Flax seeds: The Good and The Bad

Ground flax seeds are a great nutritional supplement to most people’s diet. Flax oil is not.

The Good:

• Flax is high in ALA, an essential fatty acid that has some health benefits.

• Flax is high in protein

• Flax is high in lignans, a phytonutrient that protects against breast cancer and other estrogen related cancers.

• Eating ground flax seeds slows the growth of prostate cancer.

• Flax is a good source of many vitamins.

• Flax improves cardiovascular and colon health.

The Bad:

• Most of the benefits of ALA are only realized after being converted to EPA and DHA, which the human body does very poorly. Fish oils are a much better source of these fatty acids.

• The oils in flax seeds go rancid very quickly. Flax oil is almost useless for this reason. If you use ground flax seeds, it is best to use them immediately after grinding. Otherwise store them in an airtight, opaque container, in the refrigerator.

• Flax seed oil actually increases the risk of prostate cancer. This may be due to an excess of ALA in the body. Ground flax seeds do not seem to have this problem.

If you are going to eat flax seeds, the ideal amount is about two tablespoons a day, of ground flax seeds. Although flax oil is very unstable, it seems that the seeds are much less so. Apparently it is ok to eat flax seeds after cooking them. People who find raw flax seeds to be too laxative, have no problem with eating them cooked. So put them in muffins or sprinkle them raw on your cereal or salad.