Soy lecithin is a common food additive that is often used to improve the consistency and quality of packaged foods.
Take salad dressing, for example. As an additive, soy lecithin emulsifies ingredients, such as oil and water, to help mix the salad dressing into a smooth consistency, says Judy Simon, MS, RDN, CD, CHES, FAND, a clinical dietitian nutritionist at the University of Washington.
Adding soy lecithin to packaged foods has a specific function, but it can also be taken as a dietary supplement. We will break down what you need to know about the potential benefits of soy lecithin, and address some concerns about its use in packaged foods.
What is soy lecithin?
Lecithin is a natural fat molecule that can be found in foods such as “egg yolks, seafood, soybeans, milk, rapeseed, cottonseed, and sunflower oil,” said Dr. Debbie Fetter, PhD, associate professor of Education in the Department. of Nutrition at UC Davis.
“What food scientists can do is isolate and synthesize lecithin so that it can be used in the creation of various food products,” explained Dr. Diane Stadler, PhD, a nutritionist at Oregon Health & Science University. Lecithin can be extracted, and it can also be created synthetically, but soy lecithin comes directly from soybeans.
As an additive, soy lecithin is an emulsifier that “helps bind unmixed ingredients together,” says Fetter. Soy lecithin can help improve product texture and quality. It can be found in foods like ice cream, baked goods, chocolate, baby formula and bread, Fetter told USA TODAY.
Soy lecithin also “plays a positive role in our food, because it helps to preserve it,” notes Simon. The texture prevents damage from happening, helps preserve the flavor in the product, and extends the shelf life.
Soy lecithin can also be consumed in the form of dietary supplements, Simon added.
Is soy lecithin good for you?
Soy, by itself, is high in protein and fiber, and low in fat. It is a great source of isoflavones, which are protective plant compounds that have been “found to be anti-inflammatory and can help protect against certain cancers and heart disease,” says Fetter. Therefore, “because soy lecithin is isolated from soy it may offer some of these potential benefits,” he says.
That being said, the process of extracting soy lecithin mainly removes fat. So, as for the protein density of soy lecithin, “it’s very little,” says Simon.
Soy lecithin supplements are a source of choline, which “helps memory, cognition [and] brain function,” Simon said. There is evidence to support that consuming soy lecithin can improve memory and cognitive function.
Research shows that taking soy lecithin supplements can also lower total blood cholesterol levels, which naturally lowers your risk for cardiovascular disease, notes Fetter.
Is soy lecithin safe?
Soy lecithin is made from genetically modified soybeans. Concerns have been raised over the safety of consuming genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food, but “current evidence shows that GMO soy is considered safe,” says Fetter.
There are also concerns about how soy lecithin is extracted, Simon added. During the extraction process, chemical solvents (including hexane) are used, he said.
However, “there’s really not a lot of data to support that there are any negative effects” of consuming soy lecithin, Stadler said. Until 2024, soy lecithin is recognized by the FDA as a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) food additive.
Who should avoid soy lecithin?
Soy is considered one of the nine major allergens in the United States, per the FDA. “People with extreme soy allergies or those who are very sensitive to soy should avoid soy lecithin,” says Fetter.
“People with milder soy allergies can tolerate soy lecithin because it’s found in small amounts and most allergens are removed during processing,” says Fetter.
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While there are benefits to consuming soy lecithin, its use as an additive in packaged foods means that if you’re consuming it often, “then chances are you’re eating more processed stuff than nutrient-dense options,” Fetter says. Processed items tend to contain higher than average levels of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar, he says.
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