BY MILLY DAWSON

Revered for its benefits as farback as 4,000 years ago to the timeof Hippocrates,' flaxseed has beena long-held staple of human dietsacross Africa, Asia, and Europe.Lately, this versatile grain hasbegun to receive well-deservedattention in North America for itsability to help fend off the majorlife threatening diseases includingcancer and heart disease.

A rich source of minerals,omega-3 fatty acids, phytoestro-gens, and soluble and insolublefiber, abundant evidence supportsthe value of flaxseed in preventingdiverse illnesses such as heart dis-ease and cancer,̂ '̂ as well as help-ing to address common ailmentssuch as menopausal complaintsand digestive irregularity.'*'̂

As part of a snack or meal,it's easy to incorporate tasty andnutritious Haxseed as a stapleingredient in your own diet.

FLAXSEEDProtection Against Cancer,

Heart Disease, and More

Protecting AgainstHeart Disease

Dietary omega-3 fatty acidshave proven their mettle as preven-tive therapy against cardiovascu-lar disease.̂ Fish oil is the richestsource of these heart-healthy fats.Among the plant foods that offeromega-3s, fiaxseed stands far abovethe rest. Analyses have shown thatwhile canola and com oil con-tain approximately 10% and 1%omega-3s, respectively, flaxseed oilcontains a far greater concentra-tion of 57% omega-3s, in the formof alpha-linolenic acid.^"

The value of omega-3s hasemerged repeatedly from largepopulation studies that normallyconsume large amounts of theseheart-healthy oils.- Scientific sup-port for flaxseed is also abundantfrom dietary-modification studies.

"Intake of flaxseed,especially its lignan

fraction, and abundantportions of fruits andvegetables will lower

cancer risk."

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which have shown the benefits ofomega-3-rích seeds in decreasingrisk factors for cardiovascular dis-ease. '̂̂

Typical of these experiments isa recent study in which postmeno-pausal women with mildly elevatedcholesterol levels supplementedwith approximately 30 grams offlaxseed (just over four table-spoons) daily for three months.Flaxseed supplementation low-ered total cholesterol by 7% anddecreased dangerous low-densitylipoprotein (LDL) by 10%. Thesefindings led the study authors toconclude that regular flaxseed con-sumption may offer cardiovasculardisease protection by modulatingblood lipid levels.'

Another study compared theeffect of fiaxseed with cholesterol-lowering statin therapy in peoplewith a high total cholesterol level(more than 240 mg/dL). Researchersdivided subjects into three groups:a low-fat diet plus either a statindrug or 20 grams (about threetablespoons) of ground flaxseeddaily for two months, while a third

control group received the low-fatdiet only. Supplementation withflaxseed reduced blood lipids: totalcholesterol levels fell by 17%, LDLlevels dropped by 4%, and triglyc-érides plummeted by 36%. Theseimprovements in total cholester-ol and LDL levels in the flaxseedgroup were comparable to thoseseen in the statin group.'°

Fighting Cancers

Scientists have estimated that aremarkable 30-40% of all cancerscould be prevented through dietaryand lifestyle strategies alone.Flaxseed may play an importantrole in a cancer-preventive diet."Intake of flaxseed, especially itslignan fraction, and abundantportions of fruits and vegetableswill lower cancer risk," notes oneresearch review.'

The phytoestrogens so richlypresent in flaxseed—known aslignans— have proven, in numer-ous studies, to have great value inblocking hormone-dependent can-cers, including breast and prostatecancer.^"

Canadian researchers stud-ied the effects of dietary flaxseedon key markers of tumor activityin women newly diagnosed withbreast cancer. For approximatelyone month, patients in one groupate a flax-rich muffin (containing25 grams flaxseed) daily, whilea control group ate an ordinarymuffin each day. The flax-eatersshowed significantly reduced levelsof a marker for tumor-cell growthand increased levels in the orderlyprocess of cancer cell death (calledapoptosis).'^ The investigatorsconcluded that dietary flaxseedmay help reduce tumor grov\'th inbreast cancer patients.

Growing evidence suggeststhat flaxseed may also help avert

Flaxseed Nutritional Facts

Flaxseed is a rich source of fiber,omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals.One tablespoon of ground flaxseed(7 g) contains the following:

CaloriesCalories from

Total fatSaturated fatTrans fatOmega-3fatty acids

Omega-6fatty acids

CholesterolSodium

Daily Value

37fat 25

3gOgOg

1,597 mg

414 mg

Omg2mg

Total carbohydrate 2 gDietary fiberSugarsProtein

ThiaminMagnesiumCopperManganese

2gOgI g

0.1 mg27.4 mg0.1 mg0.2 mg

(DV)-

5%

i•I10%1 %8%

8%7%4%9%

* Daily values are based on a 2,000calorie diet. Your daily values maybe higher or lower depending onyour calorie needs.

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prostate cancer by boosting bloodlevels of beneficial enterolactones.After flaxseed is consumed, its lig-nans are converted in the intestineinto enterolactones, which thenenter the bloodstream. In a largestudy that examined blood entero-lactone levels in men with prostatecancer versus healthy controls,men with the highest enterolac-tone levels were 82% less likely tohave prostate cancer.'̂

Further studies are needed todetermine if flaxseed may offerprotection against other cancers.

Easing SymptomsTied to Menopause

Rich in phytoestrogens, flax-sood may offer welcome relief towomen suffering the discomfortsof menopause."

Researchers at the Mayo Clinicdemonstrated that flaxseed sig-nificantly decreased the occur-rence of hot flashes in women whochose not to take estrogen therapy.Women suffering from regularhot flashes consumed 40 grams ofilaxseed daily for six weeks. Thedaily frequency of hot flashes wasreduced by a dramatic 50% at thestudy's end, from an average of 7.3hot flashes daily to 3.6 hot flashesper day.'"*

Nutritional scientists increas-ingly believe that phytoestrogensmay help moderate a variety ofother menopausal symptomsranging from night sweats tomoodiness." Ongoing researchis investigating this promisingpossibility.

Scientists describe phytoestro-gens as plant-derived compoundsthat exert both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects in the body. Assuch, they may offer relief of symp-toms associated with low estrogenlevels, without the risks associated

with estrogen itseif. Flaxseed isrich in the phytoestrogens knownas lignans, while soy provides anabundant source of the isoflavonephytoestrogens."

Flaxseed Fiber SupportsHealthy Digestion, Blood Sugar

Flaxseed is a rich source of bothsoluble and insoluble fiber.'' Solublefiber forms a gel-like matrix withwater that adds bulk to stools andpromotes more regular bowelmovements.

Nutritional scientists believethat the insoluble fiber found inflaxseed helps slow the release ofsugar into the bloodstream follow-ing a meal, preventing spikes inblood glucose levels.̂

One ounce of flaxseed contains32% of the fiber recommended bythe US Department of Agriculture.'̂If you increase your intake of flax,remember to drink plenty of wateras well.

An Adaptable Ingredient

Choose ground flaxseed ratherthan whole. The whole form sim-ply passes through your digestivetract without surrendering its ben-eficial components. Alternately,you can grind whole fiaxseeds ina coffee grinder before consump-tion. Sprinkle flaxseed on cereal,yogurt, steamed vegetables, andsalads. Bake it into meat loafs andmuffins, and use it as a healthfulcoating on oven-baked chicken orfish. For best results, store groundflaxseed in the refrigerator. •

If you have any questions on thescientific content of this article,

please call a Ufe Extension HealthAdvisor at 1-800-226-2370.

References

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10. Mandasescu S, Mocanu V. DascalitaAM, et al. Flaxseed supplementation inhyperlipidemie patients. Rev Med ChirSac Med Nai ¡asi. 2005 Jul;109(3):502-6.

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12. Thompson LU, Chen JM, Li T, Strasser-Weippl K, Goss PE. Dietary flaxseedallers tumor biological markers inpostmenopausal breast cancer. ClinCancerRes. 2005 May 15;11(101:3828-35.

13. Hedelin M, Klint A, Chang ET. etal. Dietai>' phytoestrogen. semmenterolactone and risk oí pnistatecancer: ihe cancer pi-ostate Sweden study(Sweden). Cancer Causes Control.2006Mar;!7(2):169-80.

14. Pruthi S, Thompson SL. Novotny PJ, etal. Pilot evaluation of flaxseed for themanagement of hoi flashes.JSoc tniegrOncoi 20O7;5(3):106-12.

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