A A A

Flax Seed Benefits and Tips

Reviewed by Elizabeth Aderson, MD

Flax seed contains three nutrients a woman’s body needs – omega-3 fatty acid, fiber and lignans, which contains estrogen and antioxidants. Flax seed is better digested by adult women rather than children. Flax seed benefits are in ground flax seed as well as whole flax seeds. Flax seed is also an ingredient in many baked goods and for chicken feed. Chickens fed flax seed produce eggs rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Flax seed oil contains fatty acids and fiber but not ligans. Flax seed oil also has health benefits, including helping relieve or reduce the symptoms of skin conditions such as eczema. Flax seed oil, like cod liver oil, cannot be used as cooking oil and must be drunk straight. Cooking the oil eliminates the flax seed benefits.

Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acid

One of the most significant flax seed benefits is that it contains omega-3 fatty acid. But what’s so great about omega-3 fatty acid? Plenty! This fatty acid helps maintain body metabolism, or how well the body transforms food into energy. It helps the body grow. It also plays a role in keeping the brain healthy and helping retain memories.

People who eat foods rich in essential fatty acids, such as those who follow the Mediterranean diet, tend to have lower heart disease than others. Promising studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acid may help reduce joint inflammation, acne, lower high cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. Studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acid also help prevent cancer.

Benefits of Ligans

Flax seed benefits overall health because they contain not only fiber and omega-3 fatty acid, but ligans. Ligans also can help reduce the risk of cancer because they contain antioxidants. What do antioxidants do? They move through the body and bind to free radicals, or cancer-causing chemicals. The body is able to eliminate antioxidants but not free radicals. But when free radicals are bound to an antioxidant, they go out of the body along with the antioxidant.

Women experiencing menopause can also benefit from ligans. They are one of many plants that produce estrogen. Plant estrogen is a much safer alternative to animal based estrogen, usually made from the urine of pregnant mares under cruel conditions.

Vegans Rejoice

Omega-3 fatty acid is a nutrient needed by the body. Unfortunately, the best food sources for omega-3 fatty acids are in oily fish, cod liver oil and eggs from chickens fed flax seed. These food items are forbidden to vegetarians and vegans, depending on what variation of a cruelty-free diet they follow. Some vegetarians do eat eggs. Flax seed benefits vegetarians and vegans because it gives them the omega-3 fatty acid they need.

There is some controversy that the omega-3 in flax seed is harder to digest than fish-based omega-3. Some vegetarians and vegans compensate by eating more flax seed than they would a serving of fish or compensate by taking omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements made from whole grains but not fish. Some vegetarians and vegans do not bother eating large amounts of flax seed and remain healthy.