Ten Incredible Benefits of Flax Seeds

The chances are you may not have heard about flax seeds. Though the interest in them is renewed, they were used even by the ancient civilization of China and India. Filled with incredible antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acid, fiber, etc; they have valuable health benefits to offer; earning them the nickname of Linum usitatissimum which means “the most useful”. Here, some of the most incredible of these health benefits are discussed:

Top 10 Incredible Health Benefits of Flax Seeds

Let us get started:

1. Good for the heart

The first and one of the most important benefits of flax seeds is that they offer a natural way of reducing the bad LDL cholesterol by almost 20%. The consumption of a mere 3 tablespoons of flax seeds can bring a significant reduction. Reduced cholesterol will mean a reduced risk of heart disease. Another way, flax seeds can help one with heart problems is by assisting in weight loss. Being rich in plant fiber, they can substitute the calories in the diet while making one feel full longer.

2. Can help fight diabetes

Another benefit of flax seeds relates to the people likely to get type-2 diabetes. Flax seeds can help them avoid this disease. A single tablespoon of these seeds taken will increase the absorption of sugar in the blood. It also helps by helping to reduce weight by cutting back on calories as mentioned above.

3. Helps against Hypertension

Much like obesity, diabetes, and heart problem; hypertension is another common disease around the world that has seen an increased occurrence due to the modern fast food lifestyle. A major cause of higher blood pressure is reduced elasticity in arteries. Flax seeds can help with that too. They can increase the elasticity of arteries.

3. Reduce inflammation

Omega-2 fatty acids, other fatty acids, and antioxidants present in flax seeds offer another valuable health benefit – against inflammation. They offer valuable relief against joint pain and can help lessen stiffness by lubricating joins. They are thus a crucial source of relief for people with inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or those who may have suffered some injuries.

4. May help with menopause

Menopause in women is a period of hard transition that can be accompanied by hot flashes. These hot flashes result from hormonal changes in their bodies. Lignans present in flax seeds can help ease the discomfort caused by hot flashes.

5. Helps in preventing Cancer

Omega-3 fatty acids present in flax seeds have great cancer-resistance properties. Lignans and other anti-oxidants have a role to play too. Scientific research agrees on this benefit of flax seeds. There are proven anti-cancer properties in flax seeds when it comes to colon, prostate, and breast cancer

5. Skin health and Anti-ageing properties

Due to stress, bad sleep habits, and other evils of the modern lifestyle, human skin starts aging prematurely growing bumpy, itchy, wrinkled, and showing fine lines. Using a flax seeds-based face pack can help avoid that. One can even make a DIY (Do It Yourself) pack at home – see frequently asked questions for details. That can also help avoid skin problems like rashes, irritation, redness, etc. A few drops of flax seeds oil can also be applied to the skin to tighten it. Flax seeds are also capable of reducing the harmful effects of radiation on the skin.

6. Hair Health

Flax seeds offer valuable health benefits when it comes to hair health as well. Two of these are fighting dandruff and male baldness. Dandruff is a common problem in teenagers and middle-aged people made worse by stress. Dandruff is the dead skin cells from the scalp – they are extremely high in some individuals causing problems like itching, irritation, and dandruff. The problem can be easily avoided by using flax seeds oil regularly.

Male baldness is another hair-related problem – which often leads to lower confidence among men. The problem can be avoided to a great extent by using powdered flax seed or flax seed oil on hair. That shall reduce hair breakage by increasing hair elasticity.

7. Fights depression and anxiety

While more research needs to be carried out on this head, the omega-3 acids and lignans present in flax seeds offer another amazing health benefit – they can help reduce depression and anxiety when consumed regularly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

There are several questions people ask that relate to flax seeds. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) on this subject:

Question: What are some of the things to be kept in mind while eating flax seeds?

Answer: The following things must be kept in mind while eating flax seeds:

• It is best to eat flax seeds rather than consuming them in the form of oil or pills. No more than 1 or 2 tablespoons of flax seeds should be consumed – at least to begin with.
• If the reader has sensitive health, a preexisting health condition, or is on medication, they should consult a physician before making changes in their diets.
• Breastfeeding or pregnant women should not consume flax seeds without explicit approval from their pediatricians.
• Daily consumption of flax seeds may lead to side effects like bloating, abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, etc. in some people and the dose may have to be adjusted accordingly.
• The above discussion is generic and may not apply to every specific case.

Question: How to make a face pack using flaxseeds?

Answer: Take the following steps:

• First, grind about half a teaspoon of flax seeds
• Mix the powders in one teaspoon of honey
• Add the mixture thus formed to a cup of yogurt
• Mix the ingredients thoroughly
• Apply the solution thus formed over face and neck
• Leave it for 30 minutes
• Rinse it off with cold water

Question: What are Lignans? What are their benefits?

Answer: Lignans are estrogens found in plant-based foods including flax seeds. They have antioxidant and therapeutic benefits, especially for women who experience menopause.

If the reader has any other questions, they should feel free to ask them in the comments below.

The Bottom Line

One can easily wrap up the above discussion by concluding that flax seeds offer valuable health benefits and it is a smart choice to supplement one’s diet with them.