4 Ways Flaxseed Benefits Your Health

Flax or Linum usitatissimum is a member of the Linaceae family. It is a fiber crop that grows in cooler climates.

Flaxseeds are very tiny but they are packed with important nutrition that benefits the whole body. They are very often added to baked goods, like breads and baguettes. Because of the quality of nutrition they give you, it is one of the excellent foods to add to a healthy diet.

Flaxseed health benefits in terms of nutrition

These small grain-looking things are one of the best sources of protein that you could eat. Only one teaspoon has one to two grams of protein. It is also high in fiber, with both soluble and insoluble sources of fiber. Thus, flaxseed benefits healthy digestion greatly.

It also has rich amounts of the vitamin Bs; for instance, it has a vitamin B called folate that helps to reduce birth defects. It also has magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron and manganese. These are all great in providing you with a healthy heart and healthy muscles, as well as boosting your immune system.

Flaxseed benefits on health are enhanced by the high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids that it contains. These are important in protecting the body from inflammation, which occurs in many chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes and certain cancers. Often, inflammation in these health conditions is increased by omega-3 deficiency, and thus flaxseed benefits people suffering from these ailments. The form of omega-3 in flaxseed is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is very good with helping reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and thus decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Cancer

There is some evidence that flaxseed benefits cancer prevention. According to a 2004 article published in the Nutrition Journal, a diet rich in flaxseed, vegetable and fruit can reduce the risk of cancer. The lignans in flaxseed seem to especially protect against prostate, breast and colon cancers.

Doctor Victoria Maizes explained in 2011 that these lignans change the body’s way of metabolizing estrogens, and this makes them occur in safer forms in the body. They also balance the female hormones. Thus, it is no wonder flaxseed benefits some of these estrogen influenced cancer forms.

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