Flax seed can be considered a superfood based on all of the healthy components contained in these tiny seeds and the beneficial effect they have on the body. Flax seed is high in nutrients such as vitamin E, manganese, folate, carotene, vitamin B1 and vitamin B2. The protein in flax seeds is of high quality, making it easily digestible. It has no cholesterol or sodium and only a small amount of saturated fat. Flax seed can be consumed ground or cracked or the oil can be extracted.
Anti-Cancer Effects
In a study presented at the 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, Duke University researchers led by S. L. George reported that men who took 30 grams of flax seed daily in the month leading up to surgery for prostate cancer had reduced growth in their tumors than men not taking flax seed. The lignan in flaxseed may be at least partially responsible for this effect, since lignan helps block the blood supply of tumors. Flax seed contains over 100 times the amount of lignan found in other foods, including wheat bran, oats and soybeans, according to the Ask Dr. Sears website. Lignan may also have anti-cancer properties that affect breast cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer.
Provides ALA
One particular component in flax seed that is singled out by Ask Dr. Sears as being particularly healthy is alpha linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid. ALA is considered an essential fatty acid because it is not produced by the body but must instead be acquired through diet. Dr. Sears explains that omega-3 fatty acids are important in the brain and may help brain building in fetuses when taken by pregnant mothers. According to World's Healthiest Foods, omega-3 fatty acids are also anti-inflammatory, helping guard against diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis and migraine headaches. In addition to ALA, flax seed also contains the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid, another essential fatty acid. According to World's Healthiest Foods, the optimal ratio for omega-3s to omega-6s in the body is between 1:2 to 1:4, but most people following a Western diet get 10 times as much omega-6 as omega-3. This represents a dire need for most people in the U.S. to consume more foods high in omega-3s.
Prevents Heart Disease
A 2003 study led by L. A. Bazzano and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine linked soluble fiber, which is plentiful in flax seed, with a lower risk of coronary disease for both men and women. According to World's Healthiest Foods, flax seed also reduces cholesterol to a degree similar to statins, the standard cholesterol-lowering drug prescribed by doctors. Another study by G.K. Paschos, et al, which was published in the October 2007 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that flax oil lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in men who had high cholesterol.
References
- Worlds Healthiest Foods: Flaxseed
- Dr. Sears: Flax Seeds and Flax Oil
- ASCO Meeting: Impact of Faxseed Supplementation and Dietary Fat Restriction on Prostate Cancer Proliferation and Other Biomarkers
- Acta Oncology: Fiber Intake and Endometrial Cancer Risk
- Archives of Internal Medicine: Dietary Fiber Intake and Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in US Men and Women
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