June 07, 2016 Flax for Good Health

Source: Linda Gilmour Kessler, RD   |  Category: Health & Nutrition

Flax for Good Health

Flax contains many disease-fighting components including omega-3 fats, soluble and insoluble fibre, and antioxidants. Flax has been found to help protect against heart disease, inflammatory disorders and certain cancers. Flax can also help people with diabetes regulate their blood sugars. 

While whole and ground flax have the same nutritional content, your body gets more benefit from ground flaxseed. That's because the goodness of flax is wrapped up in a hard, shiny seed coat that's hard to crack even with careful chewing. Grinding or roasting flax breaks this seed coat making all the nutrients easier to digest. You can buy ground flax in most grocery stores.  Whole flax is also easy to grind using a spice mill, coffee grinder, food processor or blender.

Aim for two tablespoons (30 mL) of ground flax a day. Two tablespoons (30 mL) of ground flax contains 4 grams of fibre and a healthy dose of omega-3 fats and antioxidants.

Flax can be added to a variety of foods such as smoothies, yogurt, cereal or salad. Flax is also great in baking! Try our new #2TbspFlax muffin which has about two tablespoons (30 mL) of ground flax.  Grab a muffin, a piece of fruit and a glass of milk for a quick breakfast or take a muffin with you for a mid-afternoon snack. #2TbspFlax Muffin

Frequently asked question:

Q. How much fibre should I consume each day?
A: The recommended intake of total dietary fibre is 25 g/day for women and 38 g/day for men. Soluble fibre can lower blood cholesterol levels, while insoluble fibre moves the stool through the colon more quickly, helping bowel movements. In spite of the health benefits of fibre, average intake among Canadians is only about half the recommended amount and about 90% of the U.S. population does not consume enough fibre. Flaxseed contains both soluble and insoluble fibre. Two tablespoons (30 mL) of flaxseed provides about 4 g of total dietary fibre – a significant amount to boost your daily fibre intake!