Whole, organic brown flax seeds have made themselves an everyday staple in our household over the past 3 years. If we’re not adding them to salads or sprinkling them over vegetables or tuna salad, we’re scooping them about a tablespoon at a time and eating them plain.

Of course, this can be a challenge given the fact that once chewed, they become a thick, slick paste almost instantly. Not to mention they are somewhat burdensome as they get stuck in every crevasse of your mouth even if you’re ultra-careful. But it’s worth the multiple health benefits to get these nutritious little powerhouses in your diet, any way you can, every day!

May Improve Cholesterol

Flax seeds can improve your cholesterol levels according to some experts, when consumed on a daily basis. Think of them as tiny little scrubbers that attract extra fat and help flush it out of the system. Because flax seeds have a ton of fiber and create bulk, they help keep you regular, which also means they help to sweep out the extra fat that can clog arteries. Related: Trans Fats Impact on Cholesterol

These little seeds also contain high levels of healthy fats, which help to combat the “bad” cholesterol in our diet and bring healthy cholesterol up. They are full of omega 3 fats, and as long as you chew them or grind them fresh immediately before consuming, these fats stay intact.

The reason I’m bringing this up is that you really shouldn’t consume pre-ground flax meal. I got this advice directly from a holistic Doctor, so I took it pretty seriously and feel comfortable enough with passing it on.  Once the seeds are broken open, they quickly oxidize. So you may actually be doing more harm than good if you’re not consuming them either freshly ground and immediate eaten, or chewing them whole.

If you really want an extra cholesterol-busting tip, then try adding at least one large clove of garlic to your diet per day. Well-chewed, raw garlic can also benefit cholesterol levels. It’s a natural blood thinner, and is really heart healthy, and also contains lots of anti-cancer compounds.

Flax Seeds and Cancer Prevention

Regular flax seed consumption can have many cancer prevention implications as well. While they get the most attention on prevention of breast cancer, flax may also have additional protective benefits for other types of cancer.

Their high lignan content and beneficial omega 3 fatty acids lend themselves to protection against other hormone-driven cancers due to beneficial phyto-estrogenic activity. While the main cancer is gets attention for is breast, there also may be protective benefits against prostate cancer for men.

The combination of these constituents can also have a great anti-inflammatory effect. Inflammation is a common theme in many health conditions, not just cancer. So these effects can have implications for numerous other human biological functions, ranging from cholesterol and blood pressure to heart and brain function.

In addition, since flax is so good for the entire digestive tract, and keeps things moving along as they should thereby reducing inflammation and irritation, it can have multiple benefits for any type of digestive-related cancer.

Colorectal cancers, colon cancer, cancers of the bowel and other important components of digestion and elimination also logically follow as a benefactor of flax seed prevention. Just their high fiber content and incredibly effective non-irritating laxative effect can have profound implications when it comes to digestive health. Not to mention, weight management! Related: DIM Supplements - Good for Weight Management?

Weight Management

Last but certainly not least since healthy weight management impacts every single facet of life, including mental health, let’s talk about flax seeds and how you can use them for weight management. As previously stated, the high fiber content combined with the high fatty acid content, make flax seeds just about the perfect food for a healthy weight management regimen.

They can increase satiety greatly. What this means is that you can use them as additions to your meals to increase your feeling of fullness and satisfaction. You can even just take a tablespoon full in between meals, chewed well and taken with plenty of water. They have such a huge impact on helping to suppress appetite and cravings because they quickly expand with the water once chewed.

This satiation effect, paired with the fact that flax seeds keep things moving along in the digestive tract, makes for a huge weight loss and weight management impact. Not only can you reduce caloric intake by suppressing cravings, but your body is constantly moving waste along more efficiently. You almost can’t help but lose weight of help maintain a healthy weight when adding these into your diet!