Wednesday 19 February 2014

Health Benefits of Flaxseed

Hello!

It's been a long time since I've done one of these, and since I had this on my peanut butter toast this morning, I was wandering why exactly these little Flaxseeds were actually meant to be so good for you, and to my surprise, there are more health benefits than I had thought! 

If you don't know what Flaxseeds are, they are basically seed like sunflower seeds, chia seeds etc. They are also called Linseeds, which is what they're called in England.

Flaxseeds are getting more and more well known recently and many people add them to many different meals and snacks… but what is the big deal about these teeny tiny seeds?

- Very High Fibre Content, hence lowering bad cholesterol, stabilise blood sugar, help proper functioning of intestines.

- Source of Antioxidants, these are also very good and also helps to balance female hormones

- Has healthy Omega-3 Fatty Acids, this reducing inflammation, prevents heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and some cancers - by blocking enzymes that are involved in hormone metabolism and interfering with the growth and spread of tumour cells

- Also a source of B Vitamins, Magnesium and Manganese

Some call it the 'most powerful plant foods on the planet', and clearly these benefits are the reason why!  However, be aware that Flaxseed Oil doesn't contain the fibre nor phytochemicals (antioxidants) of the whole flax seed. In addition the benefits of the flax is easily damaged by heat and oxidations, so be aware to store in a dark, dry place.

You can eat them sprinkled on yogurt, on cereal, porridge, shakes, cereal bars, juice, baking (flaxseed muffins), pb toast like I did or even find them in seeded bread!

Have you tried Flaxseed? If so, what do you eat them with/on? 
sources: image, info, info
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