Ground Flax Seed vs. Flax Seed Oil
Flax seed and flax seed oil are highly nutritious foods but for different reasons. To decide whether one or both should be part of your diet, take into account your age, gender, weight management needs, heart health and digestive health. Does this Spark an idea?
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Heart Health
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Flax seed oil is higher in alpha-linoleic acid, ALA, than ground flax. ALA is an omega-3 fatty acid that may be beneficial to people with heart disease.
Digestive and Reproductive Health
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Ground flax seeds have ALA, but they are also an excellent source of fiber. Fiber improves the health of the digestive tract and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Also, ground flax has a plant-form of estrogen called phytoestrogen. This substance mimics the behavior of estrogen made by the human body and helps menopausal women relieve symptoms such as hot flashes.
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Weight Management
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If weight management is your top priority, then ground flax is the better choice. Flax oil has more than twice the calories of ground flax per tablespoon. For weight management purposes, no more than 30 percent of total calories should come from fat, even if it's a healthy fat.
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References
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