When you care about nutrition, you always look for the next thing to add to your nutritional regimen. You fill your diet with whole (that is, unprocessed) foods, especially vegetables, and you steer clear of empty calories, sugary drinks, and processed junk foods. You have your basics covered with supplements that get you the big-name vitamins you know you need, and you know all about superfoods. However, do you take flaxseed? You should, say nutritional experts. Flaxseed, ingested with ease as ground flaxseed mixed into drinks and foods, works wonders for your body and health. Flaxseed is known as a functional food or superfood because it delivers health benefits beyond their traditional nutrient content. The flaxseed provides oil rich essential fatty acids, digestible proteins and lingnans. Flax is one of the richest sources of alpha linolenic acid oil and lingnans therefore it is classified as a functional food.
Flaxseed: an Introduction
Flaxseed is just how it sounds. We mean the seeds of the flax plant, also known as linseed. Long grown both for the seeds and fiber, flax equips its seeds with lots of nutrients to help the future seedling grow. Those same nutrients help us humans, which is why nutritional experts recommend we ingest flaxseed on a regular basis.
We can ingest flaxseed whole or in ground form. Many experts agree that ground flaxseed is the ideal option. It’s easier to digest, and it’s also easy to make a part of your routine. Just mix a little ground flaxseed into your drink, and you’re good to go! Your body will thank you. Here’s what flaxseed does for your body’s most important parts.
Your Heart
When it comes to organs, things don’t get much more important than the heart! Your heart’s continued function keeps you alive. The quality of your heart health has everything to do with your overall health and your ability to use your body to its fullest potential. Heart health is vital, which is why you must watch out for bad fats and cholesterols that can hurt your heart and cause issues like heart disease.
You have omega-3 fatty acids — the “good fats” in your corner. They reduce bad cholesterol and improve the function of your heart. Guess where you can find omega-3 fatty acids? That’s right; in flaxseed. In fact within the entire plant kingdom flax has the greatest amount of omega-3 essential fatty acids.
Your Digestive System
Your body needs fuel to keep going, and that fuel comes from food. However, to process it in the proper fashion, you must rely on your digestive system. When you eat a great diet full of vegetables, your digestive system will benefit. You’ll have solid stools and regular, healthy bowel movements. That’s thanks in a large part to fiber, which vegetables offer in spades. Fiber is key to a regular and healthy digestive system.
You can also find fiber in flaxseed. Adding a bit more fiber to your diet will help ensure that you have the healthy digestive system you need to reap the full benefits of your overall diet. Once again flaxseed is the winner as it leads the entire plant kingdom in available fiber.
Your Cells
Your body is full of diverse organs and systems, but they all have one thing in common. They consist of cells; the basic building-blocks of life, and our body is full of — and built out of — different types of cells. However, like all living things, cells can suffer damage and die. That’s natural, to an extent, but healthier cells can mean a longer, healthier life for human beings. That is why nutritionists love talking about antioxidants, those natural things that can slow or halt cell damage and death.
Flaxseed has antioxidant qualities, which is just one more reason to incorporate this powerful natural functional food into your own nutritional regimen. Make flaxseed a habit. Your body will thank you.
Photo by wuestenigel 