Ask HE: Is Flaxseed Worth the Hype? by Dana Angelo White in Healthy Tips, July 9, 2010
- Whole Flax Seeds
Once a foreign seed found only in remote health food stores, you now see flaxseed everywhere! Should anybody jonesing to eat healthy make flax part of their diet?
Q: You can find flaxseed in foods like breads, cereals, granola bars and crackers (just to name a few). Folks grind it up and add to oatmeal, smoothies and cookie recipes. Now that flax has gone mainstream as a “superfood,” is it worth the hype?
A: You can’t deny the health benefits of this yummy seed but it’s not exactly a cure-all, especially when it comes to the omega-3 fat content.
Flaxseeds are tiny, flattened seeds that are goldish-bronze in color — they resemble sunflower seeds, only smaller. They have a subtle nutty flavor and are available as whole seeds or ground into “meal.” You can also find flaxseed oil for drizzling and in capsules sold as dietary supplements. While the oil is a concentrated source of healthy fats, it doesn’t contain the high amounts of protein or fiber found in the seeds.
One tablespoon of whole seeds has 55 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein and just over 2300 milligrams of alpha-linolenic (ALA), a type of omega-3 fat. The seeds also contain substances called lignans that pack potent antioxidant powers.
There’s no denying that the nutrients in flax are a welcome addition to any healthy diet. All that fiber is good for digestive health and helps lower cholesterol. You’ll find claims that flax products can treat everything from diabetes to breast cancer — at this point, there’s not sufficient evidence to support any of them.
Over 2,000 milligrams of omega-3 fats is certainly appealing but it’s important to know that the ALA type of omega-3’s don’t have the same heart-health benefits as the EPA and DHA types found in fish oil. So you while you’re getting healthy (unsaturated) fats, flax should not be used as a replacement for the omega-3s found in fatty fish like salmon, sardines and tuna.
Bottom Line: Flax is a welcomed addition to your salads, smoothies and cereals for some extra fiber and protein. Don’t rely on it for an adequate dose of certain omega-3 fats or to cure serious diseases.
Read more about omega-3 fats and how much fiber you should be getting.
TELL US: What nutrition question do you have for HE?
Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana’s full bio »
You Might Also Like:
-
More posts from Dana Angelo White.
Hi there, just wanted to say, I enjoyed this blog post.
It was funny. Keep on posting!
Hello! I’ve been reading your site for a long time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Atascocita Texas! Just wanted to say keep up the great work!
you’re in reality a excellent webmaster. The website loading velocity is incredible. It seems that you are doing any distinctive trick. Furthermore, The contents are masterwork. you have done a fantastic task in this matter!
If you want to obtain a good deal from this post then you have to
apply such techniques to your won webpage.
It’s the best time to make some plans for the future and it’s time
to be happy. I’ve learn this post and if I may I wish to counsel you some attention-grabbing issues or advice. Perhaps you can write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more issues about it!
I’m really impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one today.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it.
Look advanced to far added agreeable from you!
However, how could we communicate?
Good way of describing, and fastidious article to take facts concerning my presentation
subject, which i am going to present in school.