Flaxseed oil is amazing and has many health benefits about which most people do not know. One of the main benefits of flaxseed oil is that it can help subdue inflammation, but there are so many other health-related uses for it as well. This simple oil can do so much for the human body and it is worth incorporating into your daily routine.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about this oil, and the many flaxseed oil benefits available to you.
What is Flaxseed Oil?
Flaxseed oil, also known as linseed oil or flax oil, is an oil harvested from the dried, ripe seeds of the flax plant. Like other oils, it is released through the pressing of these seeds.
The reason this oil is so healthy is that it has a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. You may already know that omega-3s are important to overall health and body function and that they support the cardiovascular, pulmonary, immune, and respiratory systems.
We need omega-3s to function properly, and our bodies crave them. These fatty acids are found in foods like nuts, seeds, fish, and soybeans as well as in oils like flaxseed oil, but the high concentration of them in flaxseed oil will help us to get more of them even more easily.
Further, there are different types of omega-3s, and while they are all beneficial to our health, the specific one found in flaxseed oil is alpha-linolenic acid, also known as ALA. Our bodies don’t make this type of fat on their own because it is plant-based. However, we can still benefit from it because our bodies will convert it to the types it does need for us. This makes flaxseed oil a great way for vegans and vegetarians to get their needed omega-3s.
Flaxseed oil has other components that bolster our overall health as well. It includes proteins that help decrease heart disease risk factors. The fiber within it helps combat constipation. Flaxseed oil also has within it minerals our bodies need like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. And, best of all, flaxseed oil contains phenolic compounds to help protect us from cancer.
How Can I Incorporate Flaxseed Oil Into My Diet?
When buying flaxseed or any other oil, it’s important to buy the purest form possible. Not all flaxseed oils are created equal. In order to avoid things like fertilizers and pesticides, you should look for organic flaxseed oil when shopping for it.
Also, some flaxseed oils are created through a high-heat and high-pressure treatment that will, unfortunately, destroy many of the positive features of this substance. In order to get the best oil that you can for health uses, only buy cold-pressed oil.
Using flaxseed oil and incorporating it into your diet is easy. It can be used in so many ways. First, you can use it as an oil in salad dressings, dips, and sauces. It should not be used for cooking because it does not perform well at high temperatures and could actually become harmful to you. When served cold, though, you can reap the benefits.
You also might consider putting a tablespoon into a shake or smoothie. This is a great way to ingest it without even realizing you are doing so. These minor changes to your diet can result in major changes to your body.
Because flaxseed oil benefits also include benefits to the skin; you can apply it directly to the skin to improve skin health and to add moisture. Some people also use it on their hair to improve hair quality as well.
Flaxseed Oil Benefits for Health
Now that you know how flaxseed oil works to help you, and how to use it, the potential benefits to your health it can provide will amaze you.
1. Inflammation Reduction
Flaxseed oil may work to reduce inflammation, which can help people who experience pain. It is believed that due to the omega-3 fatty acid content, it may even be as effective as olive oil in this realm. It especially seems to have an immense effect on people who are obese.
2. Reduction in Cancer Cell Growth
There are few families who have not been affected by cancer. As a result, people are always looking for cancer-fighting foods, and flaxseed oil is one of them. According to early research using animals, it appears that flaxseed oil is successful in blocking colon cancer formation in rats. Another study found that it can control the spread of lung cancer in mice.
3. Improvement in Skin Health
Many people who use flaxseed oil topically or internally report that it greatly improves the quality of their skin even over a relatively short time. Several studies also seem to suggest this as well.
4. Improvement in Heart Function
Again, the omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed oil offer a major health benefit in the heart and circulatory system. Because of the fact that these acids help to reduce inflammation, the blood vessels open up to allow more blood to flow through unencumbered as more omega-3 fatty acids are introduced into the body.
This action will help to stave off both heart attack and stroke, two of the leading causes of death. Further, the omega-3 fatty acids help your pulmonary system in another way, too. They can lower blood pressure and also reduce the risk of irregular heartbeat.
5. Constipation and Diarrhea Relief
Flaxseed oil not only helps to promote regular bowel movements, but it also helps to reduce diaherrea. This combination is amazing for anyone wishing to have more regular and comfortable bowel movements.