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Flax has been valued for centuries for its good flavor and nutritional properties. Today, health  conscious consumers have been raising the demand for functional foods and dietary supplements enriched with flax due to the overwhelming amount of potential health benefits. Flax is found in many forms like ground or whole seeds, oils and is also an ingredient in ready-to-eat foods such as breads, muffins and cereals. As a food, flax contains a mix of beneficial nutrients including fair amounts of fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Flaxseed oil is popular not only because it is widely available, but also because it provides a rich, natural source of important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids.
Flax is also rich in lignans, compounds that are increasingly being studied for their potential benefits to both men’s and women’s health. Flax lignans are being hailed as one of the emerging new health ingredients. As more and more research is being completed, the scientific community continues to uncover new and exciting news about lignans.
Flax lignans are phytonutrients found in unrefined grains, legumes, certain vegetables and seeds. Flax is the richest source of lignans, providing 75 – 800 times more lignans than most other plant sources. Lignans have numerous biological properties. They are phytoestrogens, or naturally occurring plant estrogens, that can have a balancing effect on hormones. Lignans also exhibit strong antioxidant activities.
Research suggests lignans may benefit consumers in the following areas:
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Prostate health
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Bone health
- Breast health
- Reducing symptoms of menopause
- Heart health
- Hair loss
- Acne
- Inflammation
- Potential anticancer role
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