Flaxseed, also known as linseed, comes from the flax plant and was first used by the ancient Egyptians for nutritional and medicinal purposes. Research in the past couple of decades has verified that flaxseeds and flaxseed oil may be beneficial in preventing inflammation and the various diseases inflammation causes like atherosclerosis and arthritis, as well as providing many other health benefits.
Identification
Flax plants are either golden or brown, and the small oval seeds from the plants are deep amber or reddish brown, accordingly. Unground flaxseeds are soft and crunchy but usually ground into a meal instead of eaten whole. Flaxseeds are also pressed into an oil that as a strong flavor and odor.
Nutrition
A 2 tbsp. serving of flax seeds has 95.33 calories, according to Whole Foods. That same size serving is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, with 146.3 percent of the recommended Food and Drug Administration's Daily Value, or DV. It also has 32 percent of the DV of manganese, 17 percent of the magnesium, 13.5 percent of folate, 10 percent of copper, 9.6 phosphorus, and 9 percent vitamin B6. Two tablespoons contain 5.41 grams of fiber, or approximately one-fourth to one-fifth the DV, as well as 7.56 percent of the Daily Value of protein.
Benefits
Research has linked the omega-3 fatty acids from flax seed with a reduced risk for heart disease, ulcers, migraine headaches, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, addiction, eating disorders, preterm labor, emphysema, psoriasis, glaucoma, Lyme disease, lupus and panic attacks, according to the University of Maryland Health Center. Flax seeds also contain a group of chemicals called lignans that may protect the body from cancer, especially of the colon, prostate and skin, reports the World's Healthiest Foods resource from the George Mateljan Foundation.
There are also less well-known benefits: a study led by Dr. Sandhya Pruthi and published in 2007 in the "Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology" found that women who consumed 40 grams of crushed flaxseed daily for six weeks reduced their frequency of hot flashes by 50 percent. Another study, led by Biljana Miljanovic, MD, MPH, with the Mayo Clinic, discovered that women whose diets provided the highest amounts of omega-3 fatty acids had a 17 percent lower risk of dry eye syndrome. That study appeared in the March, 2007, issue of "Journal of American Ophthalmology."
Considerations
Flaxseeds can be purchased whole or already ground. Although ground seeds are more convenient, they can turn rancid more quickly, while whole flaxseeds can be kept fresh for several months if stored in an airtight container in a dark, dry, cool location. Flaxseed oil is especially perishable, and you should look for oil in opaque bottles that have been kept refrigerated.
Warning
Although rare, there have been reports of severe allergic reactions to flax seeds in sensitive individuals. Because of their laxative effect, if you have diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease, you should avoid flaxseeds. Flaxseeds, not flaxseed oil, have possible estrogen-like effects, and, according to MayoClinic.com, women with hormone-sensitive conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine fibroids, or cancer of the breast, uterus, or ovary, are advised to use caution in using flaxseeds. Also, if you're on a blood thinner, be aware that flaxseeds and flaxseed oil may increase your risk of bleeding.
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