Phytonutrients are healthy compounds from plant-based foods, and examples include dietary fiber, carotenoids, flavonoids and phytoestrogens, including soy isoflavones and lignans. A variety of nutritious foods contain lignans, which may lower cholesterol. Try to get lignans from different healthy foods as part of a balanced diet, and consult your doctor if you are considering a dietary supplement to increase your lignan intake.
Flaxseed
With 86 mg per ounce, flaxseed is the most concentrated food source of lignans. Flaxseed is a good source of alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-three fatty acid that may lower your risk for heart disease. Each ounce of flaxseed provides 6.4 g of alpha-linolenic acid, or about four times the daily value of 1.6 g. Flaxseed is also a source of dietary fiber.
Whole Grains
Whole grains contain the bran, germ and endosperm components of the entire grain kernel, and sources of lignans include whole-grain rye, oats and barley, as well as their bran components. A slice of rye bread has 0.1 mg of lignans. A diet high in whole grains may lower your risk for heart disease, and you should get at least half of your grains from whole-grain sources, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Vegetables
Kale has 0.8 mg lignans, broccoli has 0.6 mg and cabbage and Brussels sprouts have 0.3 mg lignans per half-cup serving. These vegetables are high in fiber and potassium, and good sources of vitamin A and vitamin C. Vegetables are low in calories, so they can help you control your weight, and a 2,000-calorie diet should include at least five half-cup servings of vegetables per day.
Fruit
A half-cup of apricots has 0.4 mg lignans, and a half-cup of strawberries has 0.2 mg. Peaches, pears, nectarines and raisins also provide lignans. Fruit is high in dietary fiber, a cholesterol-lowering nutrient that reduces your risk for constipation, and potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Individuals on a 2,000-calorie diet should get two 1-cup servings of fruit per day.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center; Lignans; Jane Higdon; December 2005
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Ground Flaxseed: Better Than Whole?; Katherine Zeratsky; January 2010
- Dietary Fiber Food: Lignans: Foods High in Lignans
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Nuts and Seed Products
