"Super Foods": Flaxseeds And Other Nuts and Seeds

These super foods are very interesting, not just because of their amazing health benefits, but because most people haven't heard of flaxseeds!  It is not a food that is well known or that people include in their diets normally.  And yet, this tiny little seed is packed with vitamins, nutrients and essential fatty acids and has a "miraculous" effect on our health.

Lignans are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, breads, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds.  Flaxseeds are increasing in popularity due to studies showing the amazing health benefits derived from eating them.  Flaxseeds have been touted as having as good a health benefit as isoflavones, especially in their ability to decrease menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. 

Ground flaxseeds are absorbed better than the whole seed.    Flaxseeds can be easily ground using a nut or coffee grinder.  Keep the ground flaxseeds in the refrigerator to prevent them going rancid. Ground flaxseeds are preferable to flaxseed oil because flaxseed oil goes rancid quickly, even if refrigerated. 

The ground flaxseeds can be added to recipes like muffins and banana breads by replacing some of the flour with the flaxseeds.  You can also sprinkle the ground flaxseeds over salads and cereals.  In particular, it adds a delicious nutty flavour when sprinkled over cooked oatmeal.  (Ground flaxseeds are also a great source of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acid.)

Just some of the benefits of eating 1 to 2 tablespoons of these Super Foods (especially Flaxseeds) per day are:

• Reduces triglyceride levels

• Has an anti-inflammatory property (helps reduce symptoms of arthritis)

• Increases good eicosanoids and prostaglandins

• Increases serotonin production

• Reduces risk of heart disease

• Strong anti-oxidant properties fights free-radical damage, helping to defy aging

• Excellent source of soluble fibre reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (constipation and diarrhea)

• Lignans have been known to decrease the risk of cancer, especially colon and breast cancer

• Reduces incidence of gallstones and gallbladder disease

• Known anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial

• Reduces PMS symptoms

• Raises or lowers estrogen levels, depending on what is needed to re-balance the body’s hormone levels

• Reduces many menopause symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness

• Improves skin tone and firmness, rejuvenating the skin by helping to build collagen

• Excellent source of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids, which improves all the EFA deficiency symptoms found in Section 12.

• Lowers bad cholesterol levels

• Improves blood sugar levels and insulin levels

• Improves and supports immune system

• Flaxseeds (especially ground flaxseeds) can help to increase fat-burning and speed up metabolism, thereby accelerating weight loss.

This is a pretty impressive list of benefits derived from one humble food.  I think it may be time for us to rethink adding these Super Foods to our daily diet and to find fun and interesting recipes to jazz up our taste buds.

Check out this delicious Super Foods Recipe...

Super Foods Recipe:  Classic Flax Bread (Yield: 2 loaves)

Ingredients:

• 6 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup ground flaxseeds (flax meal)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon fast rising instant yeast
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions:

• Set aside 1 cup all-purpose flour from the total amount.
• Mix remaining flour, ground flax seed, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.
• Heat water, milk, and oil until hot to the touch (about 125-130°F or 50-55°C). DO NOT BOIL. 
• Stir hot liquids into dry mixture. Mix in enough reserved flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to the bowl.
• Turn out onto floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 10 minutes.
• Cut dough in ½ and shape into loaves. 
• Place into 2 greased (8 ½ inch x 4 ½ inch or 21 cm x 12 cm) loaf pans.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in volume (about 40-50 minutes).
• Bake at 400 °F (200°C) for 30-35 minutes.
• Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks.

Per Serving (1 slice): 125 calories; 23g carbohydrate; 3.7g protein; 2g fat; 1.4g fiber

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