Wonders of Flaxseed:

Flaxseed! Pretty small, right? It is maybe of no use. But, no way, the smaller it looks, the wondrous effects it possesses. These tiny seeds are packed with abundant nutrients.

Do you want to know what flaxseeds are and how they are so beneficial for our bodies? Then, let’s tap into it!

What is Flaxseed?

Flaxseed is a plant-based food that provides healthful fat, antioxidants, protein, and fiber, and is well-known for its nutritional value. This low-calorie, protein, and fiber-rich seed have countless health benefits that can help your body in many ways.

Source of Plant Protein

Good news for vegetarians! Flax contains about 20% protein, so flax may be the answer if you don’t consume meat and want to eat plant-based protein.

Moreover, Arginine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid are widely present in flaxseed proteins, but lysine, methionine, and cystine are the limiting amino acids. In addition, flaxseed is a high-quality vegetarian source of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-three fatty acid).

What are these benefits? Let’s discuss them in detail.

Benefits of Flaxseed

Flaxseed and weight loss

Nowadays, most individuals seek to shed off weight, and yes, flax can help you with weight loss.

Don’t look at its size; these tiny seeds are rich in fiber and Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, making it one of the greatest sources which keep you full for longer.

Thus, you will eat less and will be less prone to binge on unhealthy food. As a result, you will consume less energy and lose weight.

Constipation

You read that right! Flaxseed has been shown to help with constipation. According to a 2018 study, flaxseed is more effective in treating constipation than psyllium.

Another study was conducted in 2020 in which researchers included 90 people with functional constipation as defined by the Rome IV criteria.

For 4 weeks, participants were randomly assigned to receive either 50 g/day of a flaxseed meal (n = 60) or 15 ml of a lactulose solution (n=30) each morning on an empty stomach with breakfast.

It was seen that a flaxseed diet significantly improved bowel habits in each group after 4 weeks. Flaxseed powder was more effective than lactose in preventing constipation, increasing bowel movements, and improving the quality of life in Chinese with chronic functional constipation.

Diabetes and LDL-Cholesterol

Flaxseed is also used for treating diabetes and LDL-cholesterol as it has antioxidants, lipid-lowering, and glucose-lowering effects.

This is primarily due to the content of the SDGs (Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside). By lowering blood pressure, decreasing blood sugar and lipids levels, and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, SDG metabolites may prevent CVD and metabolic syndrome.

In a 2015 trial, researchers saw that milled flaxseed decreases total and LDL cholesterol in patients with PAD (Peripheral artery disease). In addition, when used in combination with cholesterol-lowering medicines, it further decreases LDL cholesterol.

Which is Better: Ground or Whole Flaxseeds?

When you take whole flaxseeds, they may pass through your intestines undigested, and you may not get maximum nutritional benefits out of it. Oops!

Do you think that eating whole flaxseed is useless now? No, because the other best solution is grinding. Yes, ground flaxseeds can help to increase absorption in the body. You don’t really need to load up on flaxseeds, a little helping is enough.

Some ways to add flaxseed to your diet

This shiny, crunchy, and nutty-tasting seed can be added to a variety of foods:

·Use it in baking- grounded flaxseed can be added into cookies and muffins dough, bread, and other baked goods.

·Sprinkle it- you can sprinkle ground flaxseeds over salads, cereals, pasta, noodles, fruit bowls, and desserts.

· Mix it- flaxseed can be mixed with yogurt, sauces, and other condiments like ketchup and mayonnaise.

·Smoothies- add 1 teaspoon whole or ground flax to any smoothie, or use it as a topping for smoothie bowls.

· Meatballs or burgers: grounded flaxseed can be mixed with breadcrumbs to coat patties and meatballs.

Wrapping Up

There is ample evidence that high levels of protein, antioxidants, and fiber in flaxseed have beneficial effects on human health. As I explained above, adding flaxseed to your meal will benefit you in many ways but moderation is the key. Don’t overindulge as excess may harm you. Also, consume flaxseed with lots of water or other fluids like other fiber-rich foods, otherwise, you’ll turn out to be with constipation and gas.