Flaxseed warms the human body. The seeds need to be eaten as a ground meal. If eaten whole, flaxseed is not digested by the body. But if ground and taken daily with water, flaxseed provides the appropriate amounts of fiber to keep your digestive system working, as long as you keep your fluid intake high.
Flax is well known for its cholesterol-reducing properties. A couple of spoonfuls of ground flaxseed provides the short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are generally present in fish oil. If you rarely eat omega-3’s you’ll be missing out on the benefits of lower cholesterol and beautiful skin.
Flaxseed is another way to get nutrition for pescatarians. Eaten in combination with nuts and fish, flaxseed can be a great help. The alpha-Linolenic acid—an omega-3 fatty acid—helps reduce the inflammations that can contribute to chronic heart ailments, arthritis, asthma, and diabetes. It can even help guard your body against colon cancer.
The high amount of fiber in ground flaxseed is responsible for its cholesterol-lowering effects. High fiber diets help you feel full, so you tend to eat a little less. In turn, this can stabilize your blood sugar and help your intestines function well.
To me, antioxidants and phytochemicals spell an advertisement for an anti-aging cream. Flaxseed contains lignans—a type of phytoestrogen—which work in our intestines and convert to become substances that balance out hormones in women. These have been proven to promote fertility, reduce the risk of breast cancer, and reduce the symptoms of menopause.
