Flaxseeds and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

HealthBrain Foods
Written By Danielle

No matter if you are a plant-based eater or an omnivore, one of the dietary requirements you should have on your radar is the body’s need for Omega-3 fats. One important form of Omega-3 fats is Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is considered essential because the body does not make it on its own, so it must be consumed in our food. Omega-3 fats, including ALA, are critical for brain and cardiac functioning, and they have been shown to have a positive impact on systemic inflammation, autoimmune conditions, gastrointestinal health, and neurodegenerative diseases.

One of the best sources of ALA is flaxseed.

Flaxseed has impressive health benefits, including:

IMPROVED BRAIN HEALTH, such as the prevention and treatment of depression and neurodegenerative disorders.

  • A lack of Omega-3 PUFAs has been consistently associated in the scientific literature with an increase in depression. Supplementing with Omega-3 fats has shown promise in helping to alleviate depression. www.nature.com/articles/s41398-019-0515-5. Supplementing with flaxseed oil was a found to “confer a number of health benefits in depressed women, including increased serum BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor) concentrations, along with improvements in depression status.”www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2020.1812639

  • Flaxseed has also been show to reduce mental fatigue in children.
    www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33028427/

  • Similarly there is “accumulating scientific evidence on the possible efficacy of PUFAs (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) supplementation in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although dietary recommendations are far from being a treatment for PD or AD, they may be able to alleviate some of the symptoms or slow the cognitive and physical decline.” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6747747/


IMPROVED CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH, such as lowered blood pressure, lowered cholesterol, lowered trans fat levels, reduced risk of stroke, and lowered systemic inflammation

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567199/


REDUCED RISK OF DIABETES, including lowered blood glucose in both type 2 diabetics and those with pre-diabetes.

REDUCED RISK OF CANCER, including significant protective effects against development of breast cancer and reduced tumor growth in women with breast cancer. Beneficial effects were seen with just 25gram (2 tablespoons) daily doses of ground flaxseed. “Breast cancer is not the only cancer that has shown sensitivity to dietary flaxseed or its components. Cancer of the prostate gland, lung, colon, ovary, endometrium, hepatocellular, and cervix have been inhibited by flaxseed.” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567199/

IMPROVED GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION AND MICROBIOME STATUS, including increased GI motility, reduced constipation, reduced risk of bowel disorders, and growth of beneficial gut microbes.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8244609/

Consuming flaxseed daily, for even a month, has been shown to increase levels of plasma alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Of import, only flax oil or ground flaxseed achieved ALA increases. This was not true of whole flaxseeds, which are not well absorbed. In addition, ground flax seed is better tolerated by most individuals, causing milder GI symptoms than either flax oil or whole flaxseeds. It was found that with ground flax, any GI issues experienced generally resolved quickly. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18689552/

Given these findings, if you are new to flaxseed use, you may want to consider ground flaxseeds, rather than flax oil to avoid GI distress. There are no official recommendations for flaxseed daily consumption, although in How Not To Die, Dr. Michael Greger suggests 1 tablespoon of ground flax daily. 1-2 tablespoons daily is also recommended by the Mayo Health Clinic.

Here are some easy ways to add flaxseeds to your daily routine:

Add them to patties as a binding agent, such as in:

Falafel Patties:
www.thewell-nourishedbrain.com/blog/wing-it-falafel-bowls

or Easy Vegan Crab cakes by the Minimalist Baker:
www.minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-crab-cakes-gf/#wprm-recipe-container-80920

or Smoky black bean burgers by the Simple Veganista:
www.simple-veganista.com/smoky-black-bean-burger/#tasty-recipes-9983-jump-target

You can easily sneak ground flax into soups, smoothies, granola, and baked goods, without anyone being the wiser. My favorite way of eating them is simply to add them to my daily morning brain-boosting oat bowl.

I encourage you to add ground flax wherever you can to help optimize your cognitive and physical health. As with all nuts and seeds, which are highly perishable, remember to store your whole and ground flaxseeds in the fridge or freezer.

Wishing you optimal health with every bite!
🌱💕


If you would like more information on the health benefits of flax, please see:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567199/
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32436825/
www.nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-021-00619-3
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4350958/
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31190359/
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33856729/
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8244609/

Danielle
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