Linseed ( Linum usitatissimum ), also known as the linseed, is a small seed with oil and originated from the Middle East thousands of years ago.
Recently they have become popular as a healthy food. This is because they contain high levels of omega-3 fats, fiber and plant compounds that few species have .
Flax seeds provide health benefits such as improving digestive function and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
It is not difficult to incorporate them into the daily diet. Grind is the best way to take advantage of all the health benefits it brings.
Here is a picture of flax seeds:
Nutritional value
Flax seeds contain 534 calories / 100 grams, similar to 1 tablespoon (10 grams) containing 55 calories .
They include 42% fat, 29% carb , 18% protein.
The following table shows all the information about nutritional value in flax seeds .
| Amount | |
| Calories | 534 |
| Country | 7% |
| The protein | 18.3 g |
| Carb | 28.9 g |
| Street | 1.6 g |
| Fiber | 27.3 g |
| Fat | 42.2 g |
| Saturation | 3.66 g |
| Unsaturated single | 7.53 g |
| Do not produce cholesterol | 28.73 g |
| Omega-3 | 22.81 g |
| Omega-6 | 5.9 g |
| Trans fat | ~ |
Carb and fiber
Flax seeds account for 29% of carb and unexpectedly high fiber content is 95%.
Every 100 grams of seeds provide 1.5 grams of digestible carb. Therefore flax seed is one Friendly food contains relatively low carb .
Two tablespoons flax seeds for 6 grams of fiber. This amount is approximately 15% for women and 25% for men the recommended amount of fiber for a day .
Fiber content includes the following :
- 20-40% soluble fiber (beneficial).
- 60-80% insoluble fiber (cellulose and lignin).
Soluble fiber works to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol. It also promotes digestive health by feeding beneficial bacteria in the digestive system .
When exposed to water, flaxseed mucus becomes very thick. This substance combined with insoluble fiber makes flax seed become a natural drug with a laxative effect.
Consumption of flax seeds helps promote regular digestion, prevents constipation and reduces the risk of diabetes .
Conclude: Most (95%) carb in flax seed is soluble and insoluble fiber. Flaxseed is a natural digestive medicine and has the effect of promoting regular digestion.
Protein
Flax seeds accounted for 18% the protein . Amino acids of flax seed can compare with amino acids found in soybeans.
Although they contain essential amino acids, they lack lysine amino acids.
Therefore they cannot become the only source of protein in our diet .
However, flax seeds also contain high levels of arginine and glutamine. Both of these substances are important in preventing heart disease and supporting the immune system .
Flax protein provides resistance to fungal infections, high blood, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and inflammation .
Conclude: Flax seeds contain amino acids and essential proteins. It can also prevent heart disease and support the immune system's function.
Fat
Flax seeds contain 42% fat . For every 10 grams of tablespoons of seeds give 4.3 grams of fat.
Fat content includes :
- 73% of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-6 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic omega-3 fatty acids (ALA).
- 27% of monounsaturated and saturated fat.
Flaxseed is one of the most nutritious sources of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact they only lost each chia seeds .
ALA is an extremely important fatty acid that our bodies cannot produce. So we need to load from the food we eat.
Flax seeds provide the most ALA, followed by milled flax seeds. Use in whole grains will take advantage of the least amount of ALA because the oil is hidden inside the grain structure of the grain .
Because of its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed is used to regulate omega-6 content lower than omega-3. The lower omega-6 ratio of omega-3 fatty acids will reduce the risk of many different chronic diseases .
However, flax seeds do not provide as much omega-3 as fish oil. ALA in flax seeds will be converted into EPA and DHA in the body. This process is often ineffective .
There is a less nutritious flax seed than normal flax seed, which is yellow flax seed, often called "solin." -3 more .
Conclude: Flaxseed carries a lot of fatty acids and is one of the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids and is good for cardiovascular.
Vitamins and minerals
- Vitamin B1: This vitamin is also called thiamine. Vitamin B1 is necessary for normal metabolism and function of the nervous system.
- Copper: is a mineral necessary for body growth and development and many other functions within the body .
- Molybdenum: Flax seeds are rich in molybdenum. This is an essential mineral found in nuts, grains and beans .
- Ma: is a mineral that plays an important role in many bodily functions. This mineral is found in many grains, seeds, beans and green leafy vegetables .
- Phosphorus: This mineral contributes to the maintenance of tissue and bone health. Often found in the High protein foods .
Conclude: Flax seed is a source of vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health including vitamin B1, copper, molybdenum, magnesium and phosphorus.
Other compounds
Flax seeds also contain some of the following beneficial plant compounds:
- P-coumaric acid: Polyphenols are one of the main antioxidants found in flax seeds.
- Ferulic acid: This antioxidant can prevent the formation of some chronic diseases .
- Cyganogenic glycoside: This substance can help form compounds called thiocyanates inside the body. May lead to impaired thyroid function in some people.
- Phytosterols: This substance is linked to cholesterol, phytosterols found in plant membranes. It has been shown to lower cholesterol in the body .
- Lignan: Lignan is present in most plants, acts as an antioxidant and is similar to phytoestrogens. Flax seed is a source of nutrition that provides the largest lignan. Contains lignan 800 times higher than other foods .
Brown flax seeds have a slightly higher antioxidant content than yellow flax seeds .
Conclude: Flax seeds carrying many plant compounds include p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, glycosid cyanogenic, phytosterol and lignan.
Lignan
Flaxseed is the most lignan rich source known in the diet and has the same nutritional functions as phytoestrogen .
Phytoestrogen is a plant compound similar to estrogen hormone in women. This type has a strong estrogenic property and its antioxidant capacity .
They have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and metabolic syndrome resulting from reduced blood fat and glucose levels.
Phytoestrogen also works to lower blood sugar and reduce oxidative imbalance and inflammation inside arteries .
Lignan is fermented by bacteria in the digestive system and it is able to reduce the development of some cancers. Especially cancer related to hormone sensitivity such as breast cancer, uterine cancer and prostate .
Conclude: Lignan is also known as phytoestrogen. They are estrogen-like antioxidants and have many cardiovascular health benefits, as well as metabolic syndrome and some hormone-sensitive cancers.
Weight loss
Flaxseed may become a useful part of the diet weight loss .
They contain soluble fibers and become highly sticky to contact with water.
This fiber has been shown to be effective in preventing hunger and appetite, so it has the ability to promote weight loss .
One study has shown that flaxseed used in diets reduces the signs of inflammation by 25-46% compared to diets without flax seeds .
Conclude: Flax seeds contain soluble fibers. It can help with weight loss by reducing hunger and appetite.
Beneficial for cardiovascular health
Cholesterol in the blood
High blood cholesterol is one of the most common risk factors for heart disease. Especially when LDL cholesterol is oxidized .
Studies on humans have shown that using flaxseed or flaxseed oil daily can reduce blood cholesterol by 6-11%.
Studies have also shown that LDL levels drop by 9-18% .
This has been confirmed by studies in animals that flaxseed has the effect of lowering cholesterol levels and improving fat content in the blood .
Flaxseed will be helpful when used in conjunction with cholesterol-lowering drugs. In a 12-month study, cold grains reduced 8.5% of LDL cholesterol when compared to people who did not use flax seeds .
The use of cholesterol lowering is due to the high content of fiber and ligan found in flaxseed.
Fiber and lignan bind to the cholesterol inside the kidney and transport them to the gastrointestinal tract. This helps reduce cholesterol in the body .
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 acid is extremely important. They bring many benefits to the heart in different respects. Includes platelet function, inflammation and blood pressure.
Flax seeds provide large quantities of alpha-linolenic omega-3 fatty acids (ALA).
They have been shown to help reduce cardiovascular risk through animal studies by reducing inflammation inside the arteries .
Several studies have linked ALA to lowering the risk of stroke, heart attack and chronic kidney disease. These studies have shown that ALA reduced the mortality rate suddenly to 73% when compared to those who loaded less ALA .
In a study with heart disease patients who were given 2.9 grams of ALA daily for a year, it was found that patients given this ALA supplement significantly reduced mortality and heart attack rates compared to those with people not using ALA .
It appears that plant-derived ALA fatty acids are similar in heart health to fish oil - foods rich in EPA and DHA .
Blood pressure
Flaxseed works to lower blood pressure more than any other food .
In a 6-month study for those with high blood pressure, their systolic blood pressure (SBP) was reduced by 10 mmHg and in the same study diastolic pressure (DBP) decreased by 7mmHG.
Patients in the study with SBP greater than 140 mmHg decreased to 15mmHg and a 7 mmHg reduction in DBP was also recorded .
Each reduction of 5 mmHg SBP and 2- 5 mmHg DBP reduced the risk of stroke by 11-13%. Reduce the risk of heart disease by 34% .
Conclude: Flaxseed may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by lowering blood pressure, controlling blood cholesterol levels and increasing heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.
Other health benefits that flax seeds bring
Flax seeds have been shown to have many benefits for human health.
Health of the digestive system
Diarrhea, constipation can cause more severe and even loss of life.
About 2-7% of people in the United States suffer from chronic diarrhea, while recurrent constipation affects 12 to 19% of the population. This figure in Europe is 27% and women are twice as likely to risk men .
Some studies have actually found that flax seeds help prevent diarrhea and constipation .
The fiber in flax seeds increases the amount of waste in the digestive system, thus reducing constipation and laxative .
It is said that soluble fibers bind to water inside the digestive tract. This causes the fiber to expand and increase the amount of waste, thus preventing diarrhea .
Diabetes
According to the World Health Organization, one out of 10 adults has diabetes in 2012 .
For people with type 2 diabetes, many studies show that adding 10-12 grams of flaxseed daily for 1-2 months can reduce blood sugar by 19.7% .
However, not all studies found that cold granules are effective in regulating blood sugar and insulin content .
Although the relationship between flax and type 2 diabetes is still unclear, they are considered a safe and healthy diet supplement for people with type 2 diabetes .
Cancer
In vitro and animal studies have shown that flaxseed can prevent the formation of certain types of cancer such as colon cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, and lung cancer .
Increased levels of sex hormones are associated with an increased risk of some cancers . Flaxseed can significantly reduce sex hormones in obese women and reduce the risk of breast cancer .
Using flax seeds also shows its ability to fight prostate cancer .
Conclude: Flaxseed can improve the digestive system by reducing diarrhea and constipation. They can also reduce blood sugar in people with diabetes and reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Some side effects and concerns of some people
The body absorbs flaxseed seeds better and rarely causes allergies .
However, you should drink plenty of water when eating these nuts.
Cyanogenic Glycosides
Natural flax seeds carry in themselves plant compounds called glycosidec cyanogenic. This substance can bind to sulfur in the body to produce thiocyanates.
Excess thiocyanate in the body can impair thyroid function .
Moderate intake does not cause adverse effects in normal healthy people. However, people with thyroid problems should consider to avoid using flax seeds in large quantities .
The allowed amount is about 50 grams per day (5 tablespoons) for healthy people. High use may cause side effects, and may lead to poisoning in some cases .
Phytic acid
Like other seeds, flaxseed provides phytic acid.
Phytic acid is commonly known as anti-nutritive because it has the ability to reduce the absorption of minerals such as iron and zinc .
However, phytic acid only reduces the ability to absorb minerals during a meal, and does not affect any subsequent meals.
Therefore, this is not a major concern except those who are lacking in minerals such as iron.
Digestive problems
For those who are not accustomed to eating a lot of fiber, using it in combination with the flaxseed dose in the required amount can cause a small digestive problem. This includes flatulence, miasma, abdominal pain and nausea.
It is best to start with a small amount and slowly increase to one or two tablespoons each day.
Adding flax seeds to the diet may also be a way to increase the frequency of intestinal activity, because flax seeds are one of the natural laxatives.
Risks during pregnancy
Although there are limitations in human studies on this topic, many health experts fear that linen consumption during pregnancy may have unwanted effects.
This is because phytoestrogens in flaxseed work similarly to the estrogen hormone in women
Animal studies show that flaxseed and lignan contained in flaxseed can reduce the weight of newborns and affect the development of reproductive organs of the next generation. Especially if used in the early stages of pregnancy .
It is still not certain whether using small amounts causes disadvantages. However, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, use and other food sources that contain phytoestrogen should be limited. Includes some products made from soybeans.
Bloody
Omega-3 fatty acids make your blood become thin .
If you are taking blood disorder or blood thinners or other medicines, consult your doctor before adding a large amount of flax to the diet .
Conclude: Flaxseed can cause mild digestive problems. Because they contain plant compounds that can cause adverse effects to some people, they can thin the blood. This affects some medications.
Summary
Flaxseed has become a favorite seed due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and other plant compounds. They also bring many health benefits.
They have been shown a range of risk factors as well as related to improving both physical and mental health.
Adding flax seeds to your diet is also a great way to add fiber.
