until the lack of lecithin in the body is replenished. After all, if there is no lecithin, there is no transport for medicines, no material for new cells.
A certain amount of lecithin is normally synthesized by the liver, but under the influence of the adverse effects of external (ecology, stress) and internal (poor-quality food, alcohol, smoking, medicines) factors, as well as with age, this ability is gradually lost. In addition, the digestive functions of a person worsen, and the lecithin supplied with food ceases to be fully absorbed.
Meanwhile, we are in dire need of lecithin throughout our lives:
In the womb the correct formation of all organs and systems of the fetus, especially the brain and spinal cord, depends on a sufficient level of lecithin;
In the first year of life the baby must receive enough lecithin with mother’s milk or formula so that his cognitive and motor functions develop normally;
In preschool and primary school age lecithin is directly related to the formation of the child’s intelligence, the speed of adaptation to a new team and the assimilation of educational material, the ability to concentrate on classes;
Puberty also cannot go smoothly against the background of lecithin deficiency: severe mood swings are inevitable, deterioration in skin quality, in severe cases – underdevelopment and infantilism of the genital organs, dysfunction of the ovaries in girls and testicles in boys;
For an adult, especially those engaged in hard physical or complex mental labor, living in a metropolis, lecithin is simply necessary to maintain health and prevent serious diseases;
future mother much more lecithin is needed, because she spends part of the resources of her own body first on the formation of the fetus, and then on feeding the newborn baby;
In older people the level of lecithin in the body is almost always lowered, since the functions of synthesis and assimilation are simultaneously impaired. A deficiency of lecithin in adulthood can lead to the development of dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Why does a person need lecithin? Who said that you have to go to the pharmacy and spend money on supplements and vitamins? Apparently the pharmaceutical companies said so. But let’s hasten to debunk your skepticism: there is a rational reason for taking lecithin in addition.
The fact is that absolutely all foods rich in lecithin are also rich in lipids, including low-density lipoproteins. Simply put, they are all very fatty and full of cholesterol. And in order to get the norm of lecithin from them, you will have to eat a mountain of what you don’t need to eat at all, especially if you are overweight and at risk of atherosclerosis. Of course, lecithin is present even in cabbage, but there is so little of it that we assure you that you will not eat so much cabbage. Therefore, the additional intake of lecithin is fully justified.
Today we will tell you what the beneficial properties of lecithin are, how it affects each specific function of the body, what diseases it is prescribed for, why children and pregnant women especially need lecithin, how to take it correctly, what are the rumors about the dangers of lecithin and whether they have under scientific grounds.
The benefits of lecithin
Maintaining an optimal level of lecithin in the body provides the following positive effects:
Activation of brain activity and strengthening of memory – this is due to the fact that one of the main components of lecithin, phosphatidylcholine, in the presence of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is transformed into acetylcholine – the main neurotransmitter responsible for intelligence, memory and concentration;
Getting rid of addiction to tobacco – the amino acid acetylcholine mentioned above enters into a competitive interaction with nicotine and fights for the same nerve receptors, so taking lecithin helps to weaken the physiological nicotine addiction and overcome a bad habit;
Preservation of strength and conductivity of nerve fibers – lecithin is involved in the synthesis of myelin, an insulator and protector of nerve fibers. When the myelin sheath becomes thinner, the nerves lose their ability to conduct impulses and then die. That is why, especially in mature and old age, a person needs to provide his body with a sufficient amount of lecithin;
Proper absorption of fat-soluble vitamins – when entering the blood, lecithin phospholipids act as an emulsifier and turn it into a liquid homogeneous emulsion in which lipids, amino acids, vitamins A, D, E, K are evenly dissolved. In this form, useful substances are easily distributed throughout the body and perform their functions ;
Normalization of bile composition and prevention of cholelithiasis – the emulsifying properties of lecithin allow it to provide the optimal chemical composition and flexibility of bile, interfere with the formation of cholesterol gallstones and promote the dissolution of solid fat deposits that have already arisen on the walls of the gallbladder and in the bile ducts;
Protection and restoration of liver cells – one of the most important useful functions of lecithin. Phospholipids strengthen the membranes of hepatocytes, liver cells, dissolve and remove excess fat from the liver and help it cope with the daily work of cleaning the blood of poisons and toxins, including alcohol;
Regulation of cholesterol metabolism and prevention of atherosclerosis – in the presence of lecithin, “bad” cholesterol (LDL) in the blood is split into separate, small lipid fractions and is freely transported, and in conditions of lecithin deficiency, cholesterol, on the contrary, adheres to the walls of blood vessels and forms plaques, which leads to the development of atherosclerosis – deadly obstruction arteries;
Strengthen the heart muscle and protect against heart attack – Lecithin phospholipids are involved in the synthesis of L-carnitine, a valuable amino acid responsible for providing muscle tissue with energy. You have probably heard of this substance if you are into sports or bodybuilding: L-carnitine makes muscles flexible and elastic, and also helps to increase them in size. But after all, the main muscle of our body is the heart, and it also really needs L-carnitine;
Disclosure of the intellectual potential of the child – that lecithin, which is received by an infant in the first year of life, determines the capacity of his memory, mental abilities and the degree of resistance of brain cells to the destructive effects of negative factors and aging. That is why pediatricians strongly support breastfeeding, because breast milk contains the highest concentration of easily digestible lecithin;
Respiratory Health and Lung Cancer Prevention – lecithin is necessary for the production of surfactants, the main components of the elastic lipid film that surrounds the pulmonary alveoli. The preservation of this film ensures adequate filling of the alveoli and prevents their collapse. Thus, the process of gas exchange and oxygen saturation of the blood, the resistance of the lungs to damage by toxins, aging and cancer indirectly depend on lecithin;
Prolongation of reproductive age and protection against genital cancer – Firstly, both male (testosterone) and female (estrogen, progesterone) sex hormones are produced from cholesterol, but for this it must be in a dissolved state. And what ensures the homogeneity of cholesterol, if not choline and inositol, components of lecithin? Secondly, in the presence of lecithin phospholipids, estradiol is transformed into estriol, a much less oncogenic form of the hormone. Thus, lecithin not only prolongs the reproductive age, but also protects against cancer of the genital area;
Maintain pancreatic function and prevent diabetes – lecithin prevents the aging of the pancreas, helps it synthesize the hormone insulin, and also enhances the sensitivity of insulin receptors. For healthy people, this allows them to consume more carbohydrates without the risk of developing diabetes, and for those who are already sick, lecithin helps to reduce the intake of insulin and hypoglycemic drugs.
The harm of lecithin
Lecithin has unique properties as a surface active agent, emulsifier and dispersant:
When two immiscible liquid substances are combined, for example, oils and water, lecithin reduces the surface tension of the cell membranes of the oil and allows these substances to be converted into a homogeneous emulsion;
When combining liquid and solid substances lecithin works as a dispersant – it quickly soaks the dry fraction and mixes it with the liquid into a homogeneous elastic mass;
When two solid substances are combined lecithin acts as a lubricant and prevents molecules of one fraction from sticking to molecules of another.
These functions have made lecithin an indispensable assistant in the food industry. With the addition of lecithin, fatty sauces, mayonnaise, butter, margarine and spreads, chocolate, confectionery creams and icing, sweets, pastries, cakes, rolls, waffles and many other products are produced. Especially often lecithin is used during the preparation of confectionery and baking, since it not only contributes to good baking and non-sticking to forms, but also significantly extends the freshness of cakes and pastries.
The cosmetics industry is also willing to use the E322 additive in the manufacture of creams, lotions, emulsions, serums, lipsticks and other health and beauty products. What role lecithin plays in the pharmaceutical industry, we have already announced above – dietary supplements and hepatoprotectors are made from it.
Nearly 100% of the lecithin we see on food, cosmetics, and drug labels comes from soy. Vegetable protein is absorbed by a person by 90%, moreover, it is not burdened with harmful animal fat, so it is simply impossible to deprive cheap soybeans of leadership positions in this area. And is it necessary? After all, the harm of soy lecithin has not been confirmed by any authoritative scientific study.
Nevertheless, for some reason, rumors are constantly circulating about the dangers of lecithin. To believe them or not is the personal choice of everyone, but let’s still try to identify all the sources of consumer dissatisfaction, and find out if these fears and fears can be justified by science?
The vast majority of references to the dangers of lecithin are related to the problem of GMOs, and here is what scientists say about this:
Genetically modified soy from Southeast Asia is an incredibly convenient raw material for the production of lecithin, because it grows quickly, does not get sick, bears abundant fruit, has a long shelf life and costs a penny. This soybean flooded the market in China, the US and other major food consuming countries. It also seeps into the Russian market, although it is prohibited by law. Professor D. Faganiz (maharishi university of management fairfield, USA), says the following about genetically modified soybeans: “Genetics put on our table affordable and tasty products that contain foreign proteins. How these proteins will behave in the future, and what effect they will have on the body of each individual person, and the population as a whole, only time can show. GMOs are Russian roulette”;
Although “commercial” soy lecithin has been present in the human diet for a relatively short time (about 30 years), there are already scientific data on numerous cases of allergy to products with it, especially in children, regardless of whether the lecithin was used: genetically modified or conventional. On the other hand, it is very difficult to establish whether lecithin is harmful, or some other food additive from the composition of the same finished products;
A group of researchers from the University of Hawaii, USA, studied the effects of soy isoflavones on the brain and concluded that regular use of genetically modified soy lecithin leads to an inability to fully absorb amino acids, and, as a result, to a decrease in intelligence and a weakening of long-term memory;
In 1959, a highly controversial scientific study was conducted in the United States, according to which soy isoflavones destroy the thyroid gland. Influenced by interest in GMOs, scientists at the US National Poison Control Center repeated this study in 1997 and concluded that genetically modified soy lecithin does depress thyroid function;
Another danger that awaits lovers of cheap soy is phytoestrogens, substances similar to hormones that compete for their effects on the corresponding receptors in the body of all mammals, including humans. Recently, scientists have uncovered a startling mechanism by which soybeans fight to survive in nature. Animals eat soy – phytoestrogens enter the bloodstream and inhibit reproductive function – the population of soy eaters is declining! That is, the plant itself acts as something like an oral contraceptive;
Even in those countries where GMO lecithin is not banned, pediatricians strongly do not recommend giving children under three years of age ready-made products containing it: cakes, muffins, rolls, chocolate bars, sweet bars, curds, creams and sauces. Very often, the consumption of such products leads to allergies, diathesis, neurodermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and sometimes even asthma and diabetes, not to mention obesity;
Expectant mothers should definitely beware of genetically modified lecithin, since there is already evidence that this substance increases the risk of premature birth, leads to abnormal formation of the nervous system and genital organs of the fetus, and greatly increases the likelihood of a future child developing severe allergies.
It is important to understand that all talk about the dangers of lecithin is associated only with low-quality, dangerous, genetically modified plant materials. Lecithin as such is simply indispensable for humans: suffice it to recall that our liver consists of 50% of it, and the brain of 30%. It is simply impossible to meet harmful lecithin in baby food or certified vitamin complexes: these products in Russia undergo strict sanitary and epidemiological control before they hit the shelves.
Another thing is ready-made food products, such as muffins with an astronomical shelf life or exotic sauces from sunny Asia. When buying them, especially when giving them to children, you always take risks. In order not to think about the dangers of lecithin and not be afraid for the health of your family, just follow the advice of nutritionists: buy fresh food, cook at home more often, minimize the consumption of ready-made foods and drinks, whose label in terms of volume and content is more like a fantasy thriller scenario .
Lecithin for children
It is difficult even to find words to describe how important lecithin is for the health and full development of children. Deficiency of lecithin phospholipids prevents adequate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and this is fraught with rickets, scoliosis and osteoporosis. The lack of choline and acetylcholine can cause delays in the mental and physical development of the baby, suppression of immunity, underdevelopment of the genital organs, and blood clotting disorders.
In children under three years of age, lecithin deficiency is manifested by the following symptoms:
Increased intracranial pressure and severe headaches;
Whims, tearfulness, lethargy, restless sleep;
Violations of psychomotor and speech development;
Reduced immunity and frequent colds.
In children 3-12 years old, the lack of lecithin in the diet turns into other problems:
Poor concentration, poor memory, poor academic performance;
Difficulties with adaptation to new living conditions and educational teams;
Emotional instability, aggression, uncontrollable behavior;
Increased fatigue, muscle weakness;
Again, low immune status and frequent colds.
If you suspect your baby has a lecithin deficiency, especially if the child does not eat well, sorts through food and refuses healthy, wholesome meals, consult your pediatrician about taking lecithin. The drug for children is available in the form of a gel, granules and capsules. Delicious fruit gel can be given to babies from the age of four months. For older children, pellets are suitable, which are easy to add to liquid food. And children from 8 to 16 years old can take lecithin in capsules themselves. The dosage and duration of the course of treatment is indicated in the instructions, but is sometimes adjusted by the doctor.
Lecithin for pregnant women
Prophylactic intake of lecithin during pregnancy and lactation is your contribution to the future, because in this way you will provide your baby with good health and good mental potential. Most gynecologists prescribe lecithin-containing multivitamin complexes to their patients starting from the second trimester of pregnancy. It is believed that in the first trimester, when the reserves of the mother’s body are still almost untouched, the fetus will be provided with lecithin. In addition, it is better to generally minimize the interference of any foreign substances in the body when the main organs and systems of the fetus are laid.
Almost all expectant mothers gain extra weight during pregnancy, and are very worried about this. One of the main causes of the problem is food vagaries and excessive consumption of fatty foods. You can’t limit yourself to food, but you should try to maintain a healthy balance between proteins, fats and carbohydrates throughout your pregnancy. And the increased need for lecithin is easy to fill with the help of appropriate drugs.
Prophylactic intake of lecithin gives pregnant women the following benefits:
Increasing the chance of survival of a premature baby due to a stronger respiratory system;
Relief of pain in the joints and back caused by the heaviness of the abdomen and the redistribution of the load on the skeleton;
Maintaining the health and beauty of hair, nails, skin and teeth;
Regulation of lipid metabolism, lowering the level of “bad” cholesterol and insurance against overweight gain.
How to take lecithin: instructions for use
The optimal dosage form for adults is lecithin powder. It is usually taken one teaspoon three times a day with meals. The powder can be poured into any non-hot dish or drink: salad, juice, kefir, yogurt, porridge.
Powdered lecithin is very quickly absorbed and penetrates into the bloodstream, so the positive effect of taking it is felt almost immediately.
Notes:
Opened package of powdered lecithin should be stored no longer than 60 days in a dark, cool and dry place;
Patients with exacerbation of cholecystitis, pancreatitis and cholelithiasis can only take lecithin with great care and under the supervision of a physician, since it has a choleretic effect and accelerates the excretion of gallstones;
Those who take high doses of lecithin for a long time (more than 3 tablespoons per day) need to add vitamin C to the diet to protect against nitrosamines, products of choline metabolism, and calcium to bind excess phosphorus.
Indications for the use of lecithin
Indications for the use of lecithin are:
Pregnancy and lactation.
Delays in mental and physical development in children.
Senile weakness and deterioration of memory.
Neurosis, depression, insomnia, chronic fatigue syndrome.
Nicotine and alcohol addiction.
Acute and chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, etc.
Avitaminosis and reduced immunity.
Liver diseases: hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis, etc.
Elevated blood cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis.
Cardiac ailments: ischemia, angina pectoris, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, etc.
Multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
Psoriasis, eczema, neurodermatitis.
Respiratory tract diseases: bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc.
Sexual dysfunctions: impotence, infertility, decreased libido, etc.
Diabetes and obesity.
Diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract: glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, enuresis, etc.
Eye problems: optic nerve atrophy, retinal degeneration.
Diseases of the oral cavity and teeth: periodontal disease, pulpitis, caries, etc.
Increased intracranial pressure.
Intense physical activity and active sports.
What foods contain lecithin?
Before going into detail about which foods contain lecithin, it should be clarified that high concentrations of this substance are present only where there is a lot of fat. So when you are told that lecithin is found in both pork liver and broccoli, this does not mean at all that you can eat a serving of any of these products and get the same amount of lecithin. It won’t even come close.
Let’s divide all products containing lecithin into two large groups:
Products of animal origin;
Vegetable products.
Animal products-record holders for the content of lecithin:
egg yolks;
Liver and other offal;
Meat and poultry;
Fatty varieties of fish;
Margarine and butter;
Cheese and fatty cottage cheese;
Cream and buttermilk.
Vegetable products containing maximum lecithin:
Soybean oil and other unrefined vegetable oils;
Peanuts, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds;
Legumes – peas, soybeans, beans, beans, chickpeas;
Cereals – corn, buckwheat, wheat bran;
Vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower and white cabbage, carrots, green salad.
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