Flaxseed oil, flaxseed meal... In recent years, a variety of flaxseed related products are dazzling, and they have been sought after by many consumers at the Healthy Food Expo.

Flaxseed is the mature seed of flax. It has a brown outer shell and is shaped a little like a watermelon seed. Some people say that it is very nutritious and is a "superfood". What are the nutritional characteristics of flaxseed? What do I need to pay attention to when purchasing and eating?

What are the nutrients of flaxseed?

The health benefits of flaxseed come primarily from its abundance of omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber, as well as phytochemicals called lignans.

High levels of omega-3 fatty acids

The fatty acids in flaxseed, mainly omega-3 fatty acids, can account for 54% of all fatty acids. In particular, alpha-linolenic acid, which is an essential fatty acid, can only be obtained from food. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids themselves have a positive effect on reducing inflammation, lowering blood lipids, and preventing cardiovascular disease.

Rich in dietary fiber

The dietary fiber of flaxseed is mainly found in the seed coat, which contains 27.3g of dietary fiber per 100g, which is rarely found in such a high content of food in natural foods. Put it this way, the dietary fiber in flaxseed is 8.3 times that of the equivalent weight of prunes, which shows its high content.

lignan

Flaxseed is a major source of lignans, a class of polyphenols that are precursors of phytoestrogenic synthesis and have a similar structure to estrogen. It not only has a certain effect on the improvement of female menopausal symptoms, but also has a certain effect on improving dyslipidemia and reducing the risk of cancer.

Flaxseed oil, flaxseed, flaxseed powder, which is better?

At present, the best-selling flaxseed products on the market mainly include flaxseed oil, whole flaxseed and ground flaxseed. Because of the different product forms, these three categories have certain differences in absorption and nutritional composition, and can be selected according to different needs.

Flaxseed oil

Flaxseed oil is extracted from flaxseed by pressing or leaching process, and its advantage is rich in α-linolenic acid, and high purity, easy to be absorbed by the human body. However, flaxseed oil, as a pure oil form, is not easy to preserve and carry, and long-term large consumption may lead to excessive oil intake and increase the risk of obesity.

flaxseed

The advantage of flaxseed is its complete structure, especially the rich nutrients on the flaxseed shell, such as dietary fiber and lignans, which have a significant effect on improving constipation and promoting intestinal health. However, direct consumption of flaxseed may interfere with digestion and absorption due to its hard shell, and the fat and protein components may not be fully absorbed.

Flaxseed meal

Flaxseed powder is ground flaxseed into powder, this form retains most of the nutrients of flaxseed, but also improves its solubility and absorption rate. However, flaxseed powder may be susceptible to oxidation and deterioration during preservation due to its wide contact area with air after grinding.

In addition, there is also a flaxseed powder on the market, which is a powder that is extracted from the oil and ground into it. It is equivalent to the loss of valuable oils and fats, and the nutritional value is greatly reduced. Therefore, when buying, be sure to look at the nutrition facts table, the fat content is better than 40g/100g.

There are two caveats to flaxseed

Although flaxseed is good, there are two things to be aware of when eating it. One is to control the quantity. Because of the high dietary fiber content of flaxseed, eating more may cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, stomach pain and nausea, so it is generally recommended to control within 30g per day. The second is cooked. Raw or unripe flaxseed is not a problem in moderation because it contains small amounts of cyanogenic glycoside, but may not be safe in large amounts. To be on the safe side, know whether it is raw or cooked when buying. If it is raw, it is best to fry it at low temperature at home before eating.

If you would like to learn more about the food industry, please visit the SIAL in South China(Shenzhen) website for more information.

Source: CHINA SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

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