Flaxseed

Flaxseed: Heart Healthy Food

This shiny, honey-colored seed has three elements that are great for your heart:  they are fiber, phytochemicals called lignans, and ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in plants. The body converts ALA to the more powerful omega-3s, EPA and DHA. In addition to the important omega-3 fatty acid ALA, flaxseed , not the oil, also contains a group of chemicals called lignans that may help protect the body from cancer. Lignans are phytoestrogens; plant compounds that act like the hormone estrogen. Flax seeds contain high amounts of mucilage and pectin, which give the plant emollient and laxative properties as well as mineral salts and fats with a high biological value (essential unsaturated fatty acids)

Studies show that flaxseed may play a role in the prevention and treatment of the following health conditions: High cholesterol, Heart disease, Menopausal symptoms, Breast cancer, Colon cancer, Prostate cancer, Diabetes, Chronic constipation, Gastritis, duodenitis, and gastro-duodenal ulcer. Externally, flaxseed is excellent in poultices for sores, boils, inflammations, and tumors.

Tip: Grind flaxseed for the best nutrition. Add it to cereal, baked goods, yogurt, even mustard on a sandwich.

Flaxseed Assortment

Read more about benefits of flaxseed here;
Read more: The University of Maryland Medical System Corporation (UMMS)

Sources

  • Plants That Heal by George D. Pamplona-Roger, MD
  • WebMD
  • Medical Dictionary
  • Natural Remedies Encyclopedia – Vance Ferrell . Harold M. Cherne,M.D.
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