You can benefit from adding flaxseed to your diet if you have elevated cholesterol,
heart disease, high blood pressure, menstrual pain, psoriasis, eczema, or rheumatoid
arthritis.
Flaxseed may also reduce the itching, swelling, and redness associated with
certain skin disorders such as acne. Flax is an annual plant that thrives in deep moist
soils rich in sand, silt, and clay. The seeds in the flax plant are filled with flaxseed
oil, sometimes called linseed oil. I truly believe that it is a natural cure for every
disease and ailment just waiting for us to discover. Flaxseed may be one of those many
natural tiny miracle workers right under our noses that can cure us.
What are the benefits of flaxseed? What does flaxseed have that makes it special? Well
first of all, it's rich in soluble fiber, which gives it power to lower cholesterol.
Providing fiber isn't the only way flaxseed benefits the heart. The seed also contains
more omega-3 fatty acids than any other plant source. These fatty acids, which prevent
blood clots that could lead to a heart attack or stroke, have recently come to attention
as the key ingredient that makes fish so good for the heart. Did you know a gram of flaxseed
has twice as much omega-3 as a gram of fish oil.
Flaxseed is an incredible source of multipurpose
nutrients called lignans. Lignans spur powerful antioxidant activity, which means they may
help prevent many types of cancer as well as hardening of the arteries. To get the full
benefits of flax, choose the seed or meal, both of which have a mild wheatlike taste.
You can sprinkle whole seeds on cereal or casserole or mix ground-up seed with orange juice.
You can also use freshly ground flaxseed or meal in place of wheat or oat bran when making
muffins, pancakes, waffles, and bread. Ground flaxseed will stay fresh for a day or two
in the refrigerator and for a month in the freezer. But don't eat more than two tablespoons
in a day; any more, and all of that fiber may make you feel bloated.
