I don’t believe in one food that does it all.
We hear a lot of extreme messages from the media that sound like “Eat this super food, it’ll make all your problems go away!”
But the reality is that no food acts alone.
All foods act and react together. And the environment and the body itself are also part of this reaction.
However, each food offers unique benefits and flax is one that I want to highlight.
So I’m going to give you the facts on flax 🙂
In the past few years, flax has shown up on the scene, but what’s all the excitement about?
Well, flax isn’t new.
Actually I discovered that we’ve been using flax in all sorts of applications from making linen to linoleum.
It even used to be a big part of our diet way back when (well, actually not that far back).
However, due to the importance of animal feed, crops of corn and soy took over much of that land.
But nowadays, flax is making a come back, and Canada is now one of the highest producers of flax in the world.
There are two main reasons why flax has gained popularity as a food in recent years: Essential fatty acids and fiber.
Flax has both.
Let’s start with the essentials…
Essential fatty acids
Flax seeds are actually made up of 40% oil by weight.
And the oil from flax seeds is made up of essential fatty acids, essential meaning our body doesn’t make them so we have to get them through food.
The two types of essential fatty acids we need are omega-3 and omega-6.
We should be getting them in equal proportion, but in fact we take in 20 times the amount of omega-6 compared to omega-3.
That’s because omega-6 comes from vegetable oils, corn oil, and soybean oil… Which we get plenty of thanks to processed food.
However, flaxseed oil is unique.
It has a higher proportion of omega-3 compared to omega-6 fats, and it’s the best plant source there is of omega-3s.
And because of this particular combination, it offers benefits such as increasing metabolism which is positive for weight loss (I’m thinking belly fat), as well as offering some protection against heart disease which becomes a concern as we head into menopause.
Now, the omega-3 portion of flaxseed oil (sometimes called linseed oil) is called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid).
However, ALA is only usable by the body when it’s broken down.
When you take in ALA, it gets broken down into EPA and DHA by your body.
The great thing about EPA and DHA is that in addition to the heart benefits, DHA in particular has been linked to lower incidence of depression, and may offer protection against Alzheimer Disease.
However, if your blood sugar is on the high side, which it may be if you’re eating a typical North American diet, this process of transforming ALA into EPA and DHA isn’t very effective.
As such, flaxseed oil is a good back-up source of omega-3, but the main source should come from fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel,…) where EPA and DHA are readily available.
If fish isn’t your thing, a fish oil supplement could do the trick.
But if you’re vegan or vegetarian, or don’t enjoy the fishy after-taste of fish oil, try an algae oil supplement instead, it’s high in DHA.
Now, onto fiber.
Fiber (and Lignans… what?)
To get the benefit of the fiber, the flax seeds need to be ground in a coffee grinder or purchased already ground.
That’s because, unfortunately, the body doesn’t digest the full seed.
And if you have thyroid issues, be sure to lightly toast your flax seeds first. That will deactivate a compound in the seeds that may have the effect of suppressing the thyroid’s ability to take up iodine, but it won’t affect its omega-3 properties.
So, what are the benefits of the fiber in flax?
Well, if constipation is an issue, flax can be a great help in getting things moving again, and enhance colon health.
But there’s something else that’s very special about the fiber in flax: Lignans.
Lignans are phytoestrogens which actually help balance the excess estrogen in the body.
Remember the estrogen dominance issue I talked about two weeks ago? (If not, take a look a my vlog “Menopause, belly fat, and food.”)
Lignans can help flush out the excess estrogen in the body, making the body more insulin sensitive, and helping to decrease blood sugar.
Of course where there’s lower blood sugar, there’s less tendency to gain body fat.
In addition, lignans can also help with reducing depression, reducing the severity and frequency of hot flashes, and reducing various markers for inflammation in the body.
Pretty amazing!
So, how much flax should you have?
Taking about 1 Tbsp of flaxseed oil, or 2 to 3 Tbsp of ground flax per day should do the trick.
If you’re looking for the benefits of the fiber and lignans, then ground flax is the way to go, in the same dose mentioned above.
Or, optimally, take both and get the benefits of the oil and the fiber.
I suggest pouring the oil or sprinkling the ground flax on your hot morning cereal, in your smoothie, on a salad, or over your steamed vegetables.
And here’s a little baking trick for you vegans and vegetarians: Replace the egg with a mixture of 1 Tbsp of flax and 3 Tbsp of water. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes and voilà! You’ve got a perfect, slimy egg substitute.
See where your imagination takes you!
Now, just one thing to watch out for:
Flaxseed oil goes rancid when exposed to heat or light, so don’t use it for cooking, and make sure it’s stored in a dark, opaque bottle in a cool place.
Are you already using flax daily? Or are you thinking of trying it?
Let me know in the comments below what your experience is with flax, I’d love to here about it!
Also, in case you’re interested, I’ve included the resources about flax that I used to write this blog.
Now, before I go, I also wanted to let you know that on December 11th, I’ll be hosting a free, live webinar called “How to balance your hormones (and lose the belly fat)”
Early next week I’ll be sending out the invite, so I hope you can join me (and I will be recording it, so if you register for it, you’ll get the recording!)
Keep moving forward my friend,
Debbie
P.S. Here are the resources I was telling you about:
“Flax Facts: Omega-3 Fats in Flax and Fish are Similar in Many Ways,” by Dr. Diane H. Morrisby, Flax Council of Canada
“All About Flax,” by Ryan Andrews, Precision Nutrition
“Alpha-linolenic Acid,” PennState Hershey, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Book “Before the Change: Taking Charge of Your Perimenopause,” by Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD
Book “The Wisdom of Menopause,” by Christiane Northrup, M.D.
I’ve been consuming ground flax seeds for years now. I used to grind it myself in a coffee grinder but now I buy it already done at Costco. I use it every morning in my smoothy or porridge and again during the day if I have plain yogurt or on a peanut butter sandwich. I usually add only about 1tbsp but maybe I will add a bit more now.
I sneak it in my baking goods and pancakes.
Thanks Debbie for another very interesting article!