HEALTH BENEFITS & CLAIMS
Lecithin provides an excellent source of choline, which is essential to every living cell in
the body and is one of the main components of cell membranes. Not only is dietary
choline important for the synthesis of the phospholipids in cell membranes, it is also
necessary for
methyl metabolism, cholinergic neurotransmission, transmembrane
signaling, and lipid-cholesterol transport and metabolism2
. Without choline, the cell
membranes would harden, prohibiting important nutrients from entering and leaving the
cell. Scientists believe lecithin and choline may aid in memory and cognitive function,
cardiovascular health, liver function, reproduction and fetal development and physical
and athletic performance.
In 1998, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the U.S. National Academy of
Sciences
identified choline as an essential nutrient and recommended daily intake amounts
3
. And,
in 2001, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a nutrient content claim
for choline, enabling food manufacturers to inform their consumers via the food label.
.