The Health Benefits of Flaxseed Oil | Natural Health & Organic Living Blog

Flaxseed

There has been a lot of talk about the health benefits of flaxseed oil but many people don’t know exactly what it is and what it specifically does. Flax is a good source of plant omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber and other nutrients. It’s nutrient composition differs from that of other major oil seeds such as canola and sunflower. It’s important to get the facts straight to make the best choice when purchasing flaxseed oil.

What is Flax and Flaxseed Oil?

Flaxseed oil comes from the seeds of the flax plant. According to the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, a flax seed is about 40% oil by weight. Of this oil, 55% of it is omega-3 fatty acid.

Flax is unique because, traditionally, the oil hasn’t been used much. The seed, however, has been used whole, cracked, or ground into flour then used in baked products. Flax has attracted nutritionists and those seeking a healthier diet because it has a high fiber content and it is rich in potassium. Flax is often sprinkled on breakfast cereals and salads and is found in some fruit juice drinks.

After the oil is extracted from the flax seed, the “leftovers” are often fed to livestock. An interesting side note is that the use of whole flax seed as food for chickens has increased in recent years because of the omega-3 properties.

Is Flaxseed Oil the Same as Linseed Oil?

There has been some confusion between these. Flax oil is also called linseed oil which is sold in hardware stores as varnish. Flaxseed and linseed are often used interchangeably but there is an important difference. North Americans use flaxseed to describe flax when used for human consumption and linseed to describe when it has been processed for industrial purposes.

Importance of Omega-3

The “3″ in Omega-3 refers to the major types of fatty acids that are ingested in foods and used by our body: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once eaten, the human body converts ALA to EPA and DHA which are more readily used by the body. Omega-3 is an important component of almost all cell membranes; therefore, sufficient amounts of these fatty acids are necessary and need to be balanced to maintain good health.

A Harvard study titled, “The Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary Lifestyle and Metabolic Risk Factors” revealed that an omega-3 deficiency causes an alarming 72,000-96,000 deaths annually.

Flaxseed Oil Benefits

According to the Flax Council of Canada, there are numerous benefits of which omega-3 is at the top of the list. ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) constitutes 57% of the total fatty acids in flax, making flax the richest source of ALA in the North American diet. Every tablespoon of flaxseed oil contains 8 grams of ALA, and this is a polyunsaturated fatty acid.

Flaxseed oil has been found to be beneficial for those who suffer from Crohn’s Disease and Colitis. Several studies have found that this oil seems to be able to calm the inner lining of the inflamed intestines. Another benefit exists as there is a high content of mucilage in flax and this is an effective natural laxative.

Flaxseed oil is beneficial in helping to reduce high cholesterol. It’s important to keep in mind however, that this alone cannot be totally effective in reducing cholesterol levels, an overhaul of overall diet must work in conjunction with flaxseed oil.

The risk of heart disease is lower in individuals who take flaxseed oil. Evidence indicates that those who eat a lot of ALA are less likely to suffer a fatal heart attack and it reduces high blood pressure.

Some people are afflicted with Sjogren’s syndrome, which is a dryness of the eyes. Flaxseed oil helps to improve this condition.

Flaxseed oil also helps to:

Reduce the risk of cancer.
Aid in the growth of healthy hair and nails.
Promote healthy skin.
Reduce menopause symptoms.
Play a role in burning body fat.

Benefits of Omega-3 Supplements

Taking Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is available in liquid and soft gel capsules. This oil requires special packaging because it is easily destroyed by heat, light and oxygen. Some forms of flaxseed oil may require refrigeration.

There is a potential for side effects and interactions with medications or other dietary supplements. Flaxseed may slow down the rate your body absorbs oral medications or other nutrients if taken at the same time. It is highly advisable to seek the advice of a trained natural health practitioner before taking this supplement.

It’s also important to know the source of the flaxseed oil because some plants grown today are not what they appear to be. There are lot of genetically engineered plants that make their way into our homes and GE foods are not good for human consumption.

The Verdict Is In

Natural flaxseed oil is packed with health benefits that you can’t go wrong with. A daily intake of this healthy oil offers a lot of goodness. Talk to a natural health specialist and make organic flaxseed oil a part of your daily regime.

Is flaxseed oil part of your day? Let’s discuss, in the comments below!

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DABFM

Zemanta

J

If taking flaxseeds heed the warning that it can interfere with other supplements as that happened to me. I was taking a probiotic that I had taken for years and then after I started consuming flaxseeds my probiotic wasn’t working anymore. I discovered it had to do with the mucilage in the flaxseed and it prevented my probiotic from doing it’s job in my colon and intestines, even though I was taking them hours apart from one another. I take the oil now (it does not have whole or sliced seeds in it) and have no problems and my probiotic is working again like it used to. Just know that the oil does not have the laxative effect like the seed itself does, unless of course the oil contains whole or sliced seeds, some flaxoils do, so read the label to be sure.
Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed and flaxseed oil is actually better to consume than fish oil.

As you say, it is rich in ALA which the body converts into EPA and DHA and has none of the side effects and possible poisonous contamination found in fish.

Sarah
Christine Mattice

I’m a huge fan of Flaxseeds, period. I spread them on my salad and the seeds actually make my otherwise plain (and boring) lettuce very flavorable. Plus there’s a natural laxative inherent in flaxseeds that are beneficial for your health. (But if you’re not used to eating flaxseeds, don’t go overboard on the serviing size. The laxative effect may be a bit MORE than you can take!)
Angelyne

Hello, I found this article very interesting, especially because here in Brazil where I live, flaxseed is the watchword.

I would like to have your permission to translate this article into Portuguese and publish it in my own blog, indicating where it was translated from.

Kind regards,

Angelyne
http://none De

Flaxseed oil is part of the Gerson Therapy diet. Gerson found a cure for cancer using his specific plant based diet and cured 50 cases. I am a vegetarian bordering on vegan and take organic flaxseed oil daily (2 to 4 tablespoons).
MW2005

“Flax is very unique” something is unique or it is not it cannot be very!
Angie

Hi! Just recently started researching flax as a supplement for a few reasons. Dry eyes, and inflammatory disease to name a few. Was not aware of the laxative effect, which I find beneficial. Is it more powerful that castor oil for that purpose? Purchased a dark refrigerated bottle of pure high lignan organic flaxseed oil today at my local heath food store. I plan on a tablespoon a day, served over some kind of salad. I also have recently purchased royal jelly with propolis, and I already take a probiotic, and grapefruit seed extract. Any advice on whether or not these are ok to mix, and should I be spacing them apart?
Danijean

I deal with excema, especially during the winter months. It got so bad one year that I was prescribed a Rx shampoo, mouse, and saline solution for my scalp. None worked that well and burned pretty bad. I started taking flax seed oil regularly and almost all my symptoms on my scalp disappeared. Love it!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1250433064 Mary Propper

I took flax seed oil for about a year and ended up with elevated liver enzymes. It’s the only thing I changed in my diet. Other sites do not recommend this oil. Make sure you thoroughly research oils before using on a long term basis.
Greenjacket

“There are lot of genetically engineered plants that make their way into our homes and GE foods are not good for human consumption.”

Tut, tut. GE food has not been proven to be either good or bad to human health, and such an unfounded statement is not helpful to anybody. Clearly, the good doctor has an agenda here.
ghc_health

Greenjacket,
Thank you for your post! While studies on GMOs are lacking, most of this is because Mansanto will not grant the testing of the seeds they produce. However, we are starting to see smaller studies that show the issues with GMO foods, one such study can be found here:

http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm

I think that the other aspect to remember is that the GMO seeds will not activate with out the use of pesticides that are typically supplied by the same company that makes the seeds. Pesticides that are used on crops are Highly Toxic to human health, these two factors are enough for most to reconsider the stance on GMO foods, especially since the FDA has not completed any long term studies themselves.

The question is, whats wrong with natural home grown seeds? and why do we NEED GMO?

I hope that this helps, take care and be well!
lt

would flaxseed oil interfere with absorption of the pill? Im trying to clear up acne with the pill but is there a chance that me also taking flax seed oil stops the pill helping my skin?
Pingback: Flax Tortillas recipe - RawFiesta