Flaxseed is much more than a field of blue flowers or a pack of little brown seeds. Wherever it is grown it is primarily prized for its seeds and stem. The stem is where we get the fibre to make linen. The medicinal value comes from the seeds.

The seeds provide one of the richest, most natural forms of Omega-3, which is an essential fatty acid. These cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from our diet. In todays western society we consume high levels of Omega-6 and not enough Omega-3.

These essential fatty acids form the membranes of every one of the billions of cells in our bodies.

They control the way cholesterol works in our system.

These fats play an important role in regulating our cardiovascular, immune, digestive, reproductive and brain functions, inflammation, body heat and calorie burning.

Roasted flaxseed contains 8-10% more Omega-3 than unroasted flaxseed. This is good news for people who don’t eat fish or for those of us who have become increasingly concerned about the environmental toxicity associated with fish.

FIBRE

You will be amazed at how much fibre these little seeds contain. A ¼ cup of ground flaxseed contains 6 grams of fibre. It contains a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibre. The soluble fibre dissolves in water and has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. The insoluble fibre or “roughage” as its better known helps prevent constipation. Both provide important health benefits.

LIGNANS

Lignans are phytoestrogens -or plant compounds, which are similar to the human hormone estrogen. When you eat lignans, bacteria in the digestive tract convert them into estrogen -like substances, which are thought to have anti-tumour effects. Lignans and other flax seed components may also have antioxidant properties, that is they may reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals.

Flaxseed is one of the richest sources of lignans containing 100 times more than other plant sources.

Roasted Flaxseed does not need to be ground. It is very easy to chew and easily breaks down in the mouth especially in comparison to unroasted flaxseed however, roasted flaxseed cab be purchased in a milled form if one so chooses