Flaxseed
Flax is a plant that has been cultivated in Egypt and Asia since ancient times and its benefits are known. The benefits of flaxseed are even featured in Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient health system that originated specifically in the Indian subcontinent. Flaxseed can be defined as a functional food because it contains healthy fats, antioxidants and fiber.
Flaxseed is a very important functional food. Functional foods are defined as food or food components that provide additional benefits on the physiological and metabolic functions of the person, protect from diseases or lead a healthier life, in addition to fulfilling the body's basic nutritional requirements.
The flax plant, whose Latin name is Linum usitatissimum, is an agricultural plant that grows in lengths ranging from 30 cm to 1 meter, blooms in blue and lives for a year. Flax seeds are about 5 mm long and are egg-shaped. These seeds are flat, shiny, odorless, oily and delicious. Although flaxseed can be confused with hempseed, these two plants are completely different. According to the American National Cancer Institute, flaxseed; It is among the cancer preventive foods and studies should be carried out on it.
Flaxseed Benefits
Flaxseed, like other plant-based foods, is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants can help prevent disease by removing harmful molecules called free radicals from the body.
Free radicals occur as a result of natural processes and environmental pressures. If there are too many free radicals in the body, oxidative stress can develop, which can lead to cell damage and disease. Antioxidants help remove free radicals from the body.
The reason why flaxseed has high antioxidant properties is that it contains a nutrient called lignan at a high rate. There is plenty of lignan in the shells of flaxseed and it contains 100 times more lignans than even its closest competitor.