What is Flax Seed?

Cultivated as early as three thousand B.C. in Babylon, flax seed was believed to have amazing benefits to health by King Charlemagne. In fact, he passed a law that required its consumption by his subjects. Thirteen centuries in the future, experts state that we have evidence to back up what the kind had suspected.

These days, flax seed is found in frozen waffles, crackers and even oatmeal. There has been a new demand for it by the public. Also, its use agriculturally has also increased. Flax seed is used for feeding all those egg-laying chickens that end up with higher levels of the fatty acid omega-3. With all its healthy qualities, there are three that actually stand out.

The first outstanding quality is its fiber. It contains both insoluble and soluble fiber. Next, flax seed contains up to eight hundred more lignans than other plant-derived food. What are lignans, you might ask? These have both plant antioxidant and plant estrogen characteristics and are contained in plants. The third outstanding quality is the essential fatty acid omega 3 content that flaxseed has. These have been proven to have great effects for heart health. Each ground flaxseed tablespoon contains almost two grams of omega-3s derived from plants.

Is flax seed the newest superfood? It turns out that flax seed may help fight breast cancer, diabetes and help fight heart disease. Some have even used the term that it is the planet’s most powerful food. There is proof that it helps in reducing your risk of stroke, cancer and heart disease. For such a tiny seed, this is quite a huge accomplishment. The funny thing is, it has been around for centuries.

Are They Nuts?

Flax seeds may look like nuts but they are not. Instead, these nutty, shiny seeds have an earth-like aroma and tremendous benefits to health. A little helping is enough to get all the benefits this superfood offers. If not chewed correctly, you won’t get the benefits of flax seed so proper chewing of the crunchy, hard covering is recommended. Many people soak the seeds before eating them or put the through the food processor and mix them into oatmeal.

Derived from the flax plant, flax seed also yields linen fabric fibers. In addition, you can also get flaxseed oil from the flax plant, sold in both food grade and industrial forms. When you shop for flaxseeds, you might see that there are both brown and golden varieties. Both have a lightly nutty taste but there is a more earthy flavor in the brown flaxseed. You need to grind it before you eat it, since your body will have a hard time breaking down the seed eaten whole. You can also purchase bags of flaxseed meal that is pre-ground if you want something more convenient and time-saving. Use up your supply of flaxseed quickly since these can get rancid after you open the pack. Bottle flax seed oil is another way to get your fill of flax.