Are you Flaxing yet?

Are you Flaxing yet?
You may have heard of flax seed, linseed, milled flax or flax oil but maybe you are not sure why it is worth adding to your diet - this blog entry explains why it is good for you. I will also share some tips on how to best to include flax in your diet.
Flax seed – let’s start at the beginning...
The seed, not surprisingly, comes from the Flax plant, in the linaceae family of flowering plants. The fruit contains the glossy brown seeds, which look like apple seeds, but are smaller and flatter. The flax seed has been used for thousands of years; one of the earliest records of it’s use dates back to 100 B.C when Hippocrates the Greek physician (and widely acknowledged as the founder of western medicine) suggested to his patients suffering from abdominal pain that they consume it. In the 8th century King Charlemagne (King of the Franks in what was then known as central Europe) made it a law requiring his subjects to consume it. In recent years with the connection between diet and health becoming more established every day, the humble flax seed is once again being linked with good health.
Why are flax seeds so important to our health?
Flax seeds have three components which make them beneficial to consume: - Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), lignans and fiber
ALA -This is the plant Omega 3 essential fatty, which we convert (albeit at a low conversion rate) into EPA and DHA - the other Omega 3’s which are only found in fish oils. There are 1.8 grams of ALA in a tablespoon of ground flax seed. Just a note here when chickens are fed flax seed they partially complete this conversion for us which is why Omega 3 eggs contain DHA and EPA even though the hens were fed a vegetarian diet.
Lignans – these do double duty as both a phytoestrogen and a type of fiber. Flax seeds are the best source of lignans on the planet. These phytoestrogens are converted by bacteria in the intestine to estrogen like substances which are thought to have anti tumor effects.
Fiber- both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Either alone or in conjunction with other components the fiber has the following beneficial effects: -
Anti inflammatory - Omega 3’s are anti inflammatory, they decrease inflammatory reactions by blocking the formation of certain inflammatory chemicals. This is helpful in many inflammatory diseases including Parkinson’s, asthma and arthritis.
Heart Healthy – various mechanisms - reducing inflammation in the arteries, possibly treating arrhythmia, reducing atherosclerotic plaque build up in the arteries, reducing LDL cholesterol levels by removing bile acids in the intestine.
Helps in Diabetes – The fiber component delays stomach emptying and therefore slows down the passage of glucose into the blood. It helps lower the risk of a heart disease, which is raised in Diabetes and the lignans may also independently reduce blood sugar levels.
Constipation and Diverticular disease – with both insoluble and soluble types of fiber flax offers a healthly dose of fibre for it's weight. When eaten whole it has a slight laxative benefit. Soluble fiber helps with proper stool formation by binding water and keeping the stool soft.
Anti – cancer, all three of the components play a role in protection against various cancers including colon, breast and prostrate. The anti oxidant and anti inflammatory properties are thought to be responsible for the effect and the lignans in particular for reduction in the hormone sensitive cancers.
How to use this powerful food
Best added ground, as when added whole it passes through our digestive system mostly undigested and the nutrients remain locked inside. However, as mentioned above when it is consumed whole it does offer a laxative effect which is beneficial in relieving constipation. Also, flax stays fresher when ground just before use and a coffee grinder does a perfect job of grinding flax. If you buy your flax already ground, store it in the fridge as flax oil deteriorates and loses it’s potency very quickly. Flax is most commonly found as brown or golden, the brown being easiest to find. There is no difference in the nutrient qualities.
Adding Flax to your daily diet
Flax can be added easily to any dish which contains liquid! The simplest way is just to add it before serving to anything from soups, casseroles to yogurts. Adding ground flax to a smoothie or milk shake adds to it’s nutrient punch. Some people mix it with peanut or nut butters before spreading or add it to the jar. You can add it to cake mixes, brownies and pancakes.
How much do you need?
That will depend on how much you are relying on flax to supply your Omega 3 oils. The less Omega 3’s you get from other sources the more flax you need. Also, tolerance to flax determines how much you want to add. Most people gain benefit from 1 tablespoon a day - 2 tablespoons is even better if you can tolerate the laxative affects. Just to check your tolerance, start adding slowly, starting with one teaspoon a day and build on that up to 1-2 tablespoons.
Happy “Flaxing”!