Flax on, Flax off

I decided to go to Trader Joes (for the first time ever) last night after doing some consults. (That was before the crazy night of italian food and loud music.) I bought some essentials, mixed baby greens, feta cheese, sprouted peas, organic vanilla yogurt, sunflower seeds, etc. And then I stumbled upon a bag of flax seed. I see a lot of you bloggers out there talking about flaxseed, showing photos of your oatmeal with flaxseed in it, talking about flaxseeding up your smoothies, etc. So - I figured there had to be some benefit to it, and I bought a bag of it.

Here's my yogurt today with a bit of trail mix peanuts, seeds and raisins and the flaxseed:




And here is why flax seed is good for you!

Flaxseeds are the richest commonly available seed source of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3's). Eating Whole Flaxseed rather than flaxseed oils because you get the whole package: the protein, fiber, minerals and phytochemicals along with the omega-3.

The nutrients inside each Flax Seed shell, fiber, lignans and Omega-3 fatty acids, are known to have health benefits including defence against cancer, reduced risk of heart disease, improved digestion, and relief of hormonal imbalances.

Benefits of Daily Consumption of Whole Flax Seeds:

* Contains essential EFA’s for maintaining good health by acting as building blocks in cell membranes
* Helps to regulate bowel movements
* Helps balance blood sugar and cholesterol levels
* Promotes anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal effects in the body
* Enhances the immune system
* Hormone-balancing effects on the body and aids in the production of hormone-like substances that are necessary for energy metabolism


Now, of course I put all the flaxseed on my yogurt before realizing that the whole flaxseeds should be ground before being consumed. So, getting out my mortar and pestle for future consumption. :)~

~J