People rely on Lecithin to help body cells function more effectively. Since Lecithin is found in plenty of foods (egg yolks, soybeans, etc.) we’re lucky not suffer from the lack of it. However pregnant and lactating women should stay away from Lecithin. It is also contraindicated to some as it can cause nausea, diarrhea, and hepatitis (according to Drugs.com).
There is another drawback. In order to extract Lecithin from soybeans, a strong solvent, such as hexane is used. Hexane is also applied at glues and varnishes production thus compromising its consumption by people on daily basis. That’s why it is time to decide on Lecithin’s role in diet once and for all. Read more to find out what is Lecithin good for and what are the possible risks of over-consumption.
Where to Look for Lecithin?
Apart from eggs and soybeans, there are plenty of Lecithin fat foods for you to enrich yours with. They are:
- Sunflower seeds
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Chickpeas and split peas
- Organic meat
- Various seeds and nuts
What is Lecithin Good For?
Lecithin is amphiphilic by its nature. This helps it attract both water and fat, thus making it essential for maintaining the body healthy. Being rich in choline, Lecithin improves the functioning of liver, nerve and muscle movement. Brain, perhaps, benefits most from Lecithin consumption. No wonder women are recommended to feed their babies with chicken, goose and duck eggs in order to boost baby’s mental development.
Soy Lecithin Health Booster
Soy Lecithin is a number one Lecithin provider and can help our bodies to:
- lower cholesterol level
- be the source of choline
- boost immunity
- relieve stress
- better cognitive processes in the brain
- prevent osteoporosis
- ease menopause symptoms
- prevent cancer
Lecithin Supplements
Those who can’t provide enough Lecithin for their bodies, due to keeping a low-fat diet or being allergic to eggs, can supplement their diets with Lecithin pills capsules of softgels. Among the most popular Lecithin’s supplement manufacturers are Solaray, County Life, and NOW.
Risks Inherent in Manufactured Lecithin Consumption
It is believed that some untrustworthy Lecithin distributors can use Roundup Ready GMO soy to extract Lecithin from. In this case, heavy pesticides, such as glyphosate, is commonly sued. People concerned about their health often check soy protein for the glyphosate or hexane residue in it. Regardless of additional processing or filtering that manufacturers use to prevent heavy chemicals from residing in soy protein, it can still be seen in the final product. Since even the smallest dose of it highly dangerous, one should beware of GMO Lecithin.
Lecithin in Processed Food
Processed food contains Lecithin in the form of emulsifier. This causes issues with people allergic to it. Four out of six soy Lecithin samples would contain residual protein that would inflict a bad immunologic response. This is another kind of lecithin to avoid in daily life.
Fortunately, there is sunflower Lecithin to help those allergic to its soy originated kind.
Sunflower Lecithin
On the contrary, to soy Lecithin, its sunflower type is easily extracted mechanically, rather than chemically. This aspect makes sunflower Lecithin a completely safe and extremely healthy Lecithin provider. It has as many mentioned Lecithin benefits as the soy one, and, it’s chemical free.
However, every day is not Sunday. Manufacturers have to use much more sunflower seeds to produce Lecithin than soybeans. This means, even though it is healthier, it’s more expensive. And, there is very little research in the Sunflower Lecithin filed for it to fully replace the soy type.
Having reviewed the Lecithin benefits one cannot deny its absolute value for a human body. However, one must thoroughly check himself for allergies and contradictions to provide a healthy daily Lecithin intake. That’s why, being completely sure that you need Lecithin to support a healthy body and good mental development, opt for a non-GMO Lecithin or go with Sunflower Lecithin. Either way, you get an immense health boost from just a little dose of it a day.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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