The popularity of soy lecithin supplement has spread all over the world like a bushfire, no wonder the increasing soy lecithin bulk sales. Lecithin is a general term referring to various fatty compounds that are naturally found in plant as well as animal tissues. In addition to improving food texture, lecithin is also known for its ability to increase the shelf life of various food products such as cooking oils and salad dressings.
Initially, lecithin was derived from egg York, but with time, other key sources including cottonseed, seafood, soybeans, kidney beans, black beans, milk, sunflower and corn, have been identified. Among these, soybeans are among the richest lecithin sources, and this brings us to soy lecithin.
What Is Soy Lecithin?
Soy lecithin is a form of lecithin that’s derived from raw soybeans using a chemical solvent such as hexane. Then, the oil extract is processed to extract lecithin from other byproducts and after that, lecithin drying takes place. It is among the most common food additives currently on the market.
Soy lecithin powder is used in conventional as well as health food stores as a food product ingredient to boost the consumers’ health. The supplements made of soy lecithin powder offer a wide array of health benefits including cholesterol reduction. This is because of their high phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine content. These two phospholipids come in handy in a human body’s lipid replacement therapy, among other functions.
8 Potential Soy Lecithin Benefits
As earlier mentioned, soy lecithin has many benefits, the major ones being:
1.Cholesterol reduction
A high amount of cholesterol in a human body attracts several health risks, the most serious one being increased vulnerability to heart attack. Fortunately, researchers dealing with soy lecithin nutrition have found out that soy lecithin powder or soy lecithin capsules can assist the liver in producing higher quantities of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is also called “good” cholesterol.
When the levels of HDL increases, the bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) levels reduce. There other ways in which a person can reduce cholesterol level in their body, but taking soy lecithin capsules, soy lecithin milk or foods featuring soy lecithin powder is one of the most effective natural remedies.
A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of soy lecithin nutrition on people suffering from hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels in the blood).The researchers noted that daily soy lecithin supplement intake (about 17 milligrams per day) caused a 41 total cholesterol reduction in hypercholesterolemia after one month.
At the same time, the level of LDL cholesterol dropped by 42% and by 56 percent after two months. This suggests that regular soy lecithin supplement intake can be an effective remedy for hypercholesterolemia.
2.Soy lecithin and breast cancer prevention
According to a 2011 Epidemiology Journal study focusing on soy lecithin and breast cancer prevention potential, lecithin supplement use can attribute to reduced breast cancer risk. The researchers noted reduced breast cancer incidences among postmenopausal women who consumed soy lecithin supplements within the trial period.
It is suspected that this cancer reduction potential could be because soy lecithin contains phosphatidylcholine. Upon digestion, phosphatidylcholine changes to choline which plays an important role in reducing cancer risk.
However, more soy lecithin and breast cancer research is needed to ascertain if indeed, soy lecithin can be an effective natural treatment for breast cancer.
3.Ulcerative colitis relief
Ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic digestive track digestive ulcers an inflammation, causes a lot of pain to its victims. Fortunately, those who’ve adopted soy lecithin nutrition experience a significant relief of the disease’s symptoms.
When soy lecithin supplement reaches the colon, it emulsifies, creating a barrier on the linings of the intestine and improving its mucous. The barrier protects the colon from bacterial infections and contributes to a better digestion process.
Better still, research shows that the phosphatidylcholine content in soy lecithin powder can reduce the inflammation associated with ulcerative colitis. This is in addition to restoring the mucus barrier destroyed by the disease.
4.Better physical and mental stress handling
Soy lecithin contains phosphatidylserine, an important phospholipid that’s known to influence stress hormones. Particularly, researchers speculate that phosphatidylserine complex works with phosphatidic acid (present in soy lecithin as well) to offer selective stress dampening effect to a human body. As a result, one study suggests that soy lecithin can be a natural treatment for stress-related health conditions.
Additionally, the findings of a study done in 2011 and featured in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that people with high choline intake (including regular soy lecithin consumers) experienced low physical and mental stress levels. As such, they have better memory performance and reduced dementia impacts.
5.Skin moisturization
When taken as recommended, soy lecithin capsules can improve your skin complexion. It is an effective natural remedy for eczema and acne, thanks to its hydration property. No wonder soy lecithin is a key ingredient in skincare products.
6.Improved immunity
The studies carried out on animals to evaluate the impact of soy lecithin have shown that it can boost immune function. Daily soy lecithin supplements help the white blood cells in their fight against pathogens in the bloodstream.
7.Dementia symptoms relief
Due to high choline content, soy lecithin contributes to better communication between the human brain and other body organs. This is because choline is a key agent in the communication. As such, people suffering from dementia can benefit greatly from soy lecithin if they integrate it in their daily meal plans.
8.Menopause symptom relief
Numerous studies indicate that soy lecithin supplement intake can offer significant menopause symptom relief. Particularly, it’s been found to boost vigour, improve arterial stiffness and bring blood pressure levels to normalcy among menopausal women.
In a study conducted in 2018, 96 women aged between 40 to 60 were used as research a sample to establish if soy lecithin supplements were capable of improving fatigue symptoms among the menopausal women. Some were put on a soy lecithin supplement regime and the rest on placebo.
After the trial period, researchers found out that the women who were on soy lecithin supplement course had better arterial stiffness and diastolic blood pressure as compared to the placebo group. Also, the former experienced fatigue symptom relief, but that wasn’t the case with the placebo group.
How does lecithin work?
Just like other phospholipids, lecithin molecules dissolve in water but oil. However, if water is mixed with oil, the molecule will dissolve in the mixture as well. In fact, they are normally found in the mixtures containing water and oil, particularly where water molecules border with oil molecule. In such areas, their fatty acid ends get into contact with oil and the phosphate groups into water.
Consequently, lecithin emulsify is able to form tiny protective shields around oil droplets, thus emulsifying oil in water. The phosphate groups which are attracted to water allow oil droplets that would, in normal circumstance, never be present in water, to stay in water for an extended period. This explains why mayonnaise and salad dressings don’t separate into different oil and water parts.
The soy lecithin side effects and risks
The consumption of soy lecithin can cause some mild soy lecithin side effects. The common soy lecithin side effects include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Bloated stomach
- Loss of appetite
- Increased salivation
Does it cause soy allergies?
If your body is extremely reactive to soybeans, you might develop a soy allergy upon ingesting soy lecithin. So, it’s advisable that you consult your healthcare service provider in case you experience soybean allergy before you start taking soy lecithin milk, soy lecithin supplements of any other food product containing soy lecithin.
So, soy allergy is also among the possible soy lecithin side effects. However, it only occurs on rare occasions.
Could there be any link between soy lecithin and estrogen levels in your body?
There has been a contentious concern about the relationship between soy lecithin and estrogen levels in human body. Some people claim that the consumption of soy lecithin can interfere with the normal production of the thyroid and the endocrine hormones. Arguably, the disruption could lead to various health problems including menstrual issues.
However, the true position is that there’s no scientific evidence showing that the human body can use “plant estrogen” as its own. Lecithin estrogen can only affect a person’s estrogenic activity if it comes from an animal source. A study conducted by Thorne Research supports this position. The findings of the research show that soy and soy by-products don’t cause estrogenic issues in humans.
Therefore, there’s no relationship between soy lecithin and estrogen levels in the human body.
How to Take Soy Lecithin Supplement?
Soy lecithin supplements are available in different forms including soy lecithin capsules, soy lecithin pills, soy lecithin paste, soy lecithin liquid and soy lecithin granules.
The correct soy lecithin dosage is relative from one person to another. This because it depends on various factors such as the general health condition and the age of the consumer.
It is worth noting that there no sufficient scientific evidence showing the precise dosage of lecithin that’s safe for a particular scenario. However, in most cases, the dosage ranges from 500mg to 2,000mg, but it’s important that you consult your health care provider to confirm the best dose for you.
While this isn’t not a must, it is advisable that you take soy lecithin supplements with a meal.
Soy lecithin powder uses
soy lecithin powder is used for various purposes including:
- Emulsification: The food and cosmetic product manufacturers make soy lecithin buy to use soy lecithin powder as an emulsifier or a congealing agent in their manufacturing processes.
- Cosmetic and food preservation: when integrated into food products such as chocolate, gravies, nut butter, baked foods and salad dressing or cosmetic products (makeups, shampoos, skin conditioners, body washes or lip balms) soy lecithin powder serves as a mild preservative, extending their shelf life.
Some people make soy lecithin buy to use the lecithin as a preservative of their home-made cosmetic and food products.
- Choline supplementation: Many people make soy lecithin buy because they are aware that soy lecithin powder is a rich choline source. You can sprinkle one or two tablespoons of the powder on your smoothie, juice, yoghurt, cereal, oatmeal or any other food or beverage of your liking every day.
This supplementation offers you an array of health benefits. The benefits include low breast cancer risk, improved digestion, painless lactation, better mental health, dementia symptom relief and improved immunity, among others.
Lecithin and Weight Loss
Lecithin acts as a natural fat-burner and emulsifier in the human body. The choline content in lecithin dissolves the fat accumulated in the body, boosting the liver’s fat metabolism efficiency. As such, the body is able to burn higher amounts of fats and calories, hence weight loss.
Additionally, research suggests that people who take lecithin experience better physical performance and endurance as compared to those who don’t. Therefore, with lecithin supplementation, a person is able to work out more vigorously and for an extended period, prompting more weight loss.
Where to Buy Soy Lecithin
Wondering about soy lecithin where to buy? If you search online, you’ll find that there are many sources from which you can make soy lecithin bulk purchase if you want soy lecithin for sale. However, you have to do due diligence to establish the integrity of the seller to ensure that the soy lecithin bulk you buy is indeed genuine. Don’t trust anyone claiming to have soy lecithin for sale if you don’t want to fall in the hands of scammers or counterfeit sellers. Go for a certified and licensed seller.
Conclusion
The uses of soy lecithin are many and its benefits outweigh the potential risks and side effects associated with soy lecithin use. However, soy lecithin users should follow the recommended to dose of the supplement to get the best out of it. Besides, whenever they want to make soy lecithin buy for their own consumption or for business, one should make sure that they get it from a trustworthy source.
References
Chung, C., Sher, A., Rousset, P., Decker, E. A., & McClements, D. J. (2017). Formulation of food emulsions using natural emulsifiers: Utilization of quillaja saponin and soy lecithin to fabricate liquid coffee whiteners. Journal of Food Engineering, 209, 1-11.
Hirose, A., Terauchi, M., Osaka, Y., Akiyoshi, M., Kato, K., & Miyasaka, N. (2018). Effect of soy lecithin on fatigue and menopausal symptoms in middle-aged women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Nutrition journal, 17(1), 4.
Oke, M., Jacob, J. K., & Paliyath, G. (2010). Effect of soy lecithin in enhancing fruit juice/sauce quality. Food research international, 43(1), 232-240.
Yokota, D., Moraes, M., & Pinho, S. C. D. (2012). Characterization of lyophilized liposomes produced with non-purified soy lecithin: a case study of casein hydrolysate microencapsulation. Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 29(2), 325-335.
Züge, L. C. B., Haminiuk, C. W. I., Maciel, G. M., Silveira, J. L. M., & de Paula Scheer, A. (2013). Catastrophic inversion and rheological behavior in soy lecithin and Tween 80 based food emulsions. Journal of food engineering, 116(1), 72-77.