| Lecithin or phosphatidycholine (PC) is a | | | | |
| phospholipid, first discovered in the 1800s | | | | Aside from food, organic lecithin has a |
| by a French scientist called Maurice Gobley. | | | | multitude of other uses and has been added to |
| He extracted the compound from an egg yolk | | | | paints, metal tape, animal feeds and |
| and in 1850 the compound was named lecithin | | | | cosmetics. In addition to that, it is |
| from the word lekithos, which is the Greek | | | | sometimes used as a supplement in things such |
| term for egg yolk. | | | | as capsules, granules or pills. |
| | | | |
| This lecithin was first used commercially as | | | | There are a number of effects that are |
| an emulsifying agent for a number of years. | | | | related to lecithin. For one, it keeps fat |
| It could extend the life of many processed | | | | dispersed in food. It prevents the oils from |
| foods so the food industry began to add it to | | | | separating. In fact, one theory is, that it |
| all kinds of food products including baked | | | | in this way it may help keep the cholesterol |
| goods, nut butters, candies, chocolates, | | | | levels in a body low in the same way. This is |
| protein drinks, prepared foods and instant | | | | still a theory though. Lecithin allows the |
| soups. The lecithin would also be added to | | | | fat content in foods to be reduced while |
| recipes for flavor and also to be an | | | | maintaining the taste. |
| emulsifying agent. | | | | |
| | | | Organic lecithin is comprised of |
| In the 1930's when there was a boom in | | | | ethanolamine, insotil, phosphatides of |
| soyabean consumption, the byproduct of the | | | | choline and other lipids. All living |
| soyabean processing was discovered to include | | | | organisms have these substances which are |
| 1.8 percent of hydrophosphatides. If this | | | | necessary in the human for the muscles, liver |
| sludge was put through a process called | | | | and the reproductive tract. |
| "degumming" organic lecithin could be | | | | |
| extracted and it would be an alternative to | | | | Lecithins must be studied further by the |
| the lecithin from eggs. With this new | | | | medical research community. It may be a |
| development, lecithin really gained in | | | | potential treatment for high cholesterol. It |
| popularity. | | | | keeps the fat in the bile and disperses |
| | | | cholesterol. Right now lecithin has been |
| In fact the organic lecithin from the soybean | | | | added to a number of dietary supplements for |
| turned out to be a safer product. The | | | | weight loss. |
| animal's lecithin goes through the kidneys | | | | |
| and may come in contact with all sorts of | | | | Organic lecithin holds great promise in the |
| toxins. The soyabean lecithin hasn't got that | | | | weight loss and cholesterol control fields of |
| kind of potential pitfall so presently | | | | medicine. In addition it is very important to |
| soybean lecithin makes up the main part of | | | | modern day food processing. |
| lecithin sold commercially. | | | | |