Flax Seed Oil Supplement

How can gobbling up liquid fat be beneficial? It is confusing, isn’t it? On one side, the entire world talks of cutting down oil/ghee from the diet and on the other side people advocate drinking liquid oil? Well….read on…..

Flax Seed Oil is a rich source of Omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA). Besides containing Omega-3  (specifically Alpha-Linolenic Acid), flax seed oil typically contains approximately 10-20% each of Omega-6 Linoleic Acid (the other primary EFA) and Omega-9. Essential fatty acids are considered “essential” because they are the main structural components of the body’s cell membranes, but cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from the diet. Most diets are usually deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids however, and contain too many Omega-6 fatty acids. The ratio of Omega-6’s to Omega-3’s in most diets is believed to be as high as 10:1 (10 grams of Omega 6’s for every gram of Omega-3’s), whereas a ration of no more than 3:1 is recommended. Excessive amounts of Omega-6 EFA’s are believed to promote the development of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Saturated fats and vegetable oils like corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oil are high in Omega-6 fatty acids, and interfere which the body’s ability to utilize Omega-3 EFAs.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in certain plants like flax seed, canola oil and walnuts, and in cold water fish such as salmon and tuna. Relying on diet alone for Omega-3 is difficult though. For instance, contamination is a potential issue when it comes to increasing the amount of fish in one’s diet because fish can accumulate toxins such as mercury, dioxins, and PCBs. And while fish oil contains the most beneficial and active Omega-3 – eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – some individuals find that taste and digestive problems are an issue. The main Omega-3 EFA in flax seed oil is alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), which is converted to EPA and DHA in the body, though the rate of conversion probably varies by age, gender, and type of body tissue.

One must also consider the ratio of Omega-6’s to Omega-3’s in natural food sources. Flax seed oil contains the best ratio (the least Omega-6’s to Omega-3’s) of any of the vegetarian food sources. Flax seed oil is also one of the richest sources of “lignans”, natural phytochemicals that are found in the fiber, rather than the oil portion of flax seeds (depending on their filtration method however, individual flax seed oils may, or may not, contain high lignan levels). Lignans are phytoestrogens (structurally related to estrogen) and may protect against chronic diseases, such as hormone-dependent cancers, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.

Flax seed oil freshness is an important consideration because rancid oil will have an unpleasant taste and may not be as effective. For this reason it is important to use refrigerated flax seed oil, and oil that contains Vitamin E as a preservative / antioxidant. Two tablespoons is what most experts recommend to consume in a day. I personally rely on the flax seed oil supplements (available in soft gel capsules). I take a 1000 mg capsule alonwith my protein shake post workout.

-MumbaiYummyMummy