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My favorite part of "dieting" is food..well aside from seeing the pounds drop! I love trying a new food, especially a "super food" and realizing that I can make small *good* changes that can be a great benefit to my body.
One of those things is incorporating flax seed in my diet.
First of all, let me recommend that if you are going to eat flaxseed and want to reap the healthy benefits, eat it in the ground form. I wish I could remember what magazine article I was reading recently that basically said that if you eat whole flaxseed, you will be passing more of it than absorbing it...if you know what I mean. Makes sense...With the said, here are some health benefits of flaxseed...
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids: Heart-healthy good fat- Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
- Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75-800 times more lignans than other plant foods.
- Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types.
Research has shown that flaxseed can possibly reduce the risk of heart and lung disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Some research has shown that consuming lignans during adolescence can reduce the risk of breast cancer by blocking enzymes that are involved in hormone metabolism and interfering with the growth and spread of tumor cells.
My favorite ways to eat it? I sprinkle is on whole wheat toast with peanut butter and add a little to my yogurt, smoothies, fresh salads and eggs. I've also added it to baking recipe as well as one of my favorite easy chicken recipes.
Do you incorporate flaxseed in your diet? If so, what's you favorite way to use it?
I do use flax seed. I use it much like you do, just adding it to things here and there. It's quite simple to sprinkle a tablespoon over several different food items.
ReplyDeleteI use ground flax seed in muffins, smoothies, yogurt, pancakes, waffles and probably more things that I can't remember right now :)
ReplyDeleteI add it to smoothies!
ReplyDeleteI've always heard that flaxseed is a "super food", but I've never known why or the benefits of it. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteLove ground flax seed. I eat it every day, on cereal with berries. Yum! I also use it sometimes in recipes as an egg substitute when I run out of eggs - just mix 2 Tbsp with 1 c water and it thickens nicely.
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