Soy lecithin is a common food additive often used to improve the consistency and quality of packaged foods.
Let’s take salad dressing for example. As an additive, soy lecithin emulsifies ingredients like oil and water to help mix salad dressings into a smooth consistency, says Judy Simon, MS, RDN, CD, CHES, FAND, a clinical dietitian and nutritionist at the University of Washington.
The addition of soy lecithin to packaged foods serves a specific function, but it can also be taken as a dietary supplement. We review what you need to know about the potential benefits of soy lecithin and address some of the concerns surrounding its use in packaged foods.
What is soy lecithin?
Lecithin is a naturally occurring fat molecule that can be found in foods such as “egg yolk, seafood, soybeans, milk, canola, cottonseed, and sunflower oil,” says Dr. Debbie Fetter, associate professor of teaching in the department. Nutrition at UC Davis.
“Food scientists have been able to isolate and synthesize lecithin so that it can be used to create a variety of foods,” explains Dr. Diane Stadler, a nutritionist at Oregon Health & Science University. Lecithin can be “extracted and it can also be made synthetically, but soy lecithin comes directly from soybeans.
As an additive, soy lecithin is an emulsifier that “helps bind ingredients that don’t mix,” says Fetter. Soy lecithin can help improve the overall texture and quality of a product. It can be found in foods like ice cream, baked goods, chocolate, infant formula and bread, Fetter tells USA TODAY.
Soy lecithin “also plays a positive role in our food because it helps preserve it,” notes Simon. The texture prevents spoilage, helps protect the taste of the products and extends the shelf life.
Soy lecithin can also be consumed as a dietary supplement, adds Simon.
Is soy lecithin good for you?
Soy itself is high in protein and fiber and low in fat. It’s an excellent source of isoflavones, a protective plant compound that “has been found to be anti-inflammatory and may help protect against certain cancers and heart disease,” says Fetter. Therefore, “because soy lecithin is isolated from soy, it may offer a number of these potential benefits,” he says.
That being said, the soy lecithin extraction process primarily removes the fat. So, as far as the protein density of soy lecithin, “it would be pretty minimal,” says Simon.
Soy lecithin supplements are a source of choline, which “helps with memory, cognition [and] brain function,” says Simon. There is evidence that consuming soy lecithin can improve memory and cognitive function.
Studies have shown that taking soy lecithin supplements can also lower total blood cholesterol, which in turn lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, notes Fetter.
Is soy lecithin safe?
Soy lecithin is made from genetically modified soy. Concerns have been raised about the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food, but “current evidence suggests that GMO soy is considered safe,” says Fetter.
There have also been concerns about how soy lecithin is extracted, Simon adds. Chemical solvents (including hexane) are used during the extraction process, he says.
Stadler says there really isn’t much data on the negative effects of consuming soy lecithin. As of 2024, the FDA has recognized soy lecithin as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a dietary supplement.
Who should avoid soy lecithin?
According to the FDA, soy is considered one of the top nine allergens in the United States. “People with extreme soy allergies or who are highly sensitive to soy should avoid soy lecithin,” says Fetter.
“Those with milder soy allergies may be able to tolerate soy lecithin because it is present in small amounts and most of the allergen is removed during processing,” says Fetter.
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While there are benefits to consuming soy lecithin, the fact that it is used as an additive in packaged foods means that if you consume it frequently, you are likely to be eating processed foods instead of nutritious foods. Fetter says. Processed products tend to have higher-than-average levels of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar, he says.
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