Health Benefits of Flax Seed Oil

When you read about alleged health benefits of flax seed oil, you should always do so with a critical mind. It is true that flax seed and flax seed oil is healthy and the health benefits of flax seed oil has been showed in several trustworthy studies. A lot of sellers of flax seed, flax seed oil and flax based remedies do however try to boast the scientific results and make their flax seed based remedies seem like wonder drugs that can cure virtually any illness known to man.

Health benefit of flax seed oil – Omega 3 fatty acids

On September 15, 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a qualified health claim for dietary supplements and food containing the two types of omega-3 fatty acids that are most commonly found in flax seed and flax seed oil.

These two types of omega-3 fatty acids are also the most commonly found in fish oil, algae and hemp. According to the FDA, scientific evidence indicates that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of coronary hearth disease.

As, you can see, it is a good idea to take a look at your diet and make sure that it contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids. These two omega-3 fatty acids are abundant in oily fish, e.g. herring, salmon, tuna and lake trout. Flax seed are one of very few vegetable food-types that contain significant amounts of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Today, many people eat less fish than recommended and fish allergy is very common in the industrialised world. Vegetarians and vegans refrain from eating fish, and a lot of health conscious people are concerned about the presence of heavy metals, such as mercury, in fish. In many parts of the world, pregnant women are discouraged from eating fish more than two times a week, since the fish caught in their area contain such high levels of heavy metals. The health benefit of flax seed oil was therefore a welcome discovery for all those who wish to include the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids in their diet without having to consume fish, fish oil or seal oil.

The health benefit of flax seed oil will hopefully help us to reduce the occurrence of coronary hearth disease dramatically. Today, coronary heart disease is responsible for 500,000 deaths each year in the United States alone. When the FDA approved the qualified health claim for dietary supplements and food containing EPA and FDA, it meant that producers could start labelling their products with this information. This has made it much easier for consumers to choose food that allow them to enjoy the health benefit of flax seed oil. Producers are today allowed to place the following information on their products regarding the health benefit of flax seed oil:

"Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. One serving of [name of food] provides [x] grams of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. [See nutrition information for total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content.]

Many food producers are today using flax seed and/or flax seed oil to boast the levels of EPA and DHA in their products. This means that you might be able to stick to your favourite breakfast cereal or muesli and still enjoy the health benefit of flax seed oil. In some shops you can even find omega-3 fortified eggs from hens that have had their diet supplemented with flax seeds or flax seed oil. Other examples of food types where you can find omega-3 fortified variants that allow you to enjoy the health benefit of flax seed oil are mayonnaise, margarine, bread, crackers, waffles, milk, yoghurt and salad dressings.

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Health Benefits of Flax Seed Oil