E322 Is Lecithin. Is He An Enemy Or A Friend?
Author: Karen Lennox
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
What is the function of the cofactors choline, inositol and linoleic acid and does E322 harm blood pressure?
Lecithin is a common food supplement under the name E322 and is a useful, healthy compound - it is very popular in the diet in the treatment of high cholesterol and bipolar disorder .
However, research does not always support the theory of his health and a team of nutritionists are testing in this direction. Researchers at Langone Medical Center have studied the effects of lecithin supplements and foods rich in lecithin sources. They share curious results.
Lecithin is obtained mainly from foods such as eggs, soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds and beef products. Although these foods are composed primarily of protein, lecithin is not a protein. Composed of many types of molecules, such as glycerides and saturated fatty acids , lecithin is too complex to fall into just one group. Dr. Bernard Joay, team leader, notes that lecithin should be considered a complex mixture of electrically charged fats , such as phospholipids , a group of fats containing phosphorus . Phosphatidylcholine is the main phospholipid and active component of lecithin.
The compound plays the role of a cofactor in human metabolism. Cofactor is a substance that enzymes need to function properly and maintain a healthy metabolism. Enzymes are proteins, and some of the lecithin components such as choline , inositol and linoleic acid are needed as cofactors. Through choline, for example, the body and its enzymes synthesize the vital compound acetylcholine . It transmits nerve impulses, without which normal brain function is impossible.
Lecithin is often associated with compounds in food. In the eggs it forms the phospholipid complex vitamin , which helps to connect the legs and the strength of cell membranes . Other foods with which lecithin forms useful compounds are milk and fresh fruits and vegetables .
In the food industry, lecithin is used as an emulsifier - a compound that binds food and stabilizes substances that do not usually bind well, such as water and fats. For this reason, it is added to margarine , chocolate , baked and raw pasta and in some pesticides and dyes. According to European Union legislation and dozens of reliable scientific studies, it is a non-toxic compound suitable for a food supplement. Soy-derived lecithin has scientifically proven properties to lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides , helps maintain good levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. Due to this effect, lecithin is perceived as a nutritional component that promotes good blood pressure and protects against hypertension.
Scientists led by Dr. Zhuai believe that the lecithin content in healthy diets is sufficient to provide the required daily dose and the intake of pharmacological lecithin supplements is unnecessary and useless.