What is Flax?
Flaxseeds come from flax. Flax is an oilseed just like canola and sunflower are oilseeds. But one thing that is unique about flaxseeds are the excellent health benefits they provide.
There are three main components of flaxseed that account for many of its health benefits. These include the fat content of flaxseeds, the fiber content of flaxseeds, and the lignan content of flaxseeds.
Flax Fat: A Healthier Option
Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fat. This type of fat is similar to the healthy fat that is found in fatty fish such as salmon. Over half of the fat in flaxseeds is the omega-3 variety. Omega-3 fats are a type of unsaturated fat and they are much healthier for us than saturated fat.
Saturated fat is the type of fat that is found in animal foods, such as beef and high fat dairy, like cheese and whole milk. A small amount of saturated fat in the diet is OK. Too much saturated fat can increase risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Omega-3 fats on the other hand, like the fat found in flaxseeds, appear to reduce the risk of heart disease and may even reduce risk of some types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Along with certain types of fatty fish like fresh caught salmon, flaxseeds are a healthy source of omega-3 fat. In fact, flaxseeds are one of the only plant foods that contain significant amounts of omega-3 fat.
Fiber: More is Better
Flaxseeds are an excellent source of fiber. For good health, it is recommended that people consume at least 25-35 grams of fiber per day. The average adult in the United States consumes about 12 grams of fiber per day. This means that nearly all of us fall far short of eating enough fiber for good health!
Adding flaxseeds to the diet can provide health benefits because they are rich in fiber. Just 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds contain three and a half (3.5) grams of fiber. That's a lot of fiber for a small amount of food. Just adding in a couple of tablespoons of flaxseeds each day will provide nearly 30% of the recommended daily amount of fiber!
Focusing on foods that are rich in fiber is important. Research tells us that getting fiber from food is the key to reducing the risk of many cancers, including colon cancer. Fiber from fiber supplements does not appear to reduce colon cancer risk.
Lignans: Unique Nutrients = Good Health
Finally, flaxseeds are one of the riches sources of plant nutrients called lignans. More and more research is telling us that regularly eating some lignan-rich foods may reduce the risk of several types of cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. In particular, research suggests that lignans may protect against endometrial cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.
Even after a diagnosis of cancer, research suggests that eating lignan-rich foods may benefit health. For example, new research tells us that eating flaxseeds after a breast cancer diagnosis can slow down how quickly cancer cells in the body are dividing and reproducing (cell proliferation) and can speed up the rate at which cancer cells die. There are cell, animal, and human studies that support the health benefits of regularly including some lignans in the diet. And flaxseeds are the richest source of lignans available!
How much is enough?
When it comes to flax, more is not better. Research tells us that just one to two tablespoons of ground flaxseeds per day is likely to give the best health benefits. Eating more than this will not provide additional health benefits. Some studies even show that the health benefits of flax seem to decrease with increasing amounts of flaxseeds in the diet. This means that you do not have to load up on pounds and pounds of flaxseeds. Eating this much flax is not necessary. Focus on including just one to two tablespoon of flaxseeds for better health.
Tips for Storing and Using Flaxseeds:
Now you know that flaxseeds are a healthy food. Eating flaxseeds may help lower cancer risk and the risk of other major diseases, including heart disease. But, most people don't know how to get flax into their diet. Use the following tips and tricks for getting a spoonful or two of ground flaxseeds into your diet every day.
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You can buy whole flaxseeds in the bulk food section of your local food market. You can buy pre-packaged flax meal at most grocery stores too. You can order whole flaxseeds over the internet.
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Whole flaxseeds do not need to be refrigerated. If the seed is whole, the protective coating helps keep the seed fresh and prevents the fat from spoiling (going rancid).
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You must store ground flaxseeds in the refrigerator or freezer. Pre-packaged flax meal (ground flax seeds) can be stored at room temperature until opened, but must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as it is opened.
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To save money, buy whole flaxseeds and grind them yourself. It's easy! The best way to grind flaxseeds is with a coffee bean grinder. Just a basic grinder will do.
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To grind your own seeds: Purchase bulk flaxseeds. Fill up the coffee bean grinder with seeds and grind until they are crushed into a coarse-grained powder. Transfer these ground seeds into a medium sized storage container. Grind the next "batch" and place this into the same container. Do this several times until you have ground your bulk flaxseeds.
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Store ground seeds in the freezer. Every morning, pull out the seeds, scoop a spoonful or two onto your cereal or oatmeal, into your smoothie, or into your yogurt. Place the rest of the seeds back into the freezer. You can grind enough seeds to last several weeks. This will save time - you won't have to grind a new batch every morning.
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DO NOT EAT whole flaxseeds if you have digestive problems. This includes conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's Disease, and other small and large intestine conditions. If you have one of these conditions, you may be able to eat VERY FINELY ground flaxseeds (should be a fine powder). You can try adding 1/2 teaspoon per day into your diet, to assess for tolerance. If bloating or pain occurs, discontinue use.
How To Eat Flax Seeds:
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Add ground flaxseeds into a fruit smoothie.
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Add ground flaxseeds to oatmeal at breakfast.
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Stir ground flaxseeds into yogurt.
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Sprinkle ground flaxseeds on cereal and salads.
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Sprinkle ground flaxseeds on top of frozen yogurt or other desserts.
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Add ground flaxseeds to a cup of fresh or frozen fruit for a snack.
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Sprinkle ground flaxseeds into soups and stews (stir in flaxseeds after cooking is done).
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Try cold cereals that contain flaxseeds. Look for these products in the health food section of your grocery store.