Using flax seeds for weight loss is not the worst idea. It is important to remember that this product, although useful, does not have miraculous properties, and in some cases is contraindicated. Let’s figure out how to drink flax seeds correctly so as not to harm your health and get the maximum benefit.
What is this?
In recent years, flax seeds have become very popular, and those who want to lose weight have begun to actively take them. Nutritionists write about the supplement, bloggers talk about it, and you can buy it in pharmacies and healthy food departments of supermarkets. It is believed that the seeds not only promote weight loss but also improve health.
By the way: People started growing flax and eating flax seeds a long time ago. The fact that this plant was important for the life and diet of our ancestors is indicated by its Latin name – Linum usitatissimum, which means “very useful”.
Flaxseed contains fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins, and minerals. A tablespoon of seeds weighs about seven grams, of which two are fiber and a little more than one is protein. This portion contains 10% of the daily dose of thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, which is needed for metabolism and the functioning of the nervous system. In addition to zinc, iron, selenium, and manganese, flaxseed is rich in copper, a trace element important for the absorption of iron and support of the immune system.
Flax seeds can be called a superfood: this is often said about food with high nutritional value. This category includes nuts, seeds, and berries. It is not a cure-all that instantly strengthens the immune system, but adding flax to the diet makes the menu healthier.
What are the benefits of flax seeds?
Avicenna wrote about flax seeds. He suggested taking roasted flax seeds to treat coughs. And stomach ulcers and other digestive system diseases should be treated with enemas with a decoction of seeds.
Today, the use of flax seeds for medical purposes is more prosaic: they are eaten in their pure form, washed down with water, or a decoction is prepared to drink.
There are many scientific studies that support the benefits of flaxseed not only for weight loss but also for overall health. Many people take flaxseed as a means of nutritional support, not to get rid of extra pounds.
Due to the omega-3 fatty acids in the seeds, or more precisely, alpha-linolenic acid, the product is useful for the cardiovascular system. These acids help reduce cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of developing heart failure. Flaxseed in the diet reduces the likelihood of having a stroke or dying from cardiovascular disease.
The product helps fight high blood pressure. The negative impact of hypertension is often underestimated. WHO experts note that every third person lives with high blood pressure, daily being at risk of strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiac catastrophes than people whose blood pressure is normal.
Regular consumption of flaxseed products, including a drink based on them, helps to reduce blood pressure. This is not about a short-term effect “here and now”, but about a long-term normalization of indicators and the associated consequences: a reduced risk of stroke and coronary heart disease.
Another useful property of flax seeds is related to lignans. These compounds are considered antioxidants and have anti-cancer properties. Researchers claim that flax seeds contain more lignans than other plant products. Many studies on the anti-tumor properties of seeds were conducted in laboratory conditions, but there are also those that studied their effect on people. The results show that eating flax seeds helps reduce the risk of breast cancer, and adding them to the diet during therapy makes the treatment more effective.
The high fiber content makes the seeds useful for digestion. They must contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber creates a feeling of satiety for a long time, which reduces the chances of overeating. This property is useful for those who use flax seeds for weight loss, as it allows you to reduce the calorie content of the diet. Insoluble fiber is needed to improve intestinal peristalsis, that is, the movement of food through the digestive tract. It also helps form a stool.
How Flax Seeds Help You Lose Weight
Flax seeds help you lose weight. This is not only an observation of healthy lifestyle fans who take them but also a point of view confirmed by scientific research.
A drink with flax seeds and just seeds added to any dish enriches the diet with soluble dietary fiber – the fiber that suppresses appetite gives a feeling of satiety for a long time and helps not to overeat.
Fighting sudden hunger can be difficult, and supplements like flaxseed come to the rescue.
The authors of a large-scale study concluded that flaxseed in the menu, given that the diet as a whole remained unchanged, helps to lose at least a kilogram and about a centimeter from the waist. When the diet was adjusted, and the participants of the experiment drank flaxseed for more than 12 weeks, the effect became more pronounced.
When flax seeds can be harmful
There are no products that are always healthy for everyone by default. Even such a superfood as flax seeds can cause harm if taken in large quantities.
A safe portion is no more than one or two tablespoons daily. Too many seeds can cause flatulence and diarrhea. People prone to such problems should not abuse flax seeds.
People suffering from cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and other problems with the digestive system should also take flax seeds with caution.
It is not recommended to add flaxseed to the diet in large quantities and during pregnancy. The results of a number of studies, although conducted on animals, have shown that excess flaxseed leads to health problems.
Flax seeds should not be consumed by those who suffer from allergic reactions or intolerance to this product. Allergy to flax seeds, although quite rare, does occur. Anaphylactic shock has even been described, as provoked by half a teaspoon of seeds.
How to use flax seeds correctly
Flax seeds are taken for weight loss by adding them to food, as well as in the form of a drink with flaxseed broth in the composition. Here are several options for how to use the product to diversify and improve your menu at home:
- add to salad;
- use for sprinkling muffins, buns, bread;
- make it one of the ingredients in a smoothie;
- use for breading cutlets.
After adding flax seeds to liquids – yogurts, juices, water – you need to wait for some time for them to swell and increase in size, and then drink what you get. The seeds make the drink more filling.
Flax seeds are used instead of eggs. To do this, grind a tablespoon of seeds using a coffee grinder, then mix with three tablespoons of water and leave for 10 minutes. During this time, the seeds will swell, and the resulting mixture can be added to baked goods.
If you do not plan to add flaxseed to your meals but want to use the supplement in mono-mode for weight loss, eat a spoonful of seeds soaked overnight in the morning on an empty stomach. Wash it down with water, yogurt, or kefir.
Here are some more recipes with flax seeds.
- Cookie
A simple and quick snack that is easy to prepare and convenient to take with you. In addition to flax seeds, you will need flour, baking powder, water, vegetable oil, and salt. Mix all the ingredients, knead the dough, roll it out, and then cut into squares. Bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.
- Candies with dried fruits
To prepare, you will need prunes, nuts, flaxseed, coconut flakes and honey. Grind the nuts, seeds, and prunes in a blender until smooth, then add honey to the mixture. Roll into balls, and roll in coconut flakes. Store in a closed jar.
- Oatmeal pancake
A healthy breakfast looks exactly like this. You will need milk, oatmeal, flax seeds, and eggs. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ones. Fry the resulting mixture in a frying pan without oil. Serve the pancake with any filling: fruit, cheese, jam.
What can be done?
Prepare a decoction of flax seeds at home. To do this, pour one and a half teaspoons of seeds into a glass of hot boiled water and leave for 10-15 minutes.
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