Flaxseed: Health Benefits, Facts and Effects

Flaxseed is rich in fiber, protein and provides a wealth of minerals and nutrients!

A wealth of health benefits and virtues

Flax seeds are good for your blood sugar and heart and have a host of virtues and health benefits. Better still, they have a pleasant nutty flavor! Here’s why you should incorporate them into your diet. Rich in protein, flaxseed is also a good source of magnesium. Note that magnesium plays an important role in the control of blood glucose because it facilitates the use of insulin by the cells. Large studies have shown that the risk of type 2 diabetes is very high when magnesium intake is low. And even if you already have diabetes, magnesium can help.

If your fish consumption is rather low, eat flaxseed: they are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which the body uses to develop the omega-3 fatty acids that are normally found in fish. Just like fish, flaxseed keeps your heart healthy by lowering cholesterol, regulating your heart rate, and preventing blood clots. They also protect against inflammation, which is associated with many age-related disorders, including insulin resistance and diabetes.

Flaxseed Benefits

Flax seeds contain a wide variety of elements that can play an important role in the diet. Flax is a good source of soluble fiber, which helps to reduce “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and reduce coronary risk. Studies also indicate that flax may help better prevent certain cancers. It contains lignans that convert to estrogen-like elements with reduced activity. By occupying the estrogen receptors, they diminish the effects of the more powerful estrogens. Researchers are therefore studying the role of flax in the prevention of hormone-dependent cancers such as breast or colon.

Animal studies have shown that flaxseed can reduce the size of tumors and even modify their incidence. Human studies are limited, but one suggests that tumor growth in patients with breast cancer has been hampered by the daily intake of muffins containing 25 g of ground flax. However, more scientific research is needed to better understand the benefits of flaxseed to protect us from cancer.

A gluten-free food

Flax does not contain gluten, is inexpensive, and has a pleasant taste of nuts. Several studies recommend taking 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed per day. You can eat whole flax seeds. But, to better assimilate them, it is better to eat them ground. Keep the powder in an airtight opaque jar placed in the cold.

Other health benefits of flaxseed

Thanks to their anti-inflammatory activity, linseed protects against rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, Crohn’s disease, eczema, and psoriasis. Rich in lignans, their omega-3s help to protect and even treat breast cancer. In the body, lignans are transformed into compounds related to estrogen, but less active than the natural hormone. By occupying the estrogen receptors of the cells, these compounds block the effects of the hormone, protecting you possibly against hormone-dependent cancers such as breast cancer. The content of linseed in lignans is infinitely higher than that of any other plant food.

Like fish, flaxseed could offer some protection against Alzheimer’s and depression. Finally, if you suffer from constipation, take flax seeds as they are laxative.

Flaxseed oil and its health benefits

Like seeds, oil is an asset for health, it provides omega-3, but without fiber or lignans. If your heart health concerns you, you can include in your diet linseed oil or fish in order to get the right fats you need. However, as linen thinens the blood, discuss it with your doctor, especially if you are taking aspirin or anticoagulants. Dosages range from 1 Tsp. 1 Tsp. 1 or 2 times a day.

Keep the oil in the refrigerator as it rancid quickly. Use it in salad dressings, add on steamed vegetables or cooked grains, but do not cook it because heat destroys its nutrients.

A healthy asset in your meals

You can buy the seeds already ground or whole, in which case you grind them in a coffee grinder or a food processor. They are usually found in grocery stores or, failing that, in natural health stores. The body absorbs lignans better when flax seeds are ground or crushed (whole grains go straight through without being digested). On the other hand, when ground, they rancid quickly. Buy whole seeds that you can grind as you need them; They will keep one year at room temperature. Keep the ground seeds in a refrigerator.

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