Flax seed benefits have been gaining popularity over recent years because over 50% of the fat in flax seed is omega 3 fatty acid, making it the richest plant source of omega 3, in addition to many other interesting “bonuses”.
Flax seed is a major benefit to vegetarians who cannot consume fish but require omega 3 in their healthy diet. Flax seed is made from flax which is a plant that’s been among us for thousands of year. Records exist of the Roman Empire enjoyed the benefits of flax seed. It is also often called linseed. Many scientists have discovered powerful health benefits from the tiny seeds from flax. Flaxseed oil can be used to help treat skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis like fish oil does.
Many nutritionists recommend the regular consumption because of all the flax seeds benefit which have been shown to prevent or reduce the symptoms of arthritis, colitis, cancer , heart disease and even acne. The oil contained in the seeds is also a known natural estrogen balancer that if used regularly can help prevent and reduce symptoms that arise during menopause. It’s also a great source of fiber which can help especially in relieving constipation.
Another great benefit is that flax seed contain antioxidants such as lignans. Antioxidants are very helpful in reducing the damage of naturally occurring free radicals in your body. Of course this is in addition to all the benefits of having a proper amount of omega-3 in your diet by consuming flax seed. It’s important to keep in mind that only adults can convert the fatty acid in flax seeds and flaxseed oil to DHA, infants cannot so it’s still recommended to find them a clean source of fish or one of the best fish oil supplement that you know has been treated with removal of toxins because you definitely do not want to be affected by some of the fish oil side effects. Also, you body can only convert a small percentage of flax oil to DHA which is probably one of the biggest limitation of flax seeds and the reason people often debate flaxseed oil vs fish oil in terms of sources of omega 3. So it’s still important to sometimes eat some fish or take some supplements, especially because a balanced diet will always be the best course of action.
Unlike other supplements they are usually very cheap and completely natural. You probably want to store them in a airtight container tucked away in a refrigerator ideally to make sure they are always stored in a cool environment. To consume flax seed you should grind the seed in a blender or coffee grinder for a minute or two. The major reason to do this is simply because it will be easier for your body to digest it and absorb the nutrients contained inside. Many people also consume the oil in the seeds because they have a nice flavor but keep in mind that the actual flaxseed oil benefits are fewer than if you ate the seeds whole because you do lose some benefit such as the fiber gain.
All you need is up to two tablespoon during your day which you can easily mix with cereal, yogurt, salad, smoothies, mustard while making a sandwich and anything else that you feel would benefit from the additional taste. You could even make muffins with them and still get the full range of flaxseed benefits!
