Flex your flax: a nutrition powerhouse - Task and See

Vibrant Life, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Georgia E. Hodgkin

Way back in 650 B.C. Hippocrates recommended flax for medicinal uses. Before that, the Bible says in Exodus that the Egyptian pharaohs had a use for flax. The Roman emperors wore linen garments, and in the A.D. 700s Charlemagne developed linen making in France.

Today flax is raised for its fiber and its seeds. The fiber is spun and woven into a wide range of products from rope to linen to delicate lace. The seeds are used for linseed oil and in making paints, varnishes, linoleum, and oilcloth. After the oil is pressed from the seeds, a meal is produced for farm animal feed.

Since the 1990s, chemists have found that flax is a rich source of compounds important for health. Those compounds include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and the lignins, plus a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Fish Substitute

Those little shiny, brown flaxseeds are 41 percent fat; however, 73 percent of the fat is polyunsaturated fat and particularly rich in ALA, an omega-3 essential fatty acid. ALA is the parent compound from which eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are made in the body. The recommendation to eat cold-water fish is based on the EPA and DHA present in trout, salmon, mackerel, herring, and bluefin tuna. Plant diets provide ALA in flaxseed (the richest source in North American diets), soybeans, canola, wheat germ, walnuts, red and black currant seeds, and green leafy vegetables. Thus, a vegetarian diet includes more than adequate sources of ALA.

Cardiovascular health is protected by ALA. It appears that ALA helps to keep heart cells quiet, or less excitable. Most deaths from heart attacks are the result of irregular heartbeats. ALA seems to keep the heartbeat steady and lengthens the cycle of the heartbeat, thus reducing the risk of arrhythmias. A second benefit of ALA for the cardiovascular system is its ability to inhibit the body's production of inflammatory substances (cytokines, interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, and thromboxane [A.sub.2]). Atherosclerosis, the clogging of arteries, is an inflammatory process. A third benefit of ALA is that it lowers total blood cholesterol. LDL, or bad cholesterol, is lowered, while HDL, or good cholesterol, remains the same. A fourth benefit to heart health is that ALA may reduce the risk of stroke.

Immune Booster

The immune system benefits from the abundance of ALA in flax also. ALA reduces the production of inflammatory substances, and at the same time it enhances the production of less inflammatory eicosanoids and prostaglandins. ALA decreases cytokines related to rheumatoid arthritis.

Not only the ALA in flaxseed, but also the fiber has health benefits. Lignin, a phytoestrogen, affects the immune system through its antiestrogen properties. The lignins may interfere with the processes that lead to hormone-related cancers; that is, cancers of the breast, endometrium, and prostate. Lignins may also benefit those with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune, inflammatory disease, and slows the renal disease that may result from SLE.

How much ALA should be in a healthful diet every day? The Canadian recommended intake is 0.5 percent of total calories each day. The United States does not have a recommended dietary allowance for ALA. On a 2,000-calorie diet, the Canadians recommend that 10 calories be from the essential fatty acid ALA. Approximately two tablespoons of flaxseed will provide 10 calories from ALA.

How much lignin should be in a healthful diet every day? A specific amount of lignin has not been recommended, but rather the general recommendation of 25 grams of fiber should be included in the diet each day. Flaxseed is the richest source of lignin in North American diets. It is found in lesser amounts in most unrefined grains (barley, buckwheat, millet, oats); legumes (soybeans); and some vegetables (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, spinach). Lignins are removed in processing, so flaxseed oil does not contain lignin.

Abundant Health Benefits

A common commodity, used through the centuries, flax is becoming valued for its health benefits. As you enjoy elegant linen clothing, beautiful tablecloths, and fine lace, consider applying your culinary skills to flax. Let its nutty, delicious flavor beckon your mealtime guests to beautiful food, garnished elegantly, served with the finest of attention to the social graces. Flax will power up your immune system and powerfully protect your heart.

Substitute With Flax

For fat: Use 3 tablespoons of ground flax for each 1 tablespoon of margarine or oil in a recipe. Baked goods will brown more easily.

For egg: Use 1 tablespoon ground flax plus 3 tablespoons water for each egg in recipes for pancakes, muffins, or cookies. Let flax and water stand several minutes. The texture will be chewier and the volume will be less.

Storage of Flax

Groundflax--May be kept up to 90 days in the refrigerator without changing flavor. Best to grind in a food processor or blender just before use.

Flaxseed--May be stored at room temperature for up to a year.