Is soy lecithin vegan?!
Answers: i always assumed it was, since it is SOY lecithin, but someone told me they use animal fats to produce it... does anybody know if it's true?
Good Morning,
There is plant derived, like soy, and animal derived, like from eggs. Obviously vegans would never consume the egg because it comes from an animal but the soy based lecithin is plant based. Not sure if vegans eat plants just know a little about lecithin I hope this helps a little. Here is a lot of stuff on it to clarify it much more.
Lecithin
Definition
Lecithin was discovered in 1850 by Maurice Gobley, who isolated it in egg yolks and identified it as the substance that allowed oil and water to mix. The name is derived from the Greek word lekithos, which means "yolk of egg." Lecithin is a naturally occurring fatty substance found in several foods including soybeans, whole grains and egg yolks. It is often used as an emulsification agent in processed foods. It can be taken in various forms as a nutritional supplement, often derived from soybeans. The body breaks lecithin down into its component parts: choline, phosphate, glycerol and fatty acids. The body's highest concentration of lecithin is found in the vital organs, where it makes up about 30% of the dry weight of the brain and nearly two-thirds of the fat in the liver.
General Use
Lecithin acts as an emulsifier and helps the body in the absorption of fats. A 1999 study indicates that soy lecithin improves the metabolism of cholesterol in the digestive system. Therefore, lecithin has been touted as a treatment for high cholesterol. It has also been said to be a treatment for neurologic and liver disorders. Promoters claim that supplemental lecithin can be used to help lower cholesterol and deter memory loss. Some proponents of lecithin warn that the low fat and low cholesterol diets that many Americans follow may lower the amount of lecithin that we consume, creating a deficit and necessitating supplemental lecithin. As Americans eat fewer eggs, meats, and dairy products, the amount of choline that they consume may be less than required. Choline is the key element in lecithin that researchers believe may have a beneficial effect on cholesterol and memory.
Lecithin has been identified as a possible resource for lowering blood cholesterol because of its reputation as a source of polyunsaturated fats. In addition, choline helps the liver metabolize fat and form lipoproteins. However, there is still scanty evidence to support the use of lecithin in lowering cholesterol. Researchers in some studies have found a drop in cholesterol levels, while others have found no drop in cholesterol levels at all. A group of researchers from the Netherlands summarized findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that found that many studies of the effects of lecithin had faulty methods, and the few good studies proved that lecithin was not effective in lowering cholesterol. More recently, a group of American researchers solved part of the mystery concerning the fact that eggs, which are packed with cholesterol, don't impact people's cholesterol much if eaten in moderation. The reason seems to be the lecithin found in eggs that reduces cholesterol's absorption in the bloodstream.
Lecithin is also considered to be of possible benefit to brain function, and supporters claim that it may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Promoters indicate that the choline in lecithin may have the ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and impact the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that facilitates brain function. They claim that long-term use of lecithin as a dietary supplement could help minimize memory loss. However, studies on the use of lecithin for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease have found that it has no marked benefit.
Preparations
Lecithin is derived from soy and is available in capsule, liquid and granule form. Consumers should not use a synthetic form of the supplement (choline chloride), but should seek one that contains natural phosphatidyl choline. Lecithin from soybeans generally contains about 76% phosphatidycholine. Studies of supplements sold in health food stores show that most contain minimal levels of pure lecithin. In fact, a person might get the same benefit from eating a handful of peanuts. The American Heart Association and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University described lecithin supplements as "an expensive way of adding unsaturated fatty acids to the diet."
Precautions
Consumers should be aware that most nutritional supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for product safety or effectiveness. Because lecithin is not considered an essential nutrient, currently, no Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) has been set for this nutrient.
Side Effects
There are no major side effects for lecithin as a supplement. In high doses (more than 25 g per day), lecithin can cause sweating, upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Pregnant or nursing women and children should avoid the supplement because it has not been adequately tested for safety.
Resources
Periodicals
Buchanan, Caroline. "Lecithin Supplements: A Source of Help or Hype?" Environmental Nutrition (June, 1989):1-3.
Gormley, James J. "Brewer's Yeast and Lecithin-Two Underrated Health Promoters." Better Nutrition (February, 1997): 32-33.
LaBell, Fran. "Lecithin: A Source for Vital Choline." Prepared Foods (September, 1997): 79-80.
"Lecithin." Vegetarian Times (February 2000): 24.
Rafinski, Karen. "Alternatives" The Record (Bergen County, NJ), (April 10, 2000): H5.
"Shell Shocker. (Nutrition Bulletin)." Men's Health (April 2002): 32.
Zupke, Mary Payne and Ira Milner. "Bee Pollen, Shark Cartilage, Ginseng: The Truth about 10 Top Supplements." Environmental Nutrition (September 1993): 1-4.
Other
"Soy Lecithin." Alternative Herbal Index. http://www.OnHealth.com/alternative/reso... (June 14, 2000).
[Article by: Amy Cooper; Teresa G. Odle]
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
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Home > Library > Reference > Britannica Concise Encyclopedia lecithin
Any of a class of phospholipids (also called phosphatidyl cholines) important in cell structure and metabolism. They are composed of phosphate, choline, glycerol (as the ester), and two fatty acids. Various fatty acids pairs distinguish the various lecithins. Commercial lecithin, a wetting and emulsifying agent used in animal feeds, baking products and mixes, chocolate, cosmetics and soap, insecticides, paint, and plastics, is a mixture of lecithins and other phospholipids in an edible oil.
For more information on lecithin, visit Britannica.com.
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Home > Library > Arts > Architecture and Construction lecithin
A liquid, obtained in refinement of soya beans or cottonseed; used in paints to promote pigment wetting and to control pigment settling and flow properties.
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Home > Library > Health > Sports Science and Medicine lecithin
A phospholipid present in large amounts in egg yolk and soya beans. It is involved in fat metabolism and is a component of cell membranes and the myelin sheath of nerves. It has been claimed that inclusion of lecithin in a post-competition diet accelerates recovery.
Veterinary Dictionary
Lecithin
Vital for proper function of many metabolic processes.
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Home > Library > Zoology > Veterinary Dictionary lecithin
Any of a group of phospholipids found in animal tissues, especially nerve tissue, the liver, semen and egg yolk, consisting of esters of glycerol with two molecules of long-chain aliphatic acids and one of phosphoric acid, the latter being esterified with the alcohol group of choline.
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Wikipedia
Home > Library > Reference > Wikipedia lecithin
Phosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid in lecithin.Lecithin is mostly a mixture of glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids (e.g. phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol). However, in biochemistry, lecithin is usually used as a synonym for pure phosphatidylcholine, a phospholipid which is the major component of a phosphatide fraction which may be isolated from either egg yolk (in Greek lekithos—λεκιθο?) or soy beans from which it is mechanically or chemically extracted using hexane.
Lecithin is commercially available in high purity as a food supplement & for medical uses.
In biology
Nervous and circulatory lecithin is produced by the liver if the diet is adequate. It is needed by every cell in the body and is a key building block of cell membranes; without it, they would harden. Phosphatidylcholine is an important component of the mucus layer in the large intestine. This mucus layer forms the mucosal barrier, protecting the large intestine from attacks from colonic commensal bacteria [1]. Patients suffering from ulcerative colitis have a disturbed mucosal barrier and the mucus layers in their large intestines exhibit lower levels of phosphatidylcholine than that of healthy people.
As a food additive
Lecithin is regarded as a well-tolerated and non-toxic surfactant. It is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for human consumption with the status "Generally Recognized As Safe". Lecithin is an integral part of cell membranes, and can be totally metabolized, so it is virtually non-toxic to humans. Other emulsifiers can only be excreted via the kidneys.
Lecithin is used commercially in substances requiring a natural emulsifier and/or lubricant, from pharmaceuticals to protective coverings. For example, lecithin is the emulsifier that keeps cocoa and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating.
There are no studies that show soy-derived lecithin has significant effects on cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.
Commercial lecithin, as used by food manufacturers, is a mixture of phospholipids in oil. The lecithin is obtained by degumming the extracted oil of the seeds. The lecithin is a mixture of various phospholipids, and the composition depends on the origin of the lecithin. A major source of lecithin is soybean oil. Because of the EU-requirement to declare additions of allergens in foods, in addition to regulations regarding Genetically Modified Crops, a gradual shift to other sources of lecithin, e.g., sunflower oil, is taking place.
The main phospholipids in lecithin from soya and sunflower are phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidic acid. They are often abbreviated to PC, PI, PE, and PA respectively. To modify the performance of lecithin, i.e., to make it suitable for the product to which it is added, it may be hydrolysed enzymatically. In hydrolysed lecithins, a portion of the phospholipids have one fatty acid removed by phospholipase. Such phospholipids are called lyso-phospholipids. The most commonly used phospholipase is phospholipase A2, which removes the fatty acid at the sn-2 position.
In margarines, especially those containing high levels of fat (>75%), lecithin is added as an 'anti-spattering' agent: it helps in suppressing spattering during shallow frying. Lecithin is admitted by the EU as a food additive, designated by E number E322.
Lecithins may also be modified by a process called fractionation. During this process, lecithin is mixed with an alcohol, usually ethanol. Some phospholipids have a good solubility in ethanol (e.g. phosphatidylcholine), while most other phospholipids do not dissolve well in ethanol. The ethanol is separated from the lecithin sludge, after which the ethanol is removed by evaporation, to obtain a phosphatidylcholine-enriched lecithin fraction.
Compatibility with special diets
Egg-derived lecithin may be a concern for those following some specialized diets. Egg lecithin is not a concern for those on low cholesterol diets, but if not purified before being used as a food ingredient, it could significantly raise the overall cholesterol content of the food.
For observant Jews, under Kashrut it is considered pareve, neutral, e.g., may be mixed with both meat and dairy. For observant Muslims, under Sharia, lecithin from plants, egg yolks or Halal animals is allowed, otherwise it is prohibited. There is no general agreement among vegetarians concerning egg-derived lecithin, but as it is animal-derived, vegans choose not to consume it.
See also
Biochemistry
Choline
Lipid
Lipid bilayer
References
External links
Introduction to Lecithin (University of Erlangen)
FDA Industry guideline for soy lecithin labeling
Phosphatidylcholine info
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Translations
Home > Library > Words > Translations Translations for: Lecithin
Dansk (Danish)
n. - lecithin
Nederlands (Dutch)
lecithine
Fran?ais (French)
n. - lécithine
Deutsch (German)
n. - (Chem.) Lezithin
Ελληνικ? (Greek)
n. - (χημ.) λεκιθ?νη
Italiano (Italian)
lecitina
Português (Portuguese)
n. - lecitina (f) (Quím.)
Русский (Russian)
лецитин
Espa?ol (Spanish)
n. - lecitina
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - (kem.) lecitin
中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
蛋黄素, 卵磷脂
中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 蛋黃素, 卵磷脂
??? (Korean)
n. - ??? ?? ??? ?? ??
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - レシチン, レシチン含有物
??????? (Arabic)
?(?????) ???????, ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ????????
????? (Hebrew)
n. - ??????? (?????), ???? ????? ?????
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sorry don't know
Yes.