Foods rich in lecithin

Main food that contains a lot of lecithin

What is the richest food in lecithin?

Among the foods that are in the diet, two of the best sources of lecithin are eggs and Brazil nuts. Other oleaginous nuts such as sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are also very rich in lecithin.

Where is lecithin supplements taken from?

The plant that is used to produce lecithin supplements is soy. Most soy lecithin supplements are extracted from soybean oil. It can also be extracted from sunflower oil.

It is worth mentioning that this component is used both as a supplement, as in food (food additives), pharmacy and technological processes.

List of foods rich in lecithin

Components such as lecithin are not routinely included in food composition analyzes. The data in the table are extracted from various scientific studies in which the composition of this phytochemicals is analyzed in various plants and it is ordered from higher to lower richness in this component, although many times the exact amount does not appear (NA):

FoodContent in lecithin per 100g
Granulated soy lecithin100.000 mg
Soy lecithin supplement (liquid)1,360 mg per pearl
Eggs (in the yolk)NA
LiverNA
Brazil nutsNA
Poppy seedsNA
Soy and derivativesNA
Black lentilNA
Ground flax seedsNA
PeanutNA
Zucchini seeds or pumpkin seedsNA
Sunflower seedsNA
StrawberryNA
Sesame seedsNA
Another plant that contains a lot of lecithin is dandelion, whose flowers are very rich in this component. Dandelion outperforms poppy seeds.NA
WalnutsNA
Whole grainsNA

What does the lecithin content of a food depend on?

The content of lecithin in food depends on its fat content. The grains richest in lecithin are those that contain fats, such as oilseeds. For example, whole grains have more lecithin than their refined counterparts because they have lost the germ of the seed.

foods rich in lecithin

Foods and supplements rich in lecithin.

Why is it interesting to consume lecithin?

Lecithin is a component that is found in bile and serves to emulsify food. By taking foods rich in lecithin, the body is given a principle equal to one of those used by our body naturally. Among its properties, this component stands out for its ability to increase good cholesterol.

Are foods that have less lecithin worse?

There are many beneficial components, in addition to lecithin, that may be contained in foods. Therefore, that a food does not have a lot of lecithin does not necessarily mean that it is worse than another. The interesting thing for health seems to be to include in the diet a variety of fresh and seasonal vegetables.

punto rojo More information on lecithin.

This article was endorsed by Elisenda Carballido - Dietitian nutritionist. Postgraduate in Phytotherapy and master in Nutrition and Metabolism.
Editorial
Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

15 June, 2023

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