Flaxseed

Flaxseed seems an unlikely hero in the battle against illness and disease. At only pennies a serving it’s actually a superhero where health is concerned. Containing both soluble and insoluble fiber, it’s good for your heart and your colon. In fact, it has twice as much total fiber than oat bran and is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol levels and helps to normalize blood glucose and insulin levels. While insoluble fiber improves movement in the intestinal tract, in combination with plenty of water.

And if that weren’t reason enough to add this wonder food to your healthy diet, as a rich source of lingans, or phytoestrogens, the Flax Council of Canada states:“Lingans are believed to help protect against hormone sensitive cancers”. This would include cancers such as breast, uterine and prostate. Studies suggest it can also help prevent or relieve rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases such as Lupus.

Flax must be eaten ground to release oil and make the fiber available to your body. This can quickly and easily be done with a coffee grinder. With a slightly nutty taste flaxseed can be added to lots of recipes. For instance:

-substitute ground flax for some of the bread crumbs in any recipe

-sprinkle some on your cereal in the morning

-add to smoothies

-sprinkle into stews, chilies and tomato-based pasta sauces

-add to your favorite whole grain bread recipe

It’s easy and delicious to get this powerhouse of health working for you.

For more ideas take a look at “The flax cookbook” by Elaine Magee. Or visit the Flax Council of Canada website where you can download a free cookbook.

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