Flax Seed Oil
 

Anyone here take Flax Seed Oil? What did you benefit most from taking this?

I don't use it, but I probably should. It looks like good stuff!

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/62/71499.htm?lastselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}

I think you use the oil in cold foods like salads, not for sauteeing, etc.

Hi,
I have been adding flax seed oil to my breakfast for about a year. It has that Omega-3 fat they say is so good for you.
If you want to try that on the cheap, go to Walmart and get a bottle of Flax,Fish, and Borage Caps. Just take a pill with each meal. Unless, of course, you're eating fish... I use the oil in a fruit shake. You could try it in salad dressing, and no, you can't cook with it. Hemp Seed Oil has even more of the Omega-3 but has a fairly strong taste.

You can cook with the actual flax seeds and flax seed meal... just add it to muffins, pancakes, breads, cereal, anything. Adds a nice nutty taste, and is super good for you. One of the best benefits of flax seed is the cholesterol reducing qualities.
Bob's Red Mill has some good flax seeds, and also sell the organic variety.

Hi,
heat slowly breaks down the Omega-3 fats. Best not to cook them. You can add them to prepared food. Here is more than you wanted to know....



FLAX SEEDS AND FLAX OIL
Topics you will find:

Fabulous Flax: the Rich Nutrients in Flax
7 Health-promoting Properties of Flax
Using Flax Oil
FABULOUS FLAX: THE RICH NUTRIENTS IN FLAX

Flax oil and flax seeds are being rediscovered as true health foods. They definitely merit being included on any top-ten list of foods that are good for you. Flax is not a new food. It is actually one of the older and, perhaps, one of the original "health foods," treasured because of its healing properties throughout the Roman empire. Flax was one of the original "medicines" used by Hippocrates. Flax could be dubbed the "forgotten oil." It has fallen out of favor because oil manufacturers have found nutritious oils to be less profitable. The very nutrients that give flax its nutritional benefits - essential fatty acids - also give it a short shelf life, making it more expensive to produce, transport, and store. Yet, those who are nutritionally in the know continue to rank flax high on the list of "must have" foods. Because of the flurry of scientific studies validating the health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids, flax oil has graduated from the refrigerator of "health food nuts" to a status of scientific respectability.

I seldom leave home in the morning without having my daily tablespoon of flax oil or 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal. Besides being the best source of omega 3's, flax oil is a good source of omega 6, or linoleic acid (LA). Sunflower, safflower, and sesame oil are greater sources of omega 6 fatty acids but they don't contain any omega-3 fatty acids. Flax oil is 45 to 60 percent the omega-3 fatty acid alphalinolenic acid (ALA).

In addition to nutritious fats, flax seeds contain other nutrients which make eating the whole seed superior to consuming just the extracted oil:

* Flax seeds contain a high quality protein.

* Flax seeds are rich in soluble fiber. The combination of the oil and the fiber makes flaxseeds an ideal laxative.

* Flax seeds contain vitamins B-1, B-2, C, E, and carotene. These seeds also contain iron, zinc, and trace amounts of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and vitamin E and carotene, two nutrients which aid the metabolism of the oil.

* Flax seeds contain over a hundred times more of a phytonutrient, known as lignin, than any of its closest competitors, such as wheat bran, buckwheat, rye, millet, oats, and soybeans. Lignins have received a lot of attention lately because of possible anti-cancer properties, especially in relation to breast and colon cancer. Lignins seem to flush excess estrogen out of the body, thereby reducing the incidence of estrogen-linked cancers, such as breast cancer. Besides anti-tumor properties, lignins also seem to have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.

Flax seeds, because they contain some protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and lignins, are more nutritious than their oil. Yet, for practical purposes, most consumers prefer simply using the oil for its omega-3 fatty acids and not having to bother with grinding the seeds. But nutritionally speaking, it's worth the trouble to grind fresh flax seeds (say, in a coffee grinder) and sprinkle them as a seasoning on salads or cereals, or mix them into muffins. When buying seeds, be sure they are whole, not split; splitting exposes the inner seed to light and heat and decreases the nutritional value. Or, buy pre-ground flax seeds, available as flaxseed meal. One ounce of flaxseed meal (approximately 4 tbsp.) will yield about 6 grams of protein, and 8 grams of fiber.
7 HEALTH-PROMOTING PROPERTIES OF FLAX

Flax oil, flax seeds, and the omega-3 fatty acids they contain are good for your health. Here are some of the ways flax helps your body.

1. Flax promotes cardiovascular health. The ultra-high levels of omega-3 fatty acids lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Fish oils and algae are also good sources of essential fatty acids.

2. Flax promotes colon health. It has anti-cancer properties and, as a natural lubricant and a rich fiber source, it lowers the risk of constipation.

3. Flax supplements can boost immunity. One study showed that school children supplemented with less than a teaspoon of flax oil a day had fewer and less severe respiratory infections than children not supplemented with flax oil.

4. Flax provides fats that are precursors for brain building. This is especially important at the stage of life when a child's brain grows the fastest, in utero and during infancy. A prudent mom should consider supplementing her diet with a daily tablespoon of flax oil during her pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

5. Flax promotes healthy skin. I have used flax oil as a dietary supplement in my patients who seem to have dry skin or eczema, or whose skin is particularly sun-sensitive.

6. Flax may lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels.

7. Flax fat can be slimming. Fats high in essential fatty acids, such as flax, increase the body's metabolic rate, helping to burn the excess, unhealthy fats in the body. Eating the right kind of fat gives you a better fighting chance of your body storing the right amount of fats. This is called thermogenesis , a process in which specialized fat cells throughout the body (called brown fat) click into high gear and burn more fat when activated by essential fatty acids, especially gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). I have personally noticed that I crave less fat overall when I get enough of the healthy fats. A daily supplement of omega 3 fatty acids may be an important part of weight control programs.
USING FLAX OIL

* Don't use flax oil for cooking. Oils high in essential fatty acids are not good for cooking. In fact, heat can turn these healthy fats into harmful ones. Add flax oil to foods after cooking and just before serving.

* Flax has many virtues, but it also has one vice: it turns rancid quickly. Healthy fats spoil quickly, with olive oil being an exception to the rule. (The fats with a long shelf life are the hydrogenated shortenings, which of course are bad for you.) To prevent spoilage, follow these tips:

o Purchase only refrigerated flax oil stored in black containers.

o Keep your flax oil in the refrigerator with the lid on tight. Minimize exposure to heat, light, and air.

o Because the oil is likely to turn rancid within six weeks of pressing, buy flax oil in smaller containers (8-12 ounces, depending on how fast you use it). In our family, we go through approximately four tablespoons of flax oil a day, using it mainly in our School-Ade smoothie.

* Flax oil taken with a meal can actually increase the nutritional value of other foods . Research shows that adding flax oil to foods rich in sulfated amino acids, such as cultured dairy products (i.e., yogurt), vegetables of the cabbage family, and animal, seafood, and soy proteins helps the essential fatty acids become incorporated into cell membranes. Mixing flax oil with yogurt helps to emulsify the oil, improving its digestion and metabolism by the body.

* Flax oil works best in the body when it's taken along with antioxidants, such as vitamins E, carotene, and other nutrients, such as vitamin B6 and magnesium. While a tablespoon of flax oil a day might not keep the doctor away entirely, it's bound to help.

Wow! Thanks for the info. I bought the "Spring Valley" Flax Oil 1000mg 100 ct softgels. I read all of the benefits of this great oil and just had to try it. Again thanks for the info.

Make sure you buy good quality flax seed oil. Research supports that you will reap more benefit from the high quality oils, i.e., Barlean's, Spectrum. It must be refrigerated as it is highly perishable. I just use the flax seeds. I grind them everyday in a coffee mill and add them to whatever I am eating.

flax is good stuff. it has healthy fats that are only found in fish and it also keeps your joints lubricated which is really good for biking. its hard to tell exactly how it has affected me, but i definately recomend it.


by the way, take the capsul because the actual stuff is disgusting.

Hi,
I saw an article in a paper recently. It said that the long chain Omega 3 fats were best. Fish have the long chain fat. I don't think flax does; which may be why apparently you can cook fish and still get the benefits of Omega 3. The article did not go into why the long chain fat was better, or is there was a source other than fish. If anyone has some info, I'd appreciate it.

Long chain refers to EPA and DHA only found in marine sources and found to have many health benefits.Short chain refers to ALA found in non marine sources which must be converted into EPA/DHA to have any health benefits.Evidence shows for a variety of reasons not much ALA may be converted and while studies have verified health benefits for EPA/DHA they are inconclusive for ALA.Here is a link on this plus a link to a prior thread where I explained these terms and their iportance/function in more detail with a few more links.
http://www.newhope.com/nfm-online/nf..._03/omega3.cfm
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...hlight=epa+dha

Fish have become a collection sink for all the pollution in the water, PCPs, Mercury, etc.... It is virtually impossible to find a source of fish that does not have some detectable levels of mercury or PCPs.

Farm raised fish are known to be high in bacteria and virus. Now antibiotics and various toxic chemicals are being used to control bacteria, further toxifying the fish.

If there is a plant source for Omega 3, I think it is a healthier choice.

RWTD,
you mentioned in an earlier thread that there was a algae based source of Omega-3. Any idea where I could find that? Thanks.

Marine algae is the only plant source of EPA/DHA in fact its where wild fish obtain theirs.Currently supplemental DHA(helps maintain brain integrity) from algae is available but not EPA(for hormone like effects in balancing out omega 6 fatty acid AA) .Personally I eat a diet high in ALA plant source of omega3 by including either walnuts,soybeans or flaxseeds in virtually every meal and supplementing that several times a week with a quality fish oil supplement that is lab test certified free of mercury (which is water not fat soluble)and other toxins.Also keep in mind due to modern agricultural techniques you have to watch out for increased toxin levels and decreased nutrient content of soils where agricultural plants are grown and of course toxins directly applied to the plants.Here are links to a site with more info on all this and with apparently quality tested sources of EPA/DHA from wild fish,fish oil and pasture raised meat.
http://www.mercola.com/2002/apr/3/evolution.htm
http://www.mercola.com/2003/jan/1/fish_oil.htm
http://www.mercola.com/article/omega3.htm

late My last reply was before I read your last post but check this link for a marine algae source of DHA which they claim is easily converted to EPA(I would look into this further if considering it for EPA) and is freeze-dried to protect against rancidity.
http://www.drfuhrman.com/dhapurity.html

The first link I posted said it is recommended to get 1.5-3 grams of ALA /day from all sources so you sound about right in that regard but remember the idea is to balance the omega3's through flax etc. against the omega 6's through processed vegatible oils etc. so I would also work to cut the later down so they are no more than a maximum 4 times and more ideally only 1 to 2 times the omega 3' to see the most positive benefit.