The History & Background

Flax, also known as Linseed, is a blue-purple-flowered plant that contains fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, lignans/antioxidants, and other beneficial nutrients. “Flax is a powerhouse of disease-fighting compounds that researchers have found to prevent heart disease, protect against inflammatory disorders and certain cancers, and lower cholesterol” (“Healthyflax.com,” n.d.). This unusual plant originated in Egypt around 5,000 years ago where the Egyptians used flax as a part of the cloth that they wrapped mummies in to preserve their bodies. Other scholars say that flax also originated in India, the same time as in Egypt. Today, it is usually grown in western Canada and in some northern parts of the United States.

Nutritive Value & Significance

For about 100 grams of Flax: 450 Calories 41 grams of fat 28 grams of total dietary fiber 20 grams of protein

Fatty Acid Composition of Flax: 9 % Saturated Fatty Acids 18-20% Monounsaturated Fatty Acids 57% Omega-3 Fatty Acids 16% Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Ground flax is more beneficial than whole flax, because ground flax is more easily absorbed into the body

5 Tips to Add Flax in Diet

1) Sprinkle flax on cereal

2) Mix flax with salad dressings

3) Add flax into bread or cookie dough

4) Replace fat (oil or butter) with flaxseed oil

5) Sprinkle flax on yogurt and fruit

ReferencesAsselin, G., Cunnane, S. C., Dodin, S., Forest, J., Jacques, H., Lamarche, B., Legare, F.,

Lemay, A., Marc, I., Masse, B., & Tremblay-Mercier, J. (2007). Flaxseed on cardiovascular disease markers in healthy menopausal women; a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrition.

Bao, W., Denmark-Wahnefried, W., Gingrich, J. R., Haroon, Z. A., Li, J., & Lin, X. (2002). Effect of flaxseed supplementation on prostatic carcinoma in transgenic mice. Urology, 60(5), 919-924.

Chen, J. M., Goss, P. E., Li, T., Strasser-Weippl, K., & Thompson, L. U. (2005). Dietary flaxseed alters tumor biological markers in postmenopausal breast cancer. American Association for Cancer Research, 11, 3828-3835.

Cohen, S. L., Moore, A. M., &Ward, W. E. (2005). Flaxseed-oil and inflammation-associated bone abnormalities in interleukin-10 knockout mice. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 16(6), 368-374.

Healthyflax.com: Choose flax for a healthier lifestyle. Retrieved November 25, 2007, from healthyflax.com Web site: http://www.healthyflax.com.

Prasad, K. (1997). Dietary flax seed in prevention of hypercholesterolemic atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, 132(1), 69-76.

Potential Health Benefits

1) May reduce risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease

Flax is known to reduce the formation of atherosclerosis accordingto a study done on rabbits. The rabbits from New Zealand wereseparated into four groups: 1) a control group, 2) a group that was given flax, 3) a group that was given 1% cholesterol in their diet, and 4) a group same as the third group, but they were given flax. Aftereight weeks, experimenters removed the rabbits’ aortas and they wereexamined and dissected (only groups three and four) in search ofplaque. The third groups’ aortas were almost completely covered inplaque, and the fourth groups’ aortas consisted of a smaller amount ofplaque. In the beginning of the study, Prasad (1997) hypothesized that “Flaxseed, because of its lignans and n-3 fatty acids content, would retard/prevent the development of hypercholesterolemic atherosclerosis and production of OFRs [oxygen free radicals] by PMNLs [polymorphonuclear leukocytes].” Prasad believed that flaxwould reduce atherosclerosis build-up and in the end of the experiment the hypothesis was proven correct. This study demonstratedthat the consumption of flax reduces atherosclerosis by 46% without reducing cholesterol levels.

When the formation of atherosclerosis is reduced, it decreases therisk of cardiovascular disease. There was a double blind study done that examined the results of flax ingested by healthy women going through menopause. These women and all staff members were blindfolded for the rest of the study. For twelve months the 199 women consumed either flax or a placebo, which was done randomly.Blood samples were assessed and examined. The results stronglysuggest that flax increases the proportion of some fatty acids and lowerssome levels of lipoproteins. Asselin et al. (2007) states the conclusion of this study, “Flaxseed had a modest effect on apo A-1 and apo B [lipoproteins] and had no significant effect on LDL electrophoretic characteristics or markers of hemostatis and inflammation.” Even though flax lowered levels of lipoproteins, it did not prove to have anyeffect on lowering the size of LDL. More studies will have to be doneto determine the risk of cardiovascular disease in menopausal women consuming flax.

• May reduce risk and tumor formation of breast cancer

Another double blind study was completed to demonstrate therelationship of flax and the risk of breast cancer and tumor formation.The patients had to have a diagnosis of breast cancer in order to participate in the study. They either ate a flax muffin or a placebo muffin. A diet record was assessed and urine samples were taken to check for the presence of lignans. The results also demonstrated that the women who ate the flax muffin excreted more lignans in their urine than the women who received the placebo muffin. Chen et al. (2005) states that, “Our study shows that daily intake of 25 g flaxseed can significantly reduce cell proliferation, increase apoptosis, and affect cell signaling by reducing human breast cancer cells.” The percentagesdid not decrease due to the size of the tumor and the age of the woman, but just simply due to consumption of flax. It is safe to say that from this study, flax has the possibility to reduce the size of tumors in women dealing with breast cancer.

ConclusionI have concluded from the results in all of the studies done on flax,

that flax is a disease-fighting compound with many potential benefits. Whether it be reducing risks of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and bone abnormalities, or more, flax has been shown to stop or help reduce illnesses. People should know and care about flax and the possible positive effects in which it has on us. Being familiar with the advantages of flax in the body and the increase in consumption of flax will hopefully in the end decrease diseases and increase the potential for longer and healthier lives.

Rachel HammerlingDepartment of Dietetics, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota

Environmental friendly products Flax can be found in paint (helps reduce pollution and smog)

Flax can be found in linoleum floors (helps reduce pollution)

Flax can be used to make clothes

Flax can be used in a gel hair product

Flax can be used as a plug for drains

For further informationI want to thank Office Max for printing this poster, and for green tea that kept me motivated and energized. Funding for this project was provided by Roy and Peggy Hammerling, my parents.

Flax: reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer

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Potential Health Benefits

3) May reduce risk of prostate cancer

A study done on mice shows the relationship between flax and prostate cancer. There were 135 mice that were either put into a control group or an experiment group. The experiment group was given flax based on their weight. An autopsy was assessed to look at the major organs in the mice, such as the lungs, heart, and urogenitals. Bao et al. (2002) explains the results, “Of the control mice, 100% developed prostate cancer versus 97% of the mice in the flaxseed group.” The mice that were given flax had less destructive tumors compared to the control mice, which shows that flax has a positive effect in reducing tumors. In conclusion, flax has the possibility to prevent prostate cancer and to decrease the formation of tumors.

4) May reduce risk of bone abnormalities

Flax also is said to reduce the risk of bone abnormalities. A study done on mice randomly gave them either a diet with corn oil or a diet with flax oil. The mice were analyzed weekly by taking their weight. They performed other tests, such as a femur test, a compression test, and a test on the mineral content in their bones. Corn oil and flax oil consumption showed similar results in the mice with the femur calculations. However, the mice that received the flax had an increased alpha linolenic acid (ALA) levels than the other mice group. Cohen et

al. (2005) concludes, “This study has demonstrated that a level of ALA that is attainable from a 10% flaxseed oil diet does have some positive effects on the skeleton of mice.” With this conclusion, flax can be said to be beneficial for decreasing bone abnormalities.

Precautions or Safety Concerns

Whole flax can be kept in a jar or bag for up to a year or longer

Ground flax should be stored in a refrigerator in a solid color container up to 90 days or longer

Freezing ground flax will increase the shelf-life

A person should add flax slowly to their diet; about one tablespoon per day to begin with and then increase it to two or more per day

Ground Flax Whole Flax

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