Well, I have some good news: You don’t have to be a world-renowned cardiologist to know healthy oils from unhealthy ones. It’s all about identifying your favorite healthy oils, learning to use them the right way, and then sticking to those habits. And one healthy oil in particular, called flaxseed oil, is worth learning about in more depth because of its exciting health benefits. If you’re particularly nutrition-savvy, you know that there are different types of omega-3s. An important one to know about when it comes to flaxseed oil is ALA, also known as alpha-linolenic acid. ALA is a plant-based source of essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (“essential” means they must be obtained through the diet because our bodies don’t make this type of fat naturally). The body converts ALA to EPA and DHA, which are the healthy fats found in fish oil. ALA is present in many plant-based oils, including—you guessed it!—flaxseed oil. You can safely supplement with ALAs in a variety of supplement and food sources to receive many health benefits, particularly ALAs brain-protecting properties2. So why not just take fish oil? You could also take a fish oil supplement, which contains the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (normally in doses around 80 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA3). But because it’s plant-based, flaxseed oil is a particularly great option for vegans and vegetarians—who sometimes have trouble incorporating adequate levels of healthy fats into their daily diet—and for the health of the planet. Research has also shown that consuming plenty of omega-3s—from either supplements or food—can decrease the risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer7 and colorectal cancer8. Omega 3s have also been shown to improve blood pressure9 and are well-known for reducing inflammation and fending off autoimmune diseases10, which are a group of illnesses classified by an overactive immune system that attacks the body’s own tissues. Finally, consuming adequate amounts of omega-3s can help improve eye health11 (reducing symptoms of dry eye disease), and one study that evaluated questionnaires and dietary records from over 200 women was able to link a higher consumption of omega-3s to decreased menstrual pain. If you’re reading mindbodygreen, chances are that you’re interested in fending off chronic inflammation and all the health woes—like aches and pains, headaches, and poor sleep (just to name a few)—that come with it. Well, good news! Flaxseed powder was shown to reduce inflammatory markers (specifically TNF-α and C-reactive protein) in men during a 42-day, single-blinded weight loss study. C-reactive protein and TNF-α are just two of the many ways to test for chronic inflammation. It also appears that flaxseeds have a positive influence on blood sugar balance, which is especially important considering the fact that one in three Americans have prediabetes. Consuming flaxseed has also been shown to reduce fasting blood glucose15 by 19.7 percent in patients with type 2 diabetes (the patients consumed flaxseed powder every day for one month). Another study performed on animals showed that skin damage that occurs as a result of cigarette smoke can be improved by ALA16 (remember, this is the omega-3 specifically found in flaxseed oil). This is likely due to ALA’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are thought to help reduce oxidative stress and even stimulate collagen synthesis. So next time you’re making one of your favorite collagen recipes—like iced cream and chia pudding—consider adding a little flaxseed oil for extra skin-supporting benefits. It’s also important to avoid eating unripe flaxseeds because they could potentially contain toxic cyanide compounds. Many experts also recommend avoiding flaxseed and flaxseed oil during pregnancy because they may have some mild hormonal effects. In fact, some experts recommend strategically consuming flaxseeds as part of an alternative hormone therapy called “seed cycling.” Flaxseed oil and flaxseeds have the potential to cause GI distress (i.e., diarrhea or constipation), so it’s important to drink plenty of water when you take them because they are very high in fiber. So how do you know if flaxseed oil is right for you? It depends on your goals and what nutrients you’re looking for. One tablespoon of flaxseeds18 is about 2 grams of ALA and 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil yields about 7 grams of ALA. It’s typically recommended that you take 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil19 each day; you can also take flaxseed oil in supplement capsule form, and in that case the recommended dose is 1,000 mg twice daily. So there you have it! Everything you need to know about incorporating flaxseed oil into your wellness routine. Luckily, it’s not difficult to take advantage of flax’s many health benefits.
