Flaxseed Nutrition Tidbit

Flaxseeds are the richest source of lignans. Lignans are photonutrients in the hulls of flaxseed, and serve an antioxidant role. There are two different kinds of flaxseed, brown and golden, yet they have almost the same nutritional makeup.

The Nutritional Benefits of Wild Oats Organic Flaxseed:

Nutritionally Authentic:

USDA Certified Organic food product

Nutritionally Affordable:

Flaxseed packs a nutritional punch: 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of ground flax seed has 534 calories, 41 grams of fat, 28 grams of fiber, and 20 grams of protein. You do not need to use this much to get plenty of health benefits.

Nutritionally Accessible:

Easily available at Wal-Mart for an affordable price.

Medical Nutrition Therapy Tips and Solutions:

Cancer: According to recent studies, flaxseed may have a protective effect against breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. Kelley C. Fitzpatrick, director of health and nutrition with the Flax Council of Canada, says that least two of the components in flaxseed seem to contribute (either fiber, omega-3’s or lignan.)

According to MensFitness.com, in terms of skin cancer, Omaha researchers found that mice given 10% flaxseed supplementation in their food were able to reduce melanoma tumors by as much as 63%.

Cardiovascular Disease: Omega-3’s in flaxseed provide anti-inflammatory effects and can normalize the heartbeat.

Constipation: Flaxseed is rich is fiber and adds bulk to stools, making them easier to pass for those suffering from constipation. Stir flaxseed into juice, yogurt, or a smoothie, just as you would a fiber supplement.

Type 2 Diabetes: Preliminary research shows that daily intake of the lignans in flaxseed may modestly improve blood sugar (as measured by hemoglobin A1c blood tests in adults with type 2 diabetes).

Pregnancy: Pregnant women and possibly breastfeeding mothers should not supplement their diets with ground flaxseed, according to WebMD, until more studies have been done due to the fact that one study has shown that flaxseed increases risk of breast cancer in the fetus or breastfeeding infant.

You should option to supplement with whole or ground organic flaxseed, not flax oil, to get all the nutritional benefit of flax.