{"id":983,"date":"2018-01-07T04:27:53","date_gmt":"2018-01-07T11:27:53","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2018-01-07T15:47:15","modified_gmt":"2018-01-07T22:47:15","slug":"flax-seeds-benefits-and-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/articles\/flax-seeds-benefits-and-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"Flax Seeds: Benefits and Risks (yes, risks!)"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are no “magic bullets,” but there are healthy ingredients that make a difference in your diet.\u00a0 Flax seed is one such ingredient in my pantry, as well as\u00a0flax seed oil. I love the flavor of the oil and it gives a twist to the old stand-by recipes, like in this Flax Oil Pesto<\/a>!\u00a0 The seeds are a staple in my breads <\/a>and sometimes my casserole dishes too.\u00a0 I always put it in my granola, crackers and have even experimented with it in cookies.\u00a0 It\u2019s versatility and health benefits can be found on practically any and every website touting nutrition or baking.\u00a0 Since I tout both, this is my contribution.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Being a lover of flax and hearing the many tales of its healing properties,\u00a0 imagine my surprise when I read the following on a package label: Raw flax (also known as linseed) seeds contain a cyanogenic glycoside which is toxic if consumed in large quantities (20-30 tablespoons per day). The cyanogenic glycosides are volatile and will readily dissipate when flax is cooked.<\/em><\/p>\n

I certainly don\u2019t consume it raw as a general rule, and certainly not in those quantities\u2026but why had I never heard this before?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Benefits of Flax Seed<\/h2>\n
\"Gluten-Free<\/a>
Gluten-Free Nacho Pizza: Click pic for recipe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

High Fiber<\/strong>\u2014the seed itself is indigestible, and so used whole, you will benefit from the fiber as it will work as a broom to help sweep everything else out of your system.\u00a0 Be sure to eat it this way with plenty of water, or it can increase constipation instead of solve it.\u00a0 All fiber must be consumed with water!<\/p>\n

Omega 3 Fatty Acids<\/strong>\u2014The American diet generally contains 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. This is another post for another day, but just know that Omega 6 Fatty Acids are very inflammatory whereas Omega 3 Fatty Acids are very anti-inflammatory.\u00a0 Omega 6 Fatty Acids aren\u2019t evil either\u2014they are essential (meaning that your body does not produce them naturally, but you need them through foods) for healthy brain function and to promote normal growth and development. \u201cAlso known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), they help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2011).\u201d Oh, and did you know that Chia Seeds are also a great source for Omega 3 (read more about that<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"Chia<\/a>
Click the Pic to Read:\u00a0 Chia Seeds Nutrition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why hijack a discussion on Omega #3 with the woes of Omega #6?\u00a0 Because you need them in balance<\/em>.\u00a0 Too much of #6 will leave you feeling sore, tired, and might exacerbate diabetes and skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.\u00a0 The Mediterreanean diet balances these two essential acids very well and their historical use of flax is well-documented (throughout the Bible as well as other supportive documentation showing the medicinal and nutritional use of flax in Egypt 3,000 BC).<\/p>\n

Lignans<\/strong>\u2014These are antioxidants that also have some hormonal properties.\u00a0 Doctors sometimes recommend flax as a first line of defense to realign hormones for heat flashes, menopause, and other times of hormonal imbalance.\u00a0 Some recommend abstaining from flax during pregnancy or breastfeeding; others recommend it.\u00a0 Please consult your physician prior to use during these times.\u00a0<\/strong> Flaxseed contains 75-800 times more lignans than other plant foods (Magee, 2005).<\/p>\n

Chronic Disease Preventative (Cancer and Heart Disease)<\/strong>\u2014As for the cancer, flax seed hits it hard from two directions: the lignans have been shown in studies to prevent breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer;\u00a0 ALA, the Omega 3 acid found within flax seed, inhibits tumor occurrence and growth (Magee, 2005; Thompson, 1996).\u00a0\u00a0 As for the Heart Disease, flax seed hits it hard from two different directions as well: the amino acid groups and the omega 3 work together to lower blood pressure and regulate the heartbeat.\u00a0 Some studies show that it can prevent the hardening of the arteries and eliminate the deposit of plaque (Magee, 2005).<\/p>\n

Flax Seed Risks<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Frontier<\/a>It is recommended that you seek the advice of your physician before adding flax to your diet if you: 1) are pregnant or lactating, 2) taking medications for diabetes, a heart-related disease, blood pressure medication, or hormonal supplements.\u00a0\u00a0 It can thin the blood<\/em> and so those who already take blood thinners or have related conditions should first seek medical advice.<\/p>\n

As for the cyanogenic glycoside\u2026yes, I was able to confirm this beyond the label (Shahidi, F., 1997; Thompson, L., 2003, pgs 24-27). \u00a0It is a form of cyanide just like that you would find in the pit of some of your favorite fruits; it\u2019s purpose is as a defense mechanism.\u00a0 \u00a0However, the taste of the seeds would prevent this type of raw indulgence and this property is quickly released through heat.\u00a0 A few raw seeds will not accumulate to detectible levels and people have been eating flax since the beginning of time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Remember, there is no miracle drug and all things in life require moderation (as Julia Child once said…even moderation in moderation).\u00a0 We must use caution before we villainize one nutrient (such as Omega 6, for instance) or saint another.\u00a0 But as for flax, it\u2019s on my short-list for nearly perfect foods!<\/p>\n

\"Benefits<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

References:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Magee, E. 2005.\u00a0 \u201cThe Benefits of Flax Seed.\u201d\u00a0 Retrieved at: http:\/\/www.webmd.com\/diet\/features\/benefits-of-flaxseed<\/a><\/p>\n

Shahidi, F., 1997.\u00a0 Antinutrients and Phytochemicals in Food , Chapter: Cyanogenic Glycosides of Flaxseeds.\u00a0 American Chemical Society.<\/p>\n

Thompson, L., 2003. Flaxseed in human nutrition.\u00a0 Taylor and Francis.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Thompson, Rickard, Orcheson, and Seidl, 1996. \u201cFlaxseed and its lignan and oil components reduce mammary tumor growth at a late stage of carcinogenesis.\u201d Carcinogenesis. Retrieved at: http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/8681458<\/a><\/p>\n

University of Maryland Medical Center, 2011. \u201cFlax Seed: Overview\u201d.\u00a0 Retrieved at:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.umm.edu\/altmed\/articles\/omega-6-000317.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Note: I am not a medical professional.\u00a0 I hope to inform, and encourage anyone with questions regarding personal health to seek a trained medical professional.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are no “magic bullets,” but there are healthy ingredients that make a difference in your diet.\u00a0 Flax seed is one such ingredient in my pantry, as well as\u00a0flax seed oil. I love the flavor of the oil and it gives a twist to the old stand-by recipes, like in this Flax Oil Pesto!\u00a0 The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6756,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[53],"tags":[538,539],"yst_prominent_words":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/Flax-Seeds-Benefits-and-Risks.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Fvks-fR","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/983"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/983\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=983"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}