Soy lecithin: benefits and harms

Soy lecithin is a flavoring agent produced by low temperature processing of soybean oil. As with any supplement, controversy constantly arises around it on the topic of positive qualities and harm. In this article, we will take a closer look at what soy lecithin is and whether it is worth using it.

What is Soy Lecithin

Soy lecithin or E322 is a flavoring biological additive that consists of vitamins, phospholipids and oil. It is most often used as an emulsifier in almost all food products, from mayonnaise to chocolate. Lecithin is added to food to give it a certain thickness. It looks like a thick, stretching, oily liquid of dark yellow color.

Regarding the effect on the body, disputes have not subsided for a long time to this day. Scientists are constantly researching the supplement in search of answers to the question of whether it is harmful or not. However, there are a number of countries in which it is prohibited.

If we formulate what soy lecithin is, from the standpoint of biochemistry, then we can give it a definition - phosphatide, a substance vital to the human body that forms cell tissues and membranes. What manufacturers use, claiming the indispensability of the additive and adding it wherever possible.

Soy lecithin contains many components, both useful and harmful, but its final composition comes from primary raw materials. In addition to phospholipids and triglycerides, it may contain: vitamins A, E, esters, biopigments, carbohydrates and many other components.

The benefits of soy lecithin

Soy lecithin has a number of beneficial properties that are unfortunately not widely known:

• Its main function is participation in the metabolism of fats and cholesterol.
• Lecithin is ideal for those looking to lose weight. Its active substances help to slow down the accumulation of fat in the liver, activates their rapid combustion.
• Soy lecithin helps prevent gallstones from forming.
  
• The soy lecithin found in food serves as a helper for people who are allergic to fatty proteins. Thanks to its action, they can receive nutrition that satisfies all the needs of the body.
• It is suitable for those who are sick: atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, had a heart attack, hypertension. Since lecithin lowers the amount of cholesterol in the blood, eliminating the risk of vascular and heart disease.
• Helps with diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
• Lecithin enhances the effect of the taken vitamins or medicines on the body.
• It is actively used in cosmetology. It is added to creams, as it is able to retain moisture inside the skin, and this is the key to slow aging.
• It is used in the production of dietary supplements that treat and support the human body.

Harm of soy lecithin

Reading about soy lecithin, information about the content of useful proteins and vitamins in it constantly comes across. Meanwhile, not everything is as good as it seems at first glance:

• Soy lecithin negatively affects human immunity, this is especially pronounced in children, since they consume foods with it to a greater extent.
• Lecithin can cause allergies... Sometimes it is put in infant formula and cereals, try to avoid such products.
• It accelerates the aging process. It must be removed from the diet of pregnant and lactating women. It has a negative effect on the baby's unstable body, and during pregnancy it can provoke premature birth.
• Poisoning with soy lecithin is also possible in case of an overdose.
• Increases the risk of infertility.
• Provokes memory problems.