What is Flaxseed Oil?
Flaxseed oil, also known as linseed oil or flax oil, is an oil harvested from the dried, ripe seeds of the flax plant. Like other oils, it is released through the pressing of these seeds.
The reason this oil is so healthy is that it has a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. You may already know that omega-3s are important to overall health and body function and that they support the cardiovascular, pulmonary, immune, and respiratory systems.
We need omega-3s to function properly, and our bodies crave them. These fatty acids are found in foods like nuts, seeds, fish, and soybeans as well as in oils like flaxseed oil, but the high concentration of them in flaxseed oil will help us to get more of them even more easily.
Further, there are different types of omega-3s, and while they are all beneficial to our health, the specific one found in flaxseed oil is alpha-linolenic acid, also known as ALA. Our bodies don’t make this type of fat on their own because it is plant-based. However, we can still benefit from it because our bodies will convert it to the types it does need for us. This makes flaxseed oil a great way for vegans and vegetarians to get their needed omega-3s.
Flaxseed oil has other components that bolster our overall health as well. It includes proteins that help decrease heart disease risk factors. The fiber within it helps combat constipation. Flaxseed oil also has within it minerals our bodies need like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. And, best of all, flaxseed oil contains phenolic compounds to help protect us from cancer.
How Can I Incorporate Flaxseed Oil Into My Diet?
When buying flaxseed or any other oil, it’s important to buy the purest form possible. Not all flaxseed oils are created equal. In order to avoid things like fertilizers and pesticides, you should look for organic flaxseed oil when shopping for it.
Also, some flaxseed oils are created through a high-heat and high-pressure treatment that will, unfortunately, destroy many of the positive features of this substance. In order to get the best oil that you can for health uses, only buy cold-pressed oil.
Using flaxseed oil and incorporating it into your diet is easy. It can be used in so many ways. First, you can use it as an oil in salad dressings, dips, and sauces. It should not be used for cooking because it does not perform well at high temperatures and could actually become harmful to you. When served cold, though, you can reap the benefits.
You also might consider putting a tablespoon into a shake or smoothie. This is a great way to ingest it without even realizing you are doing so. These minor changes to your diet can result in major changes to your body.
Because flaxseed oil benefits also include benefits to the skin; you can apply it directly to the skin to improve skin health and to add moisture. Some people also use it on their hair to improve hair quality as well.
Flaxseed Oil Benefits for Health
Now that you know how flaxseed oil works to help you, and how to use it, the potential benefits to your health it can provide will amaze you.
1. Inflammation Reduction
According to research, flaxseed oil may work to reduce inflammation, which can help people who experience pain. It is believed that due to the omega-3 fatty acid content, it may even be as effective as olive oil in this realm. It especially seems to have an immense effect on people who are obese, according to one study.
2. Reduction in Cancer Cell Growth
There are few families who have not been affected by cancer. As a result, people are always looking for cancer-fighting foods, and flaxseed oil is one of them. According to early research using animals, it appears that flaxseed oil is successful in blocking colon cancer formation in rats. Another study found that it can control the spread of lung cancer in mice.
3. Improvement in Skin Health
Many people who use flaxseed oil topically or internally report that it greatly improves the quality of their skin even over a relatively short time. Several studies also seem to suggest this as well.
4. Improvement in Heart Function
Again, the omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed oil offer a major health benefit in the heart and circulatory system. Because of the fact that these acids help to reduce inflammation, the blood vessels open up to allow more blood to flow through unencumbered as more omega-3 fatty acids are introduced into the body.
This action will help to stave off both heart attack and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States today. Further, the omega-3 fatty acids help your pulmonary system in another way, too. They can lower blood pressure and also reduce the risk of irregular heartbeat.
5. Constipation and Diarrhea Relief
Flaxseed oil not only helps to promote regular bowel movements, but it also helps to reduce diaherrea. This combination is amazing for anyone wishing to have more regular and comfortable bowel movements. An animal study in 2015 found that flaxseed oil helped immensely in these areas in lab mice.
Try Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil is a wonderful substance that is not used enough by people considering the numerous benefits it offers. Flaxseed oil benefits are impressive by anyone’s standards and there is simply no reason not to include it in your diet. Give it a try today and you will be impressed by the benefits you experience inside and out in a very short time.
A small 2015 study featuring 15 men found that taking ALA-rich flaxseed oil for 12 weeks significantly lowered their levels of small-dense LDL cholesterol particles, otherwise known as bad cholesterol
Long-chain n-3 fatty acids have been shown to regulate lipid metabolism and reduce fat accumulation in the liver. This trial investigated the effect of flaxseed oil, as a rich source of α-linolenic acid, on fatty liver and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The randomised, double-blind, controlled trial was performed on sixty-eight NAFLD patients who were divided into flaxseed (n 34) and sunflower (n 34) oil groups. Patients were given a hypoenergetic diet (−2092 kJ/d) and 20 g/d of the corresponding oil for 12 weeks. Fatty liver grade, liver enzymes and cardiometabolic parameters were determined. The intention-to-treat approach was used for data analysis. Fatty liver grade significantly decreased in both groups (−0·68 in flaxseed v. −0·29 in sunflower, P = 0·002). Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase decreased in both groups (P < 0·01). Also, significant reduction was observed in blood glucose (P = 0·005) and fat mass (P = 0·01) in the flaxseed and muscle mass (P = 0·01) in the sunflower group. However, none of these alterations was significantly different between the groups. Weight, waist circumference and blood pressure were significantly decreased in both groups but only weight change was significantly different between the groups (P = 0·01). IL-6 did not significantly change in either group but showed a significant between-group difference (P = 0·03). Overall, the results showed that in the context of a low-energy diet and moderate physical activity, flaxseed oil may benefit NAFLD patients to improve fatty liver grade, weight and IL-6 compared with sunflower oil.
promotes sleep
Flax seeds are great for increasing levels of sleep-regulating substance serotonin in the body due to their high levels of both tryptophan and omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, the omega-3 fatty acids they contain have been proven to help reduce the anxiety, depression and stress which are leading causes of insomnia, and have been shown to be effective against the condition sleep apnea.
Not only that, flax seeds are a good source of magnesium, which is renowned for its ability to reduce stress due to its relaxing effect on the muscles and nervous system. Magnesium has also been shown to help prevent restless leg syndrome and night terrors; both of which can affect sleep.
How much flaxseed oil should you take?
Peart says it’s perfectly fine to take flaxseed oil every day, and adds that there’s no standard recommended dosage. However, she notes a “couple teaspoons to a tablespoon” of flaxseed oil (equivalent to one to three capsules) per day is a typical amount.
That amount will ensure you get the bulk of the recommended daily intake of the ALA omega-3 fat. “The daily ALA recommendation for women is about 1,100 milligrams, while for men, it’s about 1,600 milligrams,” Peart says. “A tablespoon of flaxseed oil provides about 730 to 1,095 usable milligrams of ALA.”
Flaxseed oil benefits aren’t necessarily different if you opt to take the supplement in pill or capsule form rather than straight oil.
Peart says, “It’s easier to store flaxseed oil when it’s in the capsule form. And for people who don’t want to eat it — such as, for example, adding the oil to salad dressing — you can have it in the capsules.”
Peart says it’s perfectly fine to take flaxseed oil every day, and adds that there’s no standard recommended dosage. However, she notes a “couple teaspoons to a tablespoon” of flaxseed oil (equivalent to one to three capsules) per day is a typical amount.
That amount will ensure you get the bulk of the recommended daily intake of the ALA omega-3 fat. “The daily ALA recommendation for women is about 1,100 milligrams, while for men, it’s about 1,600 milligrams,” Peart says. “A tablespoon of flaxseed oil provides about 730 to 1,095 usable milligrams of ALA.”
Flaxseed oil benefits aren’t necessarily different if you opt to take the supplement in pill or capsule form rather than straight oil.
Peart says, “It’s easier to store flaxseed oil when it’s in the capsule form. And for people who don’t want to eat it — such as, for example, adding the oil to salad dressing — you can have it in the capsules.”
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