Flaxseed oil has long been known for its medicinal properties. It contains elements that allow the human body to function normally and smoothly. Components unique in their influence contribute to the fact that many people who adhere to proper nutrition are increasingly including it in their diet.
It is actively used in both the medical and cosmetology fields. The oil is present in many medicinal products, the action of which is aimed at promoting health and improving the appearance of skin and hair.
What does flaxseed oil contain?
Flaxseed oil contains a huge amount of vitamins and other useful substances. These include: Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9, minerals, sterols. Since flaxseed oil is a product of plant origin, it contains no cholesterol.
The combination of these elements brings undeniable benefits to the body. Particularly beneficial are unsaturated fatty acids, which the body is not able to produce on its own, and they can only be obtained from other foods.
The vitamins included in the composition significantly strengthen the immune system and have a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Benefits of flaxseed oil for weight loss: methods of use
A liquid with a bitter taste and a specific taste helps to maintain a slim figure. This statement may seem paradoxical due to the high calorie content of this popular folk remedy for getting rid of extra pounds. However, nutritionists have repeatedly talked about the following property of this product: it breaks down fat into two components - water and glycerin. They cannot be absorbed and leave the body naturally.
There is one “but”: for the decay to take place, you need to drink flaxseed oil before going to bed. One tablespoon is enough to prevent the food you eat from being stored in the form of new kilograms.
The liquid obtained from dried seeds not only helps prevent the accumulation of excess weight, but also eliminates waste and toxins and helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
There are other possible ways to use this natural and beneficial remedy:
- As a salad dressing
To do this, you can mix flaxseed oil with olive, amaranth, sunflower, mustard or walnut oil in equal proportions, add lemon juice - a couple of drops is enough.
- On an empty stomach
In this case, the liquid entering the body helps to activate metabolic processes and increase their speed.
- Adding to cereal or ready-made breakfast base
For example, amaranth bran with buckwheat, kelp, Jerusalem artichoke - this is an excellent dietary snack that will relieve you of hunger for a long time and help you become slimmer. But do not forget that the dish should not be hot - the liquid quickly oxidizes, and when heated, free radicals are formed in it, dangerous to our body. For the same reason, you cannot fry in this oil.
- In capsule form
They are sold in any pharmacy and are especially often used by those who are on a diet - after drinking a small capsule, you will not feel the specific “fishy” taste, which scares off many supporters of a healthy diet.
Which option should I choose? We recommend that you first consult with your doctor and find out if this product is contraindicated for you. Then you can start taking it according to the following scheme:
- In the morning, before breakfast (about 20-30 minutes). A teaspoon is enough.
- Then consume half an hour after dinner.
- The last dose is immediately before bedtime.
Another option is to make a healthy salad dressing. In this case, it is better not to salt the vegetables - you can sprinkle them with lemon juice or use ready-made seasonings (ginger, basil, nutmeg, etc.).
The benefits of flaxseed oil for women for weight loss lie not only in the breakdown of fat. It perfectly cleanses the body, normalizes intestinal function, which leads to improved functioning of the digestive system and accelerated metabolism. In addition, this herbal assistant thins the blood and improves the condition of hair, skin, and nails.
But do not forget that this remedy is unlikely to bring the expected effect if you eat incorrectly or irregularly. The key to successfully losing excess weight is a healthy lifestyle, which is impossible without a balanced and nutritious diet.
What are the benefits of flaxseed oil
The benefits of flaxseed oil are as follows:
- the likelihood of heart attack and stroke is significantly reduced;
- a person becomes more resilient to stressful situations;
- helps deal with stressful situations;
- prevents the occurrence of mental disorders;
- minimizes the likelihood of hormone-dependent neoplasms in women and men;
- helps maintain sugar levels at the proper level;
- improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
This is not the entire list of beneficial properties of the substance.
Elderly people should take flaxseed oil to avoid mental confusion and improve memory and concentration.
How to choose the right oil?
High-quality oil has a golden color with a hint of brown. Its transparency depends on the degree of purification. Preference should be given to a clear liquid. You should know that the lighter the oil, the better quality it is. The oil has a persistent tart aroma, similar to the aroma of freshly cut grass. The taste of fresh oil is specific, with a peculiar vegetable bitterness. If the liquid has an unpleasant odor or tastes rancid, this oil is not worth buying.
High-quality flaxseed oil is sold in pharmacies and specialty stores. It can be purchased at the pharmacy in bottles and capsules. Oil in capsules has the same beneficial properties as liquid oil. The dosage form is preferable for those who cannot tolerate the bitter taste of the product. The capsule can simply be swallowed with water. When purchasing, you need to carefully study the composition, as well as the terms of use.
How to drink flaxseed oil correctly
Doctors recommend taking the product in the morning on an empty stomach. For an adult, 1-2 tbsp is enough. l., and a child can be given no more than 2 tsp. In 1 tsp. contains 5 g of oil.
Also, the oil should be taken in the evening 20-25 minutes before dinner.
Under no circumstances should linseed oil be exposed to heat. Even slight heating destroys almost all beneficial properties and increases the amount of harmful elements. You can season cold salads with oil, add it to porridge and potatoes. Children can add it to yoghurts and kefir.
Storage rules
Sun rays negatively affect the composition of this product. For protection, manufacturers bottle it in dark glass containers. If you purchased a product packaged in plastic bottles, you must pour it into a glass container. The oil should be stored in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator.
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Contraindications
Despite the fact that flaxseed oil has undeniable benefits for humans, not everyone can take it. Contraindications include:
- high sensitivity to constituent components;
- allergies, manifested by redness of the eyes, runny nose;
- tendency to bleed;
- cholelithiasis;
- malignant neoplasms.
It is also advisable to refuse admission to persons who are planning surgical intervention in the near future.
Adverse reactions
If there is excessive presence of flaxseed oil in the body, it can have a laxative effect.
In some cases, unwanted reactions may occur:
- allergies in the form of itching, swelling and skin rash;
- difficulty breathing.
The oil should not be taken with other medications, as their absorption rate will be reduced.
No cases of overdose have been recorded.
Before adding it to your diet, it is best to consult a specialist, especially if a person has serious pathologies.
Is it beneficial to consume a spoonful of flaxseed oil every morning? What consequences can such a procedure have for the body? Nutritionist Mariyat Mukhina answered these questions especially for Slovo i Delo.
On the Internet you can find many life hacks for maintaining health and improving the condition of the body. But not all recommended habits may be beneficial for a person. Some of them can cause various diseases. Is it beneficial to drink a spoonful of flaxseed oil every morning? Let's look into this issue together with nutritionist Mariyat Mukhina .
How to choose oil?
The first thing a nutritionist advises to do is to choose the right flaxseed oil. Ideally, it should be cheese-pressed and wood-pressed. Why is it important? Firstly, if you consume oil with heat-treated seeds, there is a risk of harming your own health due to the large number of free radicals formed under the influence of high temperature.
Secondly, using a metal press can cause increased oxidation of the oil's ingredients, which is similarly unhealthy.
“When buying such a natural product, you need to be interested in the technology of making flaxseed oil and look for a manufacturer who uses not just cold pressing, but a wooden press - then you can not be afraid of such oil,” the doctor emphasized.
When choosing linseed oil, you should pay attention to its color - it should be golden brown. The product should not have a strong odor, but should have a nutty flavor.
Benefit
High-quality flaxseed oil is filled with beneficial minerals and vitamins. In particular, it contains vitamins A and E , which are responsible for eye health, fertility, youthful skin, and hormonal levels. The nutritionist reminds that this product contains much more fatty acids than sunflower and butter.
Vitamin F has a direct effect on hair, nails and cures dermatitis.
B vitamins are responsible for the nervous system and serve as a preventative against aging.
Potassium helps with the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, neurons, and also affects the quality of mental abilities.
Iodine ensures normal functioning of the thyroid gland and affects metabolism. This microelement, according to the doctor, is especially important for children - with a lack of iodine, dwarfism and intellectual impairment develop .
Zinc and phosphorus are responsible for hematopoiesis, bone growth, and neuron function.
“Half a teaspoon of flaxseed oil contains a daily dose of Omega-3, which is on par with fish oil!” - emphasizes Mariyat Mukhina.
Harm
The nutritionist warns that flaxseed oil can cause serious harm to health if the product oxidizes or goes rancid. Therefore, it is necessary to approach the use (3-6 months) and storage of the product with all responsibility. In addition, according to Mariyat Mukhina, flaxseed oil cannot be heated - it is added exclusively to salads or drunk on an empty stomach. The oil should be stored in the refrigerator and, once opened, consumed within a month.
The negative effect of flaxseed oil on health is achieved due to oxidation products - peroxides.
“It turns out that flaxseed oil can affect blood clotting parameters, in which case the laxative effect of the drug can change and cause constipation. It can also, instead of having an enveloping effect, become irritating and provoke the development of chronic diseases: ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and diverticulitis,” the doctor emphasized.
In addition, with an overdose of peroxides, brain neurons are affected. Thus, a person may develop mental disorders, including bipolar ones .
