What is lecithin?

Question

And what are it's properties?

Answer 1

Lecithin definition:
Nutrient containing phosphatidylcholine, found in many animal and plant foods like eggs, soya and wheat and also made by the body. It helps the breakdown of fats and cholesterol. Used to prevent arterial congestion.

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 - λεκιθος) or soy beans from which it is mechanically or chemically extracted using hexane.

Lecithin is commercially available in high purity as a food supplement and for medical uses.

Lecithin (Nervous, Circulatory) is a fatlike substance called a phospholipid. It is produced daily 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. Lecithin protects cells from oxidation and largely comprises the protective sheaths surrounding the brain. It is composed mostly of B vitamins, phosphoric acid, choline, linoleic acid and inositol. Although it is a fatty substance, it is also a fat emulsifier. Hence, it supports the circulatory system. Its choline is useful for making acetylcholine.

Answer 2

A type of soy and herb.