Benefits of Flaxseed Oil

Benefits of flaxseed oil are remarkable. Flaxseed oil is being referred to as one of the most powerful foods on the plant. It has shown signs of helping to fight heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Flaxseed oil benefits you with three healthy ingredients. These are fiber, lignans, and omega 3 fatty acids. There is often a comparison made, flaxseed oil vs fish oil.


Fiber- Flaxseed oil contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. This benefits you by decreasing your blood pressure, keeping your digestive system running smoothly, and by helping you lose weight .



Omega-3 essential fatty acids- "good" fats that have been shown to benefit your heart. These fatty acids found in flaxseed oil benefits your body and are important in helping it to function, but they cannot be produced by the body. For this reason it is important to have a good source of omega-3 acids which flaxseed oil provides. In some animal studies this Omega-3 has been shown to inhibit tumor growth. It is also suggested that Omega-3 fatty acids aide your cardiovascular system.



Lignans- have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed oil contains 75- 800 times more lignans than other plant foods. One way lignans are important to your body is that they can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer if you are a woman.


Here are some of the minor ingredients and their nutritional benefits.


Mucilage:

-anti-bacterial
-anti-inflammatory
-anti-fungal

Vitamin E:

-heart health
-respiratory health
-helps the brain
-helps blood circulate

Vitamin B:

-benefits metabolism
-reduces risk of some cancers
-helps with skin health

Calcium:

-blood pressure
-bone strength (osteoperosis)

Potassium:

-improves muscle function
-used to treat some kidney problems

Manganese:

-helps to lower blood pressure
-helps the heart
-reduces risk of hearing problems

Magnesium:

-helps metabolism
-helps protein synthesis
-important to muscles

Zinc:

-helps to fight infections
-helps with memory
-good for memory



Now that I have mentioned the specific benefits of each major ingredient in flaxseed oil, here are some of the benefits of flaxseed as a whole:

- Helps lower blood pressure
- Helps lower cholesterol

- Reduces the risk of cancer
- Protects against heart disease
- Aids the growth of hair and nails
- Promotes healthy skin 
- Help relieve constipation 
- Helps reduce acne 

Flaxseed oil has been thought of as an important nutrient provider, and even a "wonder food" throughout history. Flaxseed was even cultivated in 3000 B.C.! Benefits of flaxseed oil include providing you body with omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, and fiber, and flaxseed has been used for thousands of years.