Flaxseed is one of the world’s oldest crops. Not only does it have a tasty nutty flavour with a crisp ‘n crunch consistency, it’s also rich in protein, fiber, and omega 3 fatty acids. Research shows it may help lower the risk of some cancers, help maintain a healthy weight, and reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also shown to help with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Let’s have a closer look and find out how you can easily add some of that goodness to your diet.
Where? What? How?
Flax seed, or Linum usitatissimum, is a species of the Linaceae family and grows in cooler areas.
Flax seed in your food
Flaxseed is particularly high in thiamine, a B vitamin that plays a key role in energy metabolism as well as cell function. It’s also a great source of copper, which is involved in brain development, immune health, and iron metabolism. What’s more, flaxseed contains both soluble and insoluble fibers — which get fermented by the bacteria in your intestines to support gut health and improve bowel regularity. While soluble fiber absorbs water in your intestines and slows down digestion, which may help regulate blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol, insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool, which may prevent constipation and promote regular bowel movements.
Flax seed extracts in supplements & medicins
Flax seed is rich in α-linoleic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid which has an anti-inflammatory effect, due to a COX-2 inhibition which affects prostaglandin synthesis.
The lignans extracted from flax seeds have an antiproliferative activity (suppression of cell growth, especially from malignant tissues), in particular against hormone-sensitive tumors. This is partly due to their strong antioxidant effect.
You’ve most likely heard of flax seed as having an effect on your hormones. Correct, the lignans and its metabolites have estrogenic properties and interfere with steroid metabolism which leads to the regulation of the blood levels of estrogens and androgens.
Tips to add flax seeds to your food
Ground seeds are much easier to digest than whole flaxseed. That’s partly because your intestines are unable to break down the tough outer shell of whole seeds. That said, you can still buy whole flaxseed and grind it shortly before use so that her great effects don’t lessen because of oxidation.
Flaxseed oil is usually produced by a process called cold pressing, which helps extract the oil from the seeds effectively. This oil is very sensitive to heat and light, so it’s best kept in dark glass bottles and stored in a dark, cool place. Because some of its nutrients are heat sensitive, flaxseed oil isn’t suitable for high heat cooking methods.
Many of the health benefits noted in the studies above were observed with just 1 tablespoon (7 grams) of ground flaxseed per day. Don’t have more than 4–5 tablespoons per day though, too much fiber could disturb your digestion.
REFERENCES
Akbar A, Shreenath AP. High Fiber Diet. [Updated 2022 May 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559033/
Kaithwas G, Mukherjee A, Chaurasia AK, & Majumdar DK (2011) Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of Linum usitatissimum L. (flaxseed/linseed) fixed oil. Indian journal of experimental biology 49:932-938
Zhang W, Wang X, Liu Y, Tian H, Flickinger B, Empie MW, et al. (2008) Effects of dietary flaxseed lignan extract on symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Journal of medicinal food 11:207-214
Martinchik AN & Zubtsov VV (2012) [Phytoestrogenis properties of flaxseed lignans]. Voprosy pitaniia 81:61-66
Bisson JF, Hidalgo S, Simons R, & Verbruggen M (2014) Preventive effects of lignan extract from flax hulls on experimentally induced benign prostate hyperplasia. J Med Food 17:650-656