It is believed that flax comes from the lands of Egypt. The ancient Egyptians used flax seeds for both food and medicinal purposes. Flax fiber was used to make clothes, fishing nets and other products. Throughout history, flaxseeds have found their way as a laxative.
- Flax seeds are incredibly high in fiber! Just 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal per 4 grams is made up of fiber – that’s equivalent to the amount of fiber in 1,5 cups of cooked oatmeal.
- Flaxseed contains a high level of natural antioxidants – lignans. Many other plant foods have lignans, but flaxseed has many more. To consume the amount of lignans found in 2 tablespoons of flax, you would need to eat 30 cups of fresh broccoli.
- The modern diet is deficient in omega-3s. Flaxseeds are a mega-source of omega-3s, namely alpha-linolenic acid.
- Flaxseed oil is approximately 50% alpha-linolenic acid.
- Flaxseed oil is not recommended to be applied to open skin wounds.
- There is very little nutritional difference between brown and light colored flaxseeds.
- Flax seeds are a healthy alternative to flour in baking. Try replacing 14-12 tbsp. flour for flaxseed meal, if the recipe says 2 cups.
- 20% of flaxseed is proteins.
- Lingans reduce atherosclerotic accumulations in the form of plaques by up to 75%.
- The content of potassium in flax seeds is 7 times higher than the content of this mineral in a banana.