Flaxseed Description & Nutrition Facts
Flax, also known
as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant in the Linaceae family, Linum
usitatissimum. It is grown as a food and fiber crop in temperate climate zones
around the world. Linen is the name given to flax-based textiles in Western
countries, and its stems are typically used for bed sheets, underclothes, and
table linen. Linseed oil is the name given to the flex oil.
Uses of Flax
Flax is grown for its seeds, which can be
ground into a meal or processed into linseed oil, a nutritious substitute and a
component in many wood-finishing products. Flax is also used in gardens as a
decorative plant. In addition, linen is made from flax fibers. Usitatissimum is
a specific epithet that means “most beneficial.”
Flax fibers harvested from the plant’s stem
are two to three times stronger than cotton fibers. Furthermore, flax fibers
are naturally straight and smooth. Flax was the most common plant for producing
rag-based paper in Europe and North America until the 19th century,
when cotton overtook flax as the most common plant.
Flax is grown for linseed oil in the Canadian
prairies, which is used as a drying oil in paints and varnishes, as well as
linoleum and printing inks.
Linseed meal is a by-product of the
extraction of linseed oil from flax seeds and is used as livestock feed.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds come in two basic colors/varieties:
brown and yellow (golden linseeds). The nutritional characteristics of most
forms of these basic varieties are identical, and they contain about the same
amount of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The oil profile of yellow flax
seeds, known as solin (trade name “Linola”), is similar to that of brown flax
seeds, and both are rich in omega-3s (alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)).
Flaxseeds yield flaxseed oil, also known as linseed oil, which is one of the oldest commercial oils. It is edible oil obtained by expeller pressing and solvent extraction in some cases. For decades, solvent-processed flaxseed oil has been used as a drying oil in painting and varnishing.
Nutrition Facts of Flaxseed
|
Nutritional
value per 100 g |
|
|
Energy |
534
kcal |
|
Carbohydrate |
28.88 g |
|
Dietary
fiber |
27.3 g |
|
Sugar |
1.55 g |
|
Total Fat 42.16 g |
|
|
Saturated
Fat |
3.663 g |
|
Monounsaturated
Fat |
7.527 g |
|
Polyunsaturated Omega -3 Omega‑6 |
28.730 g 22.8 g 5.9 g |
|
Protein |
18.29 g |
|
Vitamins
Quantity %DV† |
|
|
Thiamine
(B1) |
143% |
|
Riboflavin
(B2) |
13% |
|
Niacin
(B3 |
21% |
|
Pantothenic
acid (B5) |
20% |
|
Vitamin
B6 |
36% |
|
Foliate
(B9) |
22% |
|
Vitamin
C |
1% |
|
Minerals
Quantity %DV† |
|
|
Calcium |
26% |
|
Iron |
44% |
|
Magnesium |
110% |
|
Phosphorus |
92% |
|
Potassium |
17% |
|
Zinc |
46% |
Flaxseed the New Wonder Food
Preliminary studies show that it may help to
reduce risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes Flaxseed called one
of the most powerful plant foods on the planet.
Eating flaxseed or its derivatives can lower
total and LDL cholesterol in the blood, with greater benefits in women and
those with high cholesterol, according to a study published between 1990 and
2008.
100-gram of flaxseed contains high levels
(> 19% of the Daily Value, DV) of protein, dietary fiber, several B vitamins,
and dietary minerals. In ten grams of flaxseed has one gram of water-soluble
fiber (which lowers blood cholesterol) and three grams of insoluble fiber
(which helps prevent constipation). Flaxseeds are highly rich in thiamine,
magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus (DVs above 90%). Flaxseed contains
hundreds of times more Lignans than other plant foods.
On the percentage basis Flaxseeds contain 54%
omega-3 fatty acids (mostly ALA), 18% omega-9 fatty acids (oleic acid), and 6%
omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid); the Flaxseeds contain 9% saturated fat,
including 5% as Palmitic Acid. Flaxseed oil contains 53% 18:3 omega-3 fatty
acids (mostly ALA) and 13% 18:2 omega-6 fatty acids.
Flaxseed Plants
Health Benefits of Flaxseed
Flaxseed help to reduce risk of heart
disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes & Inflammation. Flaxseed called one of
the most powerful plant foods on the planet.
Eating flaxseed or its derivatives can lower
total and LDL cholesterol in the blood, with greater benefits in women and
those with high cholesterol,
Cancer
Recent studies suggest that flaxseed have a
protective effect against breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. Flaxseed
has at least two key components which contributes to protect the cancer, says
Kelley C. Fitzpatrick, director of health and nutrition with the Flax Council
of Canada.
In animal studies shows that the plant
omega-3 fatty acid found in flaxseed, called ALA, inhibited tumor incidence and
growth.
The Lignans found in flaxseed may provide
some protection against cancers that are sensitive to hormones without
interfering with the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen. The Lignans help to protect
against cancer by blocking enzymes that are involved in hormone metabolism and
interfering with the growth and spread of tumor cells.
Flaxseed also has Antioxidant properties, which
contributes to protect against cancer and heart disease.
Cardiovascular Disease
Research suggests that Flaxseed plant
omega-3s help the cardiovascular system through many different mechanisms,
including anti-inflammatory action and normalizing the heartbeat. New research
also suggests that Flaxseed has significant effect on blood pressure-lowering. These effects are may be due to both the
omega-3 fatty acids as well as the amino acid groups found in flaxseed.
Research also suggested that
omega-3s rich flaxseed help
prevent hardening of the arteries and keep plaque from being deposited in the
arteries partly by keeping white blood cells from sticking to the blood
vessels’ inner linings. Lignans in flaxseed have been shown to reduce
atherosclerotic plaque buildup by up to 75%.
Consuming Flaxseed daily also help to lower cholesterol
levels. The level of LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the bloodstream is key factor to
increased risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Diabetes
Research also says that daily intake of the Lignans
in flaxseed may modestly improve blood sugar (as measured by hemoglobin A1c
blood tests in adults with type 2 diabetes). The high fibers in Flaxseed also help
to reduce obesity which is main cause of Diabetes. Eating more than 30 grams of
flaxseed per day for more than 12 weeks decreased body weight, BMI, and waist
circumference in people with a BMI greater than 27. Another meta-analysis found
that flaxseed intake for more than 12 weeks resulted in minor reductions in
systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 100-gram of flaxseed contains high
levels (> 19% of the Daily Value, DV) of protein, dietary fiber, several B
vitamins, and dietary minerals. In ten grams of flaxseed has one gram of
water-soluble fiber (which lowers blood cholesterol) and three grams of
insoluble fiber (which helps prevent constipation). Flaxseeds are highly rich
in thiamine, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus (DVs above 90%). Flaxseed contains
hundreds of times more Lignans than other plant foods.
Inflammation
On the percentage basis Flaxseeds contain 54%
omega-3 fatty acids (mostly ALA), 18% omega-9 fatty acids (oleic acid), and 6%
omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid); the Flaxseeds contain 9% saturated fat,
including 5% as Palmitic Acid. Flaxseed oil contains 53% 18:3 omega-3 fatty
acids (mostly ALA) and 13% 18:2 omega-6 fatty acids.
ALA has been shown to decrease inflammatory
reactions in humans. And studies in animals have found that Lignans can
decrease levels of several pro-inflammatory agents.
Reducing inflammation associated with plaque
buildup in the arteries may be another way flaxseed helps prevent heart attack
and strokes.
How to use Flaxseed?
Culinary Uses
Ground flaxseed contains about 2,234
kilojoules (534 kilocalories) of food energy, 41 g of fat, 28 g of carbohydrate,
and 20 g of protein in a 100-gram serving. Whole flaxseeds are chemically
stable, but ground flaxseed meal will go rancid in as little as a week when
exposed to air at room temperature due to oxidation.
Ground flaxseed meal can be refrigerated and
stored in sealed containers for a longer period of time before becoming rancid.
Professional sensory panelists couldn’t tell the difference between bread made
with freshly ground flaxseed and bread made with flaxseed milled four months
earlier and stored at room temperature under conditions close to those found in
commercial bakeries.
Milled flaxseed is stable against excessive
oxidation when stored for nine months at room temperature and for 20 months at
ambient temperatures if packed immediately without exposure to air and light.
Fodder
Linseed meal, produced by crushing the seeds
to extract linseed oil, is a protein-rich feed for ruminants, rabbits, and
fish. It’s most commonly used as swine and poultry feed, as well as in horse
concentrate and dog food. Linseed meal’s high omega-3 fatty acid (ALA) content
“softens” milk, eggs, or meat, resulting in a higher unsaturated fat content
and thus a shorter storage time. The high omega-3 content also has a drawback
in that this fatty acid easily oxidizes and goes rancid, reducing the storage
time. The high omega-3 content also has a drawback in that this fatty acid
easily oxidizes and goes rancid, reducing the storage time. Linola was grown in
Australia and introduced in the 1990s as a fodder crop with lower omega-3
content. Another downside of the meal and seed is that it contains a vitamin B6
(pyridoxine) antagonist, which may necessitate supplementation of this vitamin,
especially in chickens; additionally, linseeds contain 2-7 percent mucilage
(fibre), which may be beneficial to humans and cattle but is indigestible by
non-ruminants and may be harmful to young animals unless treated with enzymes.
Linseed meal is used as a protein substitute in cattle feed. Due to the high
fat content, which is unsafe for ruminants, it can only be added in small
amounts. Although it has lower nutrient values than oilseed meal from
crucifers, it produces good results in cattle, possibly due to the mucilage,
which may help in slowing digestion and thus providing more time for nut absorption.
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