Flax Seed
Take the vitamins and minerals of a grain, combine the fiber of bran cereal, the antioxidants of a cranberry, and the omega 3 fatty acids of a salmon, what do you get? You get an amazingly nutritious but unfortunately non-existent superfood. Don’t worry though, Mother Nature has provided us with something almost as good… the tiny, yet mighty flax seed which, in addition to being packed with nutrients, is also, yep! you guessed it – very low carb!
What exactly are Flax seeds?
Humans have been enjoying the health benefits of flax seeds for thousands of years, but in recent times they have slipped out of mainstream use and now don’t feature so prominently in the typical western diet. They are seeds harvested from two basic varieties of flax: Golden and Brown. The US produces more Golden Flax than Brown Flax, however Canada, which is the world leader in flax production, specializes in Brown Flax. Both flax varieties are equally nutritious.
Flax seeds are slightly larger than sesame seeds, and are crunchy when eaten whole, though you should grind them up before eating them, as this allows your body to absorb their nutrients – whole seeds will pass through your body undigested. According to Wikipedia, flax seed contains about 18% protein, 42% fat, and 29% carbohydrate. However, 95% of the carbohydrate content is dietary fiber (which is not digested) , so flax seed in fact contains only 5% effective carbohydrate!
How nutritious are they?
Flax seeds contain a range of beneficial vitamins and minerals: magnesium, folate, copper phosphorus, vitamin b6 and in particular manganese. But flax seed is most prized for its high concentration of 3 other important nutrients: Alpha-linolenic acid, fiber, and phytochemicals.
Alpha-linolenic acid
Flax seed is the most potent known plant source of the omega 3 fatty acid known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is essential for human health and cannot be produced in the body so we must acquire it through our diet.
Consumption of ALA has been linked in studies to lower risk of cardiovascular disease. It is also useful because our bodies can turn it into another very important and essential omega 3 fatty acid: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), found in the fatty oils of cold water fish such as salmon and tuna. Omega 3 fatty acids are associated with a range of health benefits, from lowering cholesterol and regulating blood pressure, to increased vitality and better skin and hair. While the results of research into these benefits can be conflicting, a consistent finding is that Omega 3 fatty acids help to lower inflammation in the body, which ameliorates conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and even some cancers.
It’s worth noting that different people have different abilities to convert ALA into EPA so its probably wise to take omega 3 oil supplements, in addition to consuming flax seeds, if you are wish to ensure you are getting enough omega 3 in your diet.
Fiber
Whole flax seed (as opposed to flax seed oil) contains about 28% dietary fiber, of which 7-10% is soluble, and 11 to 18% is insoluble. According to Wikipedia, both types of fiber are important in our diets. Soluble fiber is believed to help lower cholesterol and therefore reduce the risk of heart disease. It helps to regulate blood sugar levels, and may even reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Insoluble fiber has a bulking action as it passes through the body, and can help to prevent constipation.
Ironically, the presence of so much soluble fiber in Flax seed means you need to drink a lot of water with it could actually cause constipation. This is especially true if you are not used to a high fiber diet. Also, the high fiber load of flax seed may interfere with the effectiveness of some oral medications, so make sure you do not take these things at the same time.
Lignans
Lignans are a type of phytoestrogen (chemicals found in plants that have similar properties to the female hormone estrogen). While they don’t necessarily have any benefits for men, they are not harmful in any way either, and have important benefits for women. The lignans in flax seed are broken down in the intestines to produce substances which promote a normal hormonal balance. This can have benefits for middle aged women (35 to 55) experiencing peri-menopausal symptoms such as irregular menstrual cycles, headaches, sleep difficulties, fluid retention, anxiety, irritability and mood swings. Importantly, lignans may also offer protection against breast cancer.
As you see, there are plenty of benefits to eating flax seeds, aside from the fact that they’re low carb and delicious 
We’ll look at different ways to include flax seed in you diet in a further post.
