There are quite a few incredible benefits of flaxseed. Some call it one of the strongest plant foods on earth. There’re some signs it may help lower your risk of coronary disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. That’s quite a tall order for a small seed that’s been in existence for hundreds of years. It has omega-3, alpha linoleic acid, lignans, and fiber. It’s also conveniently accessible as oil, grounded, flour, or powder.
12 Amazing Advantages to Taking Flaxseed
1) Prevents Heart Disease and Lowers Blood Pressure
Omega 3 essential fatty acids are regarded as fats that are good for us. They’re important to our health, but cannot be created by our body. Because flaxseed is rich in omega-3, it could help keep your heart healthy in many different ways. Flaxseed also helps your heart health by reducing your blood pressure. Having high blood pressure raises the chances you will get a heart attack or congestive heart failure. Omega-3 helps reduce those dangers.
2) Lowers Cholesterol
High cholesterol may raise your risk for heart disease, and the fat in flaxseed might help lower your cholesterol. Nearly free from the saturated fat that raises one’s cholesterol levels, flaxseed is also high in the crucial omega 3 known as alpha-linolenic acid. The daily value for alphalinolenic acid is 1.6 grams, and that’s how much is in 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Your cholesterol levels are affected by many factors, so speak to your physician if that is something you’re worried about.
3) Helps With Weight Loss
Omega 3 is significant for assisting you in being able to feel satiated, and the protein and fiber in flaxseed take lots of time for your digestive tract to digest, which helps you to keep feeling full for a longer amount of time. This combo makes it much more likely that you simply won’t have as many cravings for snacks/bad foods, and will choose to pick healthier foods to eat.
4) Helps Prevent Diabetes and Stabilize Blood Glucose Levels
Flax is a low-glycemic type of food and won’t spike your blood sugar level. The fiber and omega3 also supply the body with great energy and nourishment. When you’re able to maintain your blood glucose levels, you’ve got fewer spikes in your blood glucose levels, and thus desire less insulin, which helps your diabetes… some people have seriously improved their diabetes and/or had the opportunity to manage it far better by consuming flaxseed.
5) Protects Against Skin Cancer
Do you desire a suntan that will make George Hamilton covetous? Nothing helps you appear younger and highlights muscle like a suntan, however, there’s always a skin cancer risk. Forget indoor tanning. If you’re fortunate enough to reside in a hotter climate, and you can’t resist the urge to play in the sun, apply sunscreen. Be bright as well as have flaxseed.
6) Fights Prostate Cancer
One exclusive advantage of flaxseed to men is its capability to help in the struggle against prostate cancer. One study of 161 pre-operation prostate cancer patients found that flaxseed seems to significantly reduce cancer cell development rates. How? Another study suggests it’s due to flaxseed having the capability to interrupt the events resulting in cancerous cell generation.
7) Helps With Diarrhea, Constipation, and Overall Intestinal Health
The fecal matter is subsequently pushed out more readily throughout the body when one takes flax. Prevention is significant for constipation. Since its a food, not a capsule, flax is best used within a daily, consistent diet to prevent constipation. Flax seed promotes health by reducing constipation. Flax helps with diarrhea by helping to bulk up the feces while it is still in our bodies. Place ground flax in water and you’ll see the way that it bulks up.
8) Brain Food
Your body and brain should have omega 3 to work. Omega 3 is crucial to be able to prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia, as well as assisting with melancholy, ADHD, trouble sleeping, etc. So that their brains can grow properly children should be taking Omega 3. Flax seed is the best way to have more omega-3 in our everyday diet.
9) Depression
It’s true: depression hurts. It has the capability to impact every instant of the day. There are loads of antidepressants that physicians may prescribe, but based on a Japanese study, a straightforward dietary inclusion of flaxseed may also prove helpful.
10) Improves Skin Health
Omega 3 encourages the healing of eczema, psoriasis, acne, and other skin problems. The Lignans are anti-inflammatory and assist your body with being able to recover from the skin inflammations.
11) Fights Liver Disease
Are you living a healthier and fit lifestyle, however, you still can’t ditch the alcohol consumption? You might be placing yourself in great danger. One very serious result of this is liver disease. Thankfully, for all those who can’t seem to help themselves, there might become a means to reduce the risk factors associated with liver disease. Researchers concluded that 100 mg supplementation might be advantageous in a recent flaxseed study. Of course, a better idea will be to quit drinking entirely, but to each their own.
12) Helps to Enhance Your Immune System
Flaxseed can help with other immune disorders and fibromyalgia by healing you from the inside-out, constructing your immune apparatus, and preventing illness. Not only will you gain from consuming the nourishment your body is craving, but the flax lignans, omega3, fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins will help your body heal itself.
Potential Flaxseed Side Effects
1) Laxative Effects
Adverse gastrointestinal effects may occur because flaxseed is full of fiber. Due to this it can cause slight adverse side effects associated with the gastrointestinal system. Common side effects when using this are bloating, stomach pain, gas, diarrhea, constipation, dyspepsia and nausea. Starting flaxseed at a reduced dose and slowly raising consumption may prevent undesirable digestive difficulties.
2) Macular Degeneration
This may lead to stomach distress, a heightened amount of bowel motions and diarrhea. Until more is recognized about the consequences of flaxseed oil on macular degeneration, the UMM site proposed avoidance for macular degeneration sufferers.
3) Digestive Tract Obstruction
Some scleroderma patients have developed bowel obstruction and severe constipation after beginning fiber supplementation. It is warned that flaxseed may cause the esophagus, bowel, or intestines to become obstructed when it is taken in too high a dose.
4) Allergic Reaction
It’s possible to experience a serious allergic reaction to flaxseed, even though you haven’t experienced difficulties previously. Symptoms of an allergy to flax are urticaria, itching, swelling, difficulty breathing, wheezing, trouble swallowing, and a blue-grey shade for your skin.
5) Hyperglycemia
When taking flaxseed diabetics may experience adverse reactions. The supplement can possibly raise blood glucose levels or interact with particular drugs for treating diabetes. The NIH warns diabetics to consult their physician before starting supplementation with flax seed.
6) Risk of Bleeding
Using flaxseed oil raises the risk of bleeding by decreasing the ability of blood to clot. The NIH site states there is particular risk for anyone with blood clotting disorders in addition to individuals who might have any planned operations, dental work, or other processes where bleeding is likely. The site also warns about the results of flax on the potential effectiveness of popular blood thinning drugs including aspirin, warfarin, and clopedigrel. This is due to the rise in red blood cells that flax oil may create.
7) Hormonal Effects
Flax seed might have effects similar to estrogen, and girls taking flax seed daily may encounter changes in menstruation. The NIH advises that women with hormone-associated health conditions be careful about using flax seed. These conditions contain uterine fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and breast, ovarian, or uterine cancer. Pregnant women also shouldn’t have supplemental flax seed, as it might provoke menstruation or cause other hormonal effects which could be dangerous to the growing infant.