Flaxseeds: The Miracle Food

As a naturopathic doctor, I probably prescribe flaxseeds to a solid 90% of my patients. Flaxseeds are one of those food-as-medicines that seem to be an incredible cure all. During naturopathic medical school as a student intern, if you were on shift and your attending physician was grilling you on what you could give a patient to help with their condition, freshly ground flax was usually a good safety-net answer.

Hormone problems?

Try flax seeds!

High blood pressure?

Flax seeds!

Constipation?

DID I MENTION FLAX SEEDS?!?

So why are naturopathic doctors so obsessed with this little seed, and how do they work to improve our health? First, some background.

Flax (Linum usitatissimum), AKA common flax or linseed, is a food and fiber crop that grows in the cooler regions of the world (think northern India, Russia, Belgium, etc). It is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, with evidence of it being used for food and textiles dating back to 30,000 years ago. The seed, and the seed oil, are the part of the plant that we eat.

Besides having plenty of time to co-evolve with humans, what makes flax seeds so special? For one, they are naturally high in omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, and fiber. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, and an important part of our metabolic processes. As our bodies cannot synthesize omega-3 fatty acids, we have to get them from the foods we eat. Flax seeds are a great vegetarian source of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly ALA (alpha linolenic acid). Numerous studies have linked ALA consumption with a decreased risk for heart disease, stroke and artery inflammation [1, 2, 3].

Lignans are compounds found in plants that our bodies can use as phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are estrogen-like chemicals that can serve as important antioxidants for humans. The great thing about phytoestrogens is that they can be helpful in both low and elevated estrogen states. This is because phytoestrogens sit in estrogen receptors. In states of low estrogen, they can trick your body into thinking that estrogen is present. In states of high estrogen, phytoestrogens sitting in estrogen receptors can block endogenous estrogen (estrogen that your body makes) from binding, therefore antagonizing its activity. In fact, observational studies show that those who eat flax seeds have a lower risk of breast cancer, particularly postmenopausal women [4]. Additionally, according to a Canadian study involving more than 6,000 women, those who ate flax seeds are 18% less likely to develop breast cancer [4].

Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested by our bodies’ enzymes. It is important for keeping our gut and gut bacteria healthy, and helps bulk up stools for regular bowel movements. Just one tablespoon of flax seeds contains 3 grams of fiber, which is 8–12% of the daily-recommended intake for men and women, respectively [5]. Furthermore, flax seeds contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber increases the consistency of the contents of your intestine and slows down your digestion rate, which can help regulate your hunger levels, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Insoluble fiber allows more water to bind to stools, increasing their bulk and resulting in softer stools. This is useful for preventing constipation and can be especially helpful for people who have irritable bowel syndrome or diverticular disease [6].

On top of ALL OF THAT flax seeds also contain a whole host of B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, trace minerals and protein! Want to start incorporating flax seeds into your diet? I recommend starting with a ½ teaspoon of FRESHLY GROUND flax per day (using a coffee grinder or blender works great) and slowly working your way up to 2+ tablespoons per day. It’s important that they are freshly ground so that your body can use the contents of the seed; otherwise, your body cannot break down the seed’s hard outer shell. You can sprinkle the ground seeds on salads, have them in a smoothie, or even just mix them with water and chug it down. If you are going to increase your flax seed consumption, make sure you also increase your water consumption (this goes for all food fiber actually); otherwise, it can cause or worsen constipation.

Also, I recommend against flax seed oil as it can quickly become rancid, and does not give you the fiber and full nutrient-profile benefits of consuming the whole seed.

Curious if flax seeds can be helpful for your health condition? Schedule an appointment with me! Call (952) 377-8450 to set up your free discovery call!

Sources:

[1] Blondeau, N., Lipsky, R. H., Bourourou, M., Duncan, M. W., Gorelick, P. B., & Marini, A. M. (2015). Alpha-linolenic acid: an omega-3 fatty acid with neuroprotective properties-ready for use in the stroke clinic?. BioMed research international, 2015, 519830.

[2] Pan, A., Chen, M., Chowdhury, R., Wu, J. H., Sun, Q., Campos, H., Mozaffarian, D., … Hu, F. B. (2012). α-Linolenic acid and risk of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 96(6), 1262-73.

[3] Ander BP , Weber AR , Rampersad PP , Gilchrist JS , Pierce GN , Lukas A . Dietary flaxseed protects against ventricular fibrillation induced by ischemia-reperfusion in normal and hypercholesterolemic rabbits. J Nutr 134: 3250–3256, 2004.

[4] Parikh M, Pierce G. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2019, 97(2): 75-81, https://doi.org/10.1139/cjpp-2018-0547

[5] Slavin JL. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Volume 108, Issue 10, 1716-1731.

[6]Kajla, P., Sharma, A., & Sood, D. R. (2014). Flaxseed-a potential functional food source. Journal of food science and technology, 52(4), 1857-71.