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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Monday, March 22, 2010
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Monday, March 22, 2010
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Diet and Nutrition |
Flaxseed09/15/2008 |
I have read everywhere that consuming Flaxsees is very good for the heart. Can you tell me where I can purchase one and in which form ( tablet or the powder)? Can you also reccomend a good falxseed that I can buy as there are a lot in the market and I am confused which one is the best.
Flaxseed is good for your heart because most of the fat in flaxseed is in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is an essential fatty acid (meaning our bodies can't make this fat, we must get it from foods) and it is a precursor to the heart-disease fighting omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed is thought to fight heart disease by:
* Lowering total and LDL (bad) cholesterol as well as triglycerides
* Improving the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol
* Lowering blood pressure
* Reducing blood clot formation
* Reducing inflammation in the body, which is linked to numerous diseases such as arthritis, cancer and heart disease
* Protecting against stroke
Flaxseed is also a good source of fiber (soluble and insoluble), lignans (a phytoestrogen that protects against certain cancers), protein and potassium. Flaxseeds can be bought in many markets, grocery stores and natural health food stores or directly from a manufacturer. They can be bought whole or ground. If you buy them in bulk you'll want to buy the whole seed form (can last up to a year) and grind the seeds yourself. You can also purchase flaxseed oil but it doesn't contain the fiber or lignans found in seeds.
A few ways to add flaxseeds or ground flaxseeds to your diet: add to baked goods, cereal, salads, smoothies, soup, trail mix, or yogurt. There are flax supplements - one contains ground flaxseed, the other flaxseed oil. Just like the oil, the oil supplements lack dietary fiber, lignans and protein, and have a short shelf life. The ground flaxseed pills have the same benefits as ground flaxseed, except you need to take several capsules (sometimes eight or more) each day to get the same benefits from a few teaspoons of ground flaxseed.
Another consideration when using supplements instead of the whole seed is that research is new and still continues to be done. Researchers may find that important nutrients are lost in the processing of the pill. Additionally, at this time there's no real oversight on supplement production. Before adding flax to your diet it would be good to talk to your doctor and/or a registered dietitian to determine if its a good fit for you, your health, and the medications you are prescribed.
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Barbara Lattin, MS, RD, LD Research Associate College of Nursing University of Cincinnati |
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Lisa Cicciarello Andrews, MEd, RD, LD Adjunct Faculty University of Cincinnati |
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