The dietary fiber is 8 times that of prunes! This food can lower blood lipids, protect cardiovascular health, and improve constipation. Many people don't know

Flaxseed oil, flaxseed powder... In recent years, a wide variety of flaxseed-related products have become popular and have been sought after by many people.

Flax seeds are mature seeds of flax with brown shells and a shape a bit like watermelon seeds. Some people say that they are very nutritious and are a "superfood". Are these claims true? What are the nutritional characteristics of flax seeds? What should you pay attention to when purchasing and eating them?

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What nutrients do flax seeds contain?

The health benefits of flaxseeds come primarily from their high content of omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber, as well as phytochemicals called lignans.

1Omega-3 fatty acid content is outstanding

The fatty acids in flaxseed are mainly omega-3 fatty acids, which account for 54% of all fatty acids. In particular, alpha-linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid for the human body and can only be obtained from food. It can be converted into EPA and DHA in the human body, and these two substances are particularly important for the development of the nervous system and retina. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids themselves have a positive effect on reducing inflammation, lowering blood lipids, and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

2. Rich in dietary fiber

The dietary fiber in flaxseed is mainly found in the seed coat, and every 100g contains 27.3g of dietary fiber. There are very few foods with such a high content in natural foods. In other words, the dietary fiber in flaxseed is 8.3 times that of prunes of the same weight, which shows how high its content is.

Dietary fiber can help improve digestive health or relieve constipation, and may help lower blood total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) levels, thereby helping to reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, dietary fiber also has some benefits in delaying the stabilization of blood sugar. For friends who are losing weight, eating flax seeds before meals seems to make people less hungry and help control energy intake.

3 Lignans

Flaxseed is the main source of lignans. Many people may have heard of lignans for the first time. In fact, it is a type of polyphenol and a precursor for the synthesis of phytoestrogens, with a similar structure to estrogen.

Hearing this introduction, do you think of soy isoflavones? Yes, it has the same effect as soy isoflavones. Although most studies on phytoestrogens rich in phytoestrogens focus on soy isoflavones, lignans are the main source of phytoestrogens in a typical Western diet. Studies have found that it not only has a certain effect on improving menopausal symptoms in women, but also has a certain effect on improving dyslipidemia and reducing the risk of cancer.

In addition to the above three outstanding advantages, flaxseed has a very high protein content, comparable to meat. The content of micronutrients such as calcium, potassium, and vitamin B1 is also quite prominent. In general, flaxseed is nutritionally excellent and suitable for appropriate addition to the diet.

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Flaxseed oil, flaxseed

Which flaxseed meal is better?

At present, the hot-selling flaxseed products on the market mainly include flaxseed oil, whole flaxseed and ground flaxseed. These three categories have certain differences in absorption and nutritional content due to their different product forms, and can be selected according to different needs.

1. Flaxseed oil

Flaxseed oil is oil extracted from flax seeds through pressing or leaching. Its advantages are that it is rich in α-linolenic acid, has high purity and is easily absorbed by the human body. However, as a pure oil, flaxseed oil is not easy to store and carry, and long-term and large-scale consumption may lead to excessive fat intake and increase the risk of obesity.

2 Flax seeds

The advantage of flaxseed is its complete structure, especially the rich nutrients in the flaxseed shell, such as dietary fiber and lignans, which have a significant effect on improving constipation and promoting intestinal health. However, consuming flaxseed directly may affect digestion and absorption due to its hard shell, and the fat and protein components in it may not be easily absorbed.

3. Flaxseed meal

Flaxseed meal is made by grinding flaxseed into powder. This form not only retains most of the nutrients in flaxseed, but also improves its solubility and absorption rate. However, due to the large area of ​​contact with air after grinding, flaxseed meal may be easily oxidized and deteriorated during storage.

In addition, there is a kind of flaxseed powder on the market, which is made by grinding the oil after extracting it. This means that the precious oil is gone, and the nutritional value is greatly reduced. Therefore, when buying, be sure to check the nutritional composition table, and the fat content should be more than 40g/100g.

Image source: Product details page of a certain brand's e-commerce

Based on the above analysis, it is impossible to simply draw a conclusion on which product is absolutely better, because each product has its own unique advantages and disadvantages and applicable population.

For those who need to supplement α-linolenic acid and want high absorption efficiency, flaxseed oil may be a better choice; for those who want to supplement dietary fiber and lignans at the same time and improve intestinal problems such as constipation, undefatted flaxseed powder is more suitable (preferably in small bags, which are not easy to oxidize). Of course, if you have the conditions to grind the whole flax seeds into powder, this is more recommended, so that you can grind them as you eat them to avoid oxidation and deterioration.

How to eat flaxseed?

There are many ways to cook flaxseed, but try to cook it at low temperature. The ω-3 in it is very active and cannot withstand high temperature. Frying, stir-frying, etc. will make it lose its original structure, which not only reduces the nutrition, but also may produce substances such as trans fatty acids that affect health.

If you want to easily incorporate it into your daily diet, try these simple and delicious ways to eat it:

1 Breakfast Cereal

In the morning, sprinkle a tablespoon of finely ground flax seeds on a bowl of hot cereal or a refreshing yogurt cereal. This not only adds a layer of taste, but also makes breakfast more nutritionally balanced.

2Sandwiches, toast

When preparing sandwiches or eating toast, you can add a spoonful of ground flaxseed powder to the sauces you usually spread (peanut butter, ketchup, etc.) and mix them gently. This small change not only makes the sandwich taste richer, but also quietly replenishes healthy fats for the body.

3. With yogurt

When eating yogurt, you can try mixing a spoonful of flaxseed powder into the yogurt. Stir gently so that every bite is filled with the aroma of flaxseed and the richness of yogurt. You can put a little at the beginning, and then increase it appropriately after you get used to the taste of flaxseed.

4. Baking

Friends who like baking should not miss flax seeds. Adding ground flax seeds to baked goods such as biscuits and bread can not only enhance the nutritional value of the finished product, but also bring a unique taste and flavor.

5 Chinese pastries

When making dumplings, steamed buns, buns or pancakes, you can add some flax seeds, which not only provide dietary fiber, but also rich unsaturated fatty acids, adding nutritional value.

Eat flaxseed

Two points to note

Although flax seeds are good, there are two things you need to pay attention to when eating them.

First, you need to control the amount. Because flax seeds are high in dietary fiber, eating too much may cause symptoms such as bloating, flatulence, stomach pain and nausea, so it is generally recommended to control it within 30g per day.

Second, eat it cooked. Raw or unripe flax seeds contain a small amount of cyanogenic glycosides, so eating them in moderation is fine, but eating too much may be unsafe. To be on the safe side, when buying, find out whether it is raw or cooked. If it is raw, it is best to fry it at low temperature at home before eating.

After reading this, I believe you have learned something about flax seeds. So, are you ready to put flax seeds in your shopping cart?

References

[1]USDA.Seeds,flaxseed.https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169414/nutrients

[2]USDA.Prunepuree.https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167780/nutrients

[3]WebMD.Flaxseed-Uses,SideEffects,andMore.https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-991/flaxseed

[4]WIKIPEDIA.Lignan.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignan

[5]WIKIPEDIA.Flax.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax#Flax_seeds

[6] Mayo Clinic. Are ground flax seeds better for your health than whole flax seeds?

.https://www.mayoclinic.org/zh-hans/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/flaxseed/faq-20058354

Planning and production

Author: Li Chun, a registered nutritionist in China

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center