Why you should be eating flaxseeds everyday

That may sound hyperbolic, but it’s the truth: multiple well-conducted studies have found that eating flaxseeds has a number of benefits, among them improved digestion and improved heart health, as well as lower risk of certain cancers, obesity, and diabetes. Eating flaxseed might even ease menopausal symptoms, which—among its many other nuisances—can often include GI issues. But the appeal doesn't end there: Flaxseeds are so filled with nutrients that, recently, influencers have even been using them in DIY beauty treatments for their skin and hair. “This is Botox that you make at home,” one viral Tiktok proclaims. “And the best part is, it’s two ingredients: flaxseeds and water. It works as a natural shampoo as well.”

While comparing flaxseed to Botox might be a stretch, there’s no doubt that they do have many transformative properties, especially when ingested. But what exactly are flaxseeds, how should you use them, and how do they specifically benefit your health? Read on to find out what the experts recommend.

What are flaxseeds?

Flaxseed is exactly what it sounds like: the seed of a plant called flax. The seeds are very small—similar in size and shape to a sesame seed—and either golden or brown. And, here’s a fun fact: Humans have been growing the flax plant for thousands of years for its seeds, oil, and fibers; your favorite linen shirts are actually made from its fibrous stems.

What are the health benefits of eating flax?

Flaxseeds have a host of good-for-you compounds, among them fiber, lignans, and antioxidants, as well as vitamins and minerals like thiamine and magnesium. They’re also one of the few plant sources of all-important omega-3 fatty acids—an essential nutrient also found in fish oil that has been proven to help lower cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease. “Flaxseeds are packed with nutrients often lacking in Americans' diets,” Scheinman says.

Aside from the obvious fact that all of the nutrients in flaxseeds are essential for our general health, the compounds in flaxseeds perform several specific functions as well. “Many of flaxseed’s benefits are related to how these compounds act in the digestive tract and interact with the gut microbiome,” explains April Panitz, a registered and certified dietary nutritionist at Amenta Nutrition. “Due to their fiber content, flaxseeds can reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood by decreasing lipid reabsorption and increasing fat excretion in stool when eaten regularly.”

Flaxseeds for digestion

Flaxseeds' magical ability to reduce cholesterol and “increase fat excretion” is thanks to a very specific kind of fiber called “mucilaginous gum”—a gelatinous type of soluble fiber also found in seaweed and legumes. If you’ve ever soaked flaxseeds in water and noticed how slimy they get—as seen in the aforementioned Tiktok—that’s mucilaginous gum doing its job. When eaten, “this gel-forming soluble fiber can increase feelings of fullness and help with weight management,” says Panitz.

But the fun with fiber doesn’t stop there. “Flaxseed is also high in insoluble fiber content and can bulk up stool to make it move through the colon more quickly,” explains Panitz. “This is how it helps those who suffer from constipation or who have irregular bowel movements.”

All this fiber also means good things for the gut microbiome as well. “Flaxseed fiber can also feed beneficial gut bacteria,” says Panitz. “Along with its high amounts of ALA omega-3 fatty acids, it has been shown to alter the gut microbial composition to promote more good-for-you species of bacteria that help maintain and heal the gut lining, which in turn increases insulin sensitivity, slows the progression of diseases like cancer, and decreases inflammation.”

Lignans, which are also related to fiber and also only found in plants, are another super-beneficial compound. “When metabolized by gut bacteria the lignans found in flaxseed exert phytoestrogen effects that may reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, endometriosis, and lessen mild menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness,” says Pantiz. “These lignans are also a source of antioxidants which help to reduce damage from free radicals throughout the body.”

In other words, eating flaxseeds is not just a way to ensure excellent gut health, it’s a way to maintain and protect your wellbeing overall.

What’s the best way to eat flaxseeds?

Flaxseeds are incredibly easy to incorporate into your current diet, and you don’t even need to eat cup-fulls of them to reap the benefits. “Most of the health benefits of flax come from eating just one to two tablespoons a day, which is easy to do,” says Scheinman. “Flaxseeds are a great food to include in a longevity-focused diet.”

Aside from the obvious fact that all of the nutrients in flaxseeds are essential for our general health, the compounds in flaxseeds perform several specific functions as well. “Many of flaxseed’s benefits are related to how these compounds act in the digestive tract and interact with the gut microbiome,” explains April Panitz, a registered and certified dietary nutritionist at Amenta Nutrition. “Due to their fiber content, flaxseeds can reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood by decreasing lipid reabsorption and increasing fat excretion in stool when eaten regularly.”

Flaxseeds for digestion

Flaxseeds' magical ability to reduce cholesterol and “increase fat excretion” is thanks to a very specific kind of fiber called “mucilaginous gum”—a gelatinous type of soluble fiber also found in seaweed and legumes. If you’ve ever soaked flaxseeds in water and noticed how slimy they get—as seen in the aforementioned Tiktok—that’s mucilaginous gum doing its job. When eaten, “this gel-forming soluble fiber can increase feelings of fullness and help with weight management,” says Panitz.

But the fun with fiber doesn’t stop there. “Flaxseed is also high in insoluble fiber content and can bulk up stool to make it move through the colon more quickly,” explains Panitz. “This is how it helps those who suffer from constipation or who have irregular bowel movements.”

All this fiber also means good things for the gut microbiome as well. “Flaxseed fiber can also feed beneficial gut bacteria,” says Panitz. “Along with its high amounts of ALA omega-3 fatty acids, it has been shown to alter the gut microbial composition to promote more good-for-you species of bacteria that help maintain and heal the gut lining, which in turn increases insulin sensitivity, slows the progression of diseases like cancer, and decreases inflammation.”

Lignans, which are also related to fiber and also only found in plants, are another super-beneficial compound. “When metabolized by gut bacteria the lignans found in flaxseed exert phytoestrogen effects that may reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, endometriosis, and lessen mild menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness,” says Pantiz. “These lignans are also a source of antioxidants which help to reduce damage from free radicals throughout the body.”

In other words, eating flaxseeds is not just a way to ensure excellent gut health, it’s a way to maintain and protect your wellbeing overall.

What’s the best way to eat flaxseeds?

Flaxseeds are incredibly easy to incorporate into your current diet, and you don’t even need to eat cup-fulls of them to reap the benefits. “Most of the health benefits of flax come from eating just one to two tablespoons a day, which is easy to do,” says Scheinman. “Flaxseeds are a great food to include in a longevity-focused diet.”

 

As for hair, applying a mixture of freshly ground flaxseed and water to your hair definitely won’t hurt, and it just might add some moisture and even promote hair growth. One recent study found that the lignans in flaxseed oil could “potentially be used as a treatment for alopecia,” while another earlier study found that omega 3 fatty acids stimulated hair growth when applied to the hair follicles of rodents.

However, there is one thing to note: because the molecules in flaxseed oil are larger than those of other oils, it might be challenging for the skin or scalp to absorb them fully. So, you’re probably better off eating your flaxseed instead of relying on topical application alone.

“While flaxseeds can produce some pretty awesome effects on the body, it’s important to remember that there isn’t just one food that will cure all of your ailments,” says Panitz. “Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats is still the best way to meet all of your nutrient needs and reduce disease risk.”

So, eat the rainbow and remember that flaxseeds are just one small part of the all-important whole. “Adding flaxseed can be the cherry on top of an already balanced diet,” Panitz explains.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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