Flaxseeds: Top 7 Benefits You Don’t Want to Miss
FLAXSEEDS: A Nutritional Powerhouse
Flaxseeds are the richest source of a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid called ALA in the world. They have been consumed for about 6,000 years, and with their impressive reputation of improving digestion, balancing hormones, promoting clear skin, aiding weight loss, and fighting cancer, it’s no wonder they’re not going out of style anytime soon.
- Omega-3 (ALA) 6,338mg
- Fiber 8g
- Protein 6g
- Vitamin B1 31% RDA
- Manganese 35% RDA
- Magnesium 30% RDA
- Phosphorus 19% RDA
- Selenium 10% RDA
- As well as Iron, Magnesium, Vitamin B6 and Zinc
Top 7 Benefits of Flaxseeds
1. Promote Healthy Skin and Hair
Flaxseeds contain ALA fats and B vitamins, delivering essential fatty acids to promote clear skin and reduce dryness and flakiness of the scalp. The anti-inflammatory properties of flaxseeds can help clear skin conditions like acne, rosacea, and eczema. They can used to treat sunburn and even speed the rate at which wounds heal!
How to use flaxseeds for skin and hair health:
Internally: Add 2 tbsps of flaxseed or 1 tbsp of flaxseed oil to your morning smoothie. Flaxseed oil can also be mixed with other essential fatty acid oils (like pumpkin seed oil) to cure or prevent dandruff. Just make sure to keep it under 5 tbsps per day.
Topically: Mix one tablespoon of flaxseed oil with two tbsps of raw honey and one tsp of fresh lime juice, and apply directly to the skin. Flaxseed oil can also be applied to the hair to seal in moisture and promote hair growth.
2. Lower Cholesterol
Flaxseeds are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, both helping reduce bad cholesterol. The soluble fiber forces cholesterol through the digestive system without being absorbed, forcing the body to put to use any excess cholesterol, leading to lower cholesterol levels.
3. Improve Digestion
The fiber in flaxseeds can also improve digestive health, while the ALAs can help protect the intestinal lining of the gut and maintain GI health. Flaxseeds can lower gut inflammation, easing symptoms of autoimmune diseases like IBS and Crohn’s disease.
4. Aid Weight Loss
Flaxseeds are nutrient dense while only containing few calories. The healthy fats and fiber they contain can satisfy hunger, leaving you feeling full longer. Flaxseeds’ anti-inflammatory properties can help prevent the body from storing excess fat.
How to use flaxseeds to aid weight loss:
Add a few tbsps of flaxseeds to yogurt, salad, smoothies, or oatmeal to support your weight loss plan.
5. Help Lower Blood Pressure
One study showed that eating 30 grams of flaxseeds per day, for six months, lowered systolic pressure by 10mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure by 7 mmHg.Other studies show even better results in patients already taking blood pressure medication.
Just a 2-mmHg reduction in blood pressure can lower the risk of dying from stroke by 10% and heart disease by 7%.
6. Packed with Cancer Preventing Antioxidants
Flaxseeds contain three kinds of powerful antioxidants called lignans, which balance hormones. These antioxidants may be the primary reason flaxseeds have been shown to help reduce the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer.
7. Balance Hormones
The hormone-balancing lignans in flaxseeds have estrogenic properties which can reduce the risk of osteoporosis, as well as help menstruating woman maintain cycle regularity.
How to use flaxseeds to balance hormones:
Take 1 to 2 tbsps of flaxseed meal with 1 tbsp of flaxseed oil in your morning smoothie.
BONUS: Flaxseeds are gluten-free!
Flaxseed meal can be combined with other ingredients as a wheat replacement for gluten-free baking.
