flaxseed fever

I’ve got the fever. The flaxseed fever that is. Some of you may know what flaxseed is, and I am sure many have heard of it, but do not know what it is exactly. Allow me to take one more product off your “what the heck am I supposed to do with this” list. Flaxseed comes from flax, which simply put, is a plant; a plant with stems, flowers, and seeds. You can purchase flaxseed whole ground (Bobs Red Mill is my brand of choice for their organic promise). Flaxseed is also gluten free, although it is best to always purchase a brand that certifies this to avoid possible cross contamination. Bobs Red Mill uses an acronym on the side of their bag to highlight the benefits of flaxseed. They are as follows: F (fiber), L (lignans), A (alpha linolenic acid), X (“excellent choice”). I will take you through this.

Flaxseed contains 4 grams of fiber in 2 tablespoons. I love diets rich in fiber because it promotes good cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, aids in satiety, and keeps you regular. Staying regular is important to note, since diets high in fiber have also been linked to a decrease in chances of colon cancer. This makes sense. Regularity keeps your colon clean and leads to less food rotting in your intestinal tract. This creates quite a mental image I am sure, but I am trying to make a point.

Lignans are antioxidants. Antioxidants are our body’s soldiers in the fight against disease. They fight free radicals by putting themselves on the front line, and oxidizing themselves before the oxidation can occur on your cell. Oxidation occurs naturally on our cells and plays a role in our aging, but diets high in antioxidants delay this process. Also, free radicals cause cancer, so picture antioxidants keeping the disaster at bay. Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants, which is just another important reason to consume as much of them as possible. But not everyone eats as many fruits and vegetables as they should, so now you have another food to turn to. Also, according to BobsRedMill.com, while many plant foods have naturally occurring lignans, flaxseed has 75 times more than any other plant food. The amount of lignans found in 2 tablespoons of flaxseed, is equivalent to eating 30 cups of broccoli. (Don’t be so hard on broccoli though, we need him too).

Alpha Linolenic Acid is the plant form of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 is another nutrient that pops up all the time in literature, infomercials, and your google searches for how to eat better. To break it down, it is a fatty acid named after its chemical structure (omega-3 just means that the first double bond occurs on the third carbon, counting from the methyl end of the fatty acid chain). You do not need to know that to understand that omega-3 is good for you, but now if someone in a room says "why the heck is it called omega-3 anyway?"--you can answer them and look like a nutrition guru. This is the kind of fat we want in our bodies. They are essential fatty acids, meaning our body does not make them on their own, therefore the only way to receive omega 3 is through our diet. The oil in flaxseed is about 50% ALA. ALA is also found in canola oil, and walnuts. Other forms of omega-3 are found in fish and fish oils. One serving of flaxseed contains 2,400mg of omega-3.

Since the benefits are crystal clear, now you can start sprinkling this nutrient packed food into your meals. I most commonly toss it in my homemade yogurt parfaits in the morning. I spoon stoneyfield vanilla yogurt into a bowl with Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal, raspberries, blueberries, and 2 tablesoons of flaxseed. This is a powerful breakfast. You can also toss it in with your cold cereal, blend it in with smoothies, sprinkle onto salads, or incorporate it into any breadcrumb mixture. Although I haven’t done this yet, the next time I make banana pancakes, I will definitely be sprinkling flaxseed into the batter. So yes, flaxseed is an excellent choice.

Flaxseeds produce a vegetable oil, referred to as flaxseed or linseed oil, and you will see this product in your market as well. Flaxseed goes rancid, and without temperature control this can happen pretty quickly, so it is best to just Ziploc it and throw it in the fridge. I hope to have passed the fever onto you by now. When learning of a food so powerful in such a small amount, it is impossible to not encourage consumption. ;)