Flaxseed - the benefits

Flaxseed has hit the newspapers, TV and Hollywood. It is credited with improving hair, skin and nail quality, aiding weight loss and preventing conditions such as arthritis, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. With such claims as these in the media one might expect to pay exorbitant prices, but that's not the case!!

Other items of interest

The Healing Power of Flax

Dr Herb Joiner is a Naturopath and the world's leading expert on Flaxseed. The fifty year-old from Seattle has been studying the seed for the past thirty-three years and has recently written a book on the subject called "The Healing Power of Flax." Dr Herb teaches at the University of Boston where his specialist areas are nutrition and Western herbal medicine. He has lectured here in the UK on the benefits of Omega 3s.

Omega 3

Omega 3s are the essential fatty acids found in fish oils. However, the richest source of Omega 3s is the flax plant, and in particular flaxseed oil. We are told to eat oily fish three times a week, but most people don't meet this quota and therefore need to get Omega 3 from other sources.

What is Flaxseed?

Flaxseed is claimed to benefit every molecule in the body! It improves the quality of hair, nails, and skin, as well as helping to regulate bodyweight, lower cholesterol and blood pressure and prevent arthritis and cancers.

The flax plant, an ancient crop, yields the fibre from which linen is woven, as well as seeds (linseed or flaxseed) and oil. The oil, also called linseed oil, has many industrial uses - it is an important ingredient in paints, varnishes and linoleum for example.

Like olive, canola, and most other plant oils, flax seed oil is highly unsaturated and heart-healthy. Lignans and other flax seed components may also have antioxidant properties, which means they may reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals.

How can I take Flaxseed?

Flaxseed or Linseed has a pleasant, nutty flavour and can be sprinkled on cereals, yoghurts and smoothies. Alternatively, it can be taken as a supplement in capsule or as flaxseed oil. It can be used in cooking and has a much richer flavour than other cooking oils.

Flax tips

Grind the seeds or else chew them very well to get the most benefit - whole seeds simply pass through the body. Grinding the seeds just before using them best preserves flavour and nutrition, but pre-ground seeds are more convenient.
Keep them refrigerated
There are no nutritional differences between brown and yellow seeds
Combine flaxseed flour with wheat flour for breads and pancakes
The oil can degenerate quickly; keep refrigerated or in a dark place. It usually comes in dark bottles to extend its shelf life
Flaxseed oil cannot be used for frying or sauteing.
Pregnant or lactating women should not eat lots of flax