Nature has given us many gifts. We enjoy those gifts and their benefits without giving a thought to them. It has given us many herbs and shrubs also. There used to be a time when these herbs and shrubs were used as natural medicines. You might have heard about the fact that once Lord Rama was made alive by a herb known as SANJIVINI. These medicinal plants are present on the earth at this time also. The fact remains that we are not aware of those plants and their medicinal properties. In olden times there were no allopathic medicines. People cured themselves by using natural remedies only. In those times, the diseases from which people are suffering these days weren’t even heard about. The fact is that we have started trusting allopathic medicines more than natural remedies.
Benefits Of Flax Seeds
Today we are going to discuss one of such plants known to be the flax plant. Since we obtain flax seeds from this plant which are very useful for humans and help in curing several chronic diseases so I am going to talk about their health benefits, how to use them, their quantity, side effects, and how to take them. However, the difficulty is that, with the development in the field of science, we have lost that knowledge. As for as flax seeds are concerned, they are known to be a superfood.
These days you might have seen several youtube videos in which flax seeds have been talked about. In some of them, it’s said that they are very useful and some of them may be talking about their side effects. We get confused about seeing such videos that are beneficial or harmful to us. Now I am going to explain each and everything scientifically before you. I am going to tell you, how to take it, how much quantity one should take daily, and its potential side effects.
Used Since Thousands Of Years
The fact is that flax seeds have been used in our society for thousands of years but their popularity these days also has been on rising with time. Since people who use them are benefiting from them so it is one of the biggest reasons for their popularity these days. Moreover, you might be astonished to know the fact that these seeds originated in Egypt. It was used in the formation of clothes in those days. After a lot of scientific studies and research, it was discovered that seeds have many health benefits. These health benefits forced scientists to name these seeds superfoods. The benefits we get from flax seeds are because of the three main ingredients present in them. If we talk about its quantity, it shouldn’t exceed two tablespoons per person every day. Prescribed consumption can give maximum benefits to us.
COMPOSITION OF TWO TABLESPOON FLAX SEEDS:
- 80 calories
2. 3g protein.
3. 4g carbohydrates.
4. 10g fats.
5. 4g fiber.
6. 100mg phosphorus.
7. 60g magnesium.
8. 120g potassium.
You will now be able to know why it is called a superfood. This is the nutritional value of two tablespoons of flax seeds. Now I will explain its health benefits one by one.
IMPROVES DIGESTION
It improves our digestion because of the presence of high fiber in it. It helps in curing constipation. If anybody is suffering from chronic constipation, even then it can prove beneficial to such patients. The fiber present is a soluble fiber that mixes with our food easily and helps in the smooth excretion of solid waste from our body.
REDUCES HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVEL
Because of the presence of OMEGA-3-FATTY ACIDS in it, it is very useful for reducing high cholesterol levels in our blood. It also contains POLY-UNSATURATED FATTY ACID, which doesn’t allow our blood to become thick and helps in the smooth flow of blood in our blood vessels. It also helps in increasing HDL (GOOD CHOLESTEROL) and reducing LDL (BAD CHOLESTEROL) levels in our blood, thereby increasing the efficiency of our heart. As we all know that heart is one of the important organs inside our body. Its smooth functioning increases our life span.
REDUCES THE RISK OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANCERS
It helps in preventing different types of cancers inside our bodies. It helps ladies prevent breast and ureter cancer. The presence of omega-3-fatty acids helps in killing or controlling free radicals inside our bodies, which are the main culprits behind cancer.
HELP IN REDUCING FAT
Because of the presence of high fiber in it, it also helps us in reducing fat. The fact remains that a high quantity of fiber gives us the feeling of fullness and our desire to eat reduces, resulting in weight loss.
INCREASES INSULIN SENSITIVITY
We know that insulin is an enzyme that controls the quantity of sugar in our blood. When we eat food, insulin is responsible to convert the sugar content into glucose, and then it is converted to energy. Insulin is thus responsible to send sugar into our blood depending upon the quantity secreted by our pancreas. If a sufficient amount of insulin is secreted means less amount of sugar will enter our blood. In diabetes-2 either the secretion of insulin becomes low or insulin sensitivity decreases. So, in some way flax seeds are responsible for maintaining the required sugar level in the blood. It has been proved scientifically that these seeds can be used by diabetic patients to control their sugar levels.
HOW TO USE FLAX SEEDS
To get the maximum benefits of these seeds, they need to be taken properly. Some of us purchase flax seeds from the market and use them in the same condition as purchased from the market. They should be converted to powder form by using a grinder. Then dip two tablespoons of the powder for at least two hours before its consumption. Then you can take it with water, curd, or milk. You can use it as a spreading salad. The best time of consuming it may be 20-30 minutes before going to bed or the breakfast, in the mixed form with oats.
HOW TO STORE THESE SEEDS
Since these seeds are sensitive to heat and light so they should be stored in a dark place, closed in an air-tight container. Then it should be kept in a cool place. You can use your refrigerator to store it. The container to be used to store it should be made of glass.
SIDE EFFECTS
1. If taken in raw form can cause some problems. Its outer covering is not digested by our body, so it is preferred to consume it after grinding, in powder form.
2. When somebody starts taking them, he/she should drink plenty of water because of their fibrous nature. Fibers are good absorbers of water, so plenty of water should be consumed.
3. If the intake of water is not sufficient enough as needed, may deteriorate the condition of the people suffering from constipation. A person is expected to keep him/herself hydrated while consuming it.
As such no other side effects are scientifically proven. Anybody can take these seeds without any hesitation or fear. Hope that after reading this article your misconceptions about the consumption of flax seeds might have cleared.
Hope you will enjoy reading this article. Stay connected to read my next articles. Till then Bye! God bless you all.