Flaxseed Health Benefits

Flaxseed, or Linseed has many, many health benefits. For a start, it is one of the most beneficial foods for preventing heart disease.  But just take a look at the list of flaxseed health benefits below……

Linseed oil, now more commonly known as flaxseed oil, has been used for centuries in the palette of the artist, but it is only fairly recently that flaxseed, or linseed, has become widely used in other palettes:  it is now recognised in westernised countries for its valuable health giving properties and used as  a health-giving addition to the diet by many people all over the world.

  • Ground linseed, or flaxseed is beneficial to the heart.
  • Linseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids which help to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body.
  • Flaxseed taken daily helps  reduces the incidence of stroke, blood clots, and heart disease.
  • It helps prevent atherosclerosis.
  • It increases the metabolic rate of the heart muscle.
  • It is regarded as a cancer preventative and as a beneficial addition to the diet for those who have cancer. This is because the omega-3 fatty acids have an effect on the body’s manufacture of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are necessary, but if you produce too many, then this can lead to tumour growth. Linseed regulates the prostaglandin making process.
  • Another of the flaxseed health benefits is that it acts as an antioxidant.  This helps the heart, helps prevent cancer and other disease, and improves your immune system.
  • It is beneficial to the kidneys
  • Flaxseed in the daily diet has been known to  help lupus sufferers to restore their kidney function.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed or linseed help the nervous system to stay healthy and function well.
  • Flaxseed is good brain food:  Omega-3  fatty acids in flaxseed  have a valuable effect on the nerves, and well nourished nerves help you to maintain good vision and an alert brain.
  • High Fiber: Flaxseed, either ground or whole,  provides great fiber for your intestines.  High fiber in the diet definitely reduces the risk of getting colon cancer. High fiber also keeps cholesterol levels balanced and keeps your intestines clean of effete matter.
  • Another flaxseed health benefit is that it improves the skin.  It sometimes works to heal long-term skin conditions like psoriasis,  eczema and acne, when other treatments seem to fail.  This is partly due to the better functioning of the bowel when flaxseed is included. An application of flaxseed oil, used externally on the skin, has been effective in treating some skin conditions, as well as taking the ground flaxseed in the diet daily.
  • It is helpful to the growth of the hair.  Taking flaxseed every day in the diet will help you regrow hair and improve your skin, bone and nail tissue.

Note: The flaxseed, or linseed must be ground up in your blender, or coffee grinder for it to be truly efficacious.  Taking whole linseed provides good fiber for the intestines,  for sure, but you get more nutrients  and oils out of the seeds when they are ground.

See merrilyn’s post entitled Gluten Free Banana Bread for a nutritious banana bread with added flaxseed.