Soy lecithin is derived from raw soybeans. Many people wonder if it contains soy, and the answer is yes. The oil is extracted first using a chemical solvent, such as hexane, and then processed through a process known as degumming. The lecithin is separated and then dried.
Soy lecithin contains very low levels of soy proteins. The soybean allergens are often in the protein fraction, almost completely removed during the manufacturing process of soy lecithin. Therefore, soy lecithin won’t trigger allergic reactions in most soy-allergic customers since it doesn’t contain enough soy protein residues.
Uses of Soy Lecithin
Soy lecithin is a cheap, easy-to-produce ingredient that provides various functions in foods because it stabilizes ingredients’ blends. It also adds a healthy dash of essential choline to your diet.
Soy lecithin also contains essential nutrients like linoleic acid, fatty acid, inositol, and choline. Another important thing to consider is that phospholipid levels in the brain may decrease with age resulting in diminished mental abilities in older individuals.
All these components are essential for cell membranes, which help in cell growth and function. They help maintain these levels and potentially offset these symptoms. However, besides its health benefits, this amazing ingredient can have other incredible uses in your kitchen. Let’s have a look.
Soy lecithin is often used in liquid form, but you can also use granulated or powdered soy lecithin. It’s very useful for baking and cooking since it attracts fat and water.
Below are several amazing things lecithin from National Lecithin can do:
Lecithin as a Natural Preservative
Many people don’t love preservatives. When they hear preservatives, they think of artificial ingredients and chemicals. The good news is that various natural preservatives aren’t chemicals or artificial ingredients. These chemicals are not toxic, and lecithin is one of them.
Lecithin is a natural preservative that prolongs the shelf life of baked foods. It also helps to make bread fluffier and lighter. It extends the shelf life of bread. The emulsion power is what makes lecithin to be a preservative.
Lecithin holds the ingredients together, preserving your prepared food. It preserves frozen foods like ice cream, while soy lecithin in chocolate, confectioneries and most baked foods makes desserts easier to temper, mold, and preserve.
Lecithin for Stabilizing Emulsions
The term “emulsion” in the kitchen means mixing ingredients that don’t mix easily, like water and oil. Soy lecithin helps stabilize emulsions like dressings as well as other liquids because it holds the ingredients together.
For instance, vinegar and oil don’t mix well since their molecular structure repels, which makes vinaigrette dressing hard. That’s why vinaigrettes require to be shaken before using them.
If you want your vinaigrette recipe to stabilize, consider adding soy lecithin because it holds vinegar and oil together. Soy lecithin is supposed to be about 1 percent of the overall weight of the vinaigrette.
Chocolate bars are another good example since they contain sugar, solid cocoa, milk, and cocoa butter. Soy lecithin mixes and stabilizes these ingredients. This makes soy lecithin a very commonly used item in the confectionery industry.
Lecithin as a Dough Conditioner
When baking, Soy lecithin works as an emulsifier. A baking dough prepared using soy lecithin is often finer and softer. Lecithin helps the baked foods to keep and hold the water. That’s why commercial baked foods and bread don’t dry out fast like most baked foods made at home. So, it’s good to consider using lecithin in your home baking.
To use lecithin in your dough, add half to one teaspoon of lecithin granules for each cup of flour. Just dissolve the soy lecithin in your ingredients and prepare your dough as usual. You may reduce or add more soy lecithin according to your desired taste and texture.
Lecithin as an Egg Replacement
Egg yolks have about 10-20 percent lecithin. They are often used to bind ingredients, especially while baking. If you don’t eat eggs or want to limit your consumption of animal products, soy lecithin is a good plant-based alternative. It allows you to use lecithin in your dishes without adding the flavor of eggs. Add 14 grams (1 tablespoon) of soy lecithin powder to your recipe to replace one egg.
Other Soybean Lecithin Benefits
Soy lecithin also has many other potential health benefits:
- Boosting immunity
- Preventing osteoporosis
- Improving cholesterol
- Helping to deal with physical and mental stress
- Relieving menopause symptoms
- Reducing the risk of cancer
How to Add Lecithin to a Liquid
Lecithin is easy to use and can blend into liquids of whichever temperature. It starts working straight away. For emulsions, lecithin is usually blended into the liquid before adding oil.
You can also use soy lecithin with other stabilizers and thickeners like xanthan gum to strengthen the emulsion at a 0.1 to 0.4 percent ratio. This has the usually preferred effect of a slight thickening and increased mouth feel.
The Amount of Soy Lecithin to Use
The amounts you require to use mostly depend on the method you are using it for.
- Emulsions: To stabilize emulsions, you can add lecithin at a weight ratio of 0.3 percent to 1.0 percent. However, this will depend on how you want your emulsion to stabilize.
- Foams: For foams and air, soy lecithin is usually used by weight at a 0.25-1.0 percent ratio. For instance, you can use 0.25-1 gram of soy lecithin for every 100 grams of liquid.
Bottom Line
Using soy lecithin in and out of your kitchen comes with many benefits. The major reason to use soy lecithin in your kitchen is for the emulsion of mixtures and as a preservative. If you are not using soy lecithin in your kitchen, it’s time to start because you are missing something important. If you don’t want to use it in your kitchen, you can take soy lecithin supplements and still reap the benefits of this amazing product. It is commonly consumed as a dietary supplement.
Contact us today for all your lecithin needs. We can supply small quantities or truckloads for larger needs. We are your number one lecithin supplier, shipping all over the United States and Canada.