Flaxseed Oil Benefits For Healthy Living

Flaxseed Oil has many wonderful benefits that most people don't know about. Discover why this is such a healthy food source and the products and companies you can buy it from.

It’s a curious world we live in today, where obesity levels in the western world are at their highest and yet the demand for healthy, natural foods and living a healthy lifestyle is also at record levels.

There’s no mystery to understanding that a poor diet and lack of exercise will result in poor health. Subsequently a healthy diet combined with regular and moderate exercise will help promote a healthy body.

If you’re like me, then you too are interested in nutrient rich foods that derive from natural sources like plants and fish. I personally find that I am able to consume virtually all my recommended daily amounts of iron, fiber, vitamins and minerals etc. just by eating a healthy balanced diet. But despite my good intentions, there are 1 or 2 areas in my diet that I just can’t get enough of the recommended daily intake.

Omega 3 is one of those deficiencies and it is a food source we should all consume more, especially as its health benefits are scientifically proven. You just need to look at how low heart disease figures are in places like Japan and Korea where fish is widely eaten on a daily basis.

Flaxseed oil can help meet your omega 3 and essential fatty oil needs

You may be wondering why I don’t simply recommend fish oil that is high in omega 3 to get your daily in take. Well as much as fish oil is an excellent omega 3 source, it contains slightly different properties to flaxseed oil.

Here comes the science bit! ..

Flaxseed oil comes from a blue flowering plant rather than from a fish. The extraction process of flaxseed oil is also obviously different to that of fish oil. It is a natural alternative for vegetarians and vegans or anyone who cannot consume fish products for whatever reason.

Fish oil contains two omega-3 fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Flaxseed oil, on the other hand, is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, which is the ‘parent’ fatty acid to DHA and EPA. In layman’s terms, flaxseed oil contains the same omega 3 benefits to that of fish oil, although the ability to absorb the required amounts is not as efficient as fish oil.

Flaxseed oil benefits are not as well documented as fish oil benefits and studies have still to totally confirm its effectiveness. However, it is getting more recognition as a natural, health promoting food source with more and more people using it in their diet.

As well as the essential ‘healthy’ fats, flaxseed oil contains, it is also rich in fiber, B vitamins, potassium, lecithin, magnesium, protein, and zinc. These are all part of our recommended daily intake and can be consumed naturally and easily by adding flaxseed oil to our diets.

Here are some of the documented benefits of flaxseed oil:

- Flaxseed oil is rich in lignans, which can be used to help with hormone related problems and ward off the ill effects of certain bacteria and fungi. Studies have also shown low incidence of breast cancer and colon cancer in populations that have high amounts of lignan in their diet. Flaxseed oil contains 100 times more lignan than most whole grains.

- It can help to control high blood pressure in hypertension sufferers.

- Increases the body’s metabolic rate making it easier to burn off fat which helps in weight loss.

- Helps to lower cholesterol levels and fights against heart disease.

- Improves the joints and reduces swelling which is good for arthritic patients.

- Has been scientifically proven to treat some cases of depression and can improve the mental function of people in their elder years.

- Flaxseed oil contains high quality protein needed for growth.

- A noticeable increase in overall energy levels.

- It promotes healthy skin, hair and nails.

- It may lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels.

- Flaxseed oil taken with a meal can actually increase the nutritional value of other foods.

There are several other health promoting properties of flaxseed oil that occur due to the amount of nutrients it has. How much of an impact they actually have on the body is open for debate, but I would imagine adding this nutrient packed source to your daily food intake, is sure to improve your overall health.

When you do add flaxseed oil, make sure you use it as an addition to your cooked or prepared food. Cooking with it can actually turn it into a ‘bad’ fat and should be avoided. Add it instead to dishes like salads and smoothie drinks.

Flaxseed can be bought as granules or grounded down powder and this can be sprinkled onto cereals and yogurts. It can also be added to bread and muffins.

It is gluten free which is an important consideration to anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. I eat lots of salads and always drizzle a little flaxseed oil over the top. It gives it a really delicious flavor.

For those of you who would rather benefit form flaxseed oil without having to bother with it in its raw state, you can buy flaxseed oil tablets that produce the same results.

There are lots of online stores that sell flaxseed in powder, raw flaxseed and flaxseed oil. Check out stores like Amazon.com who have an excellent reputation for security and money back guarantee.