The Benefits of Flaxseed
By Carol Sorgen
WebMD Feature

Flaxseed may be on everyone's lips -- and in everyone's cereal -- but this new darling of the plant world has been around for more than 4,000 years, known even in the days of Hippocrates for its healthful benefits.

Flaxseed has been a part of human and animal diets for thousands of years in Asia, Europe, and Africa, and more recently in North America and Australia, says Kaye Effertz, executive director of AmeriFlax, a trade promotion group representing U.S. flaxseed producers. As flax gained popularity for its industrial uses, however, its popularity as a food product waned, but it never lost its nutritional value. "Today flax is experiencing a renaissance among nutritionists, the health conscious public, food processors, and chefs alike," says Effertz.

The reason for the increasing interest in flaxseed is its apparent benefits for a host of medical conditions, says Roberta Lee, MD, medical director of the Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in New York.

Flaxseed is very high in omega-3 essential fatty acids, Lee explains. It's the omega 3s -- "good" fats -- that researchers are looking at in terms of their possible effects on lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar, lowering the risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancers, and reducing the inflammation of arthritis, as well as the inflammation that accompanies certain illnesses such as Parkinson's disease and asthma.

In addition to the omega-3s, the remaining two components of flaxseed -- lignans and fiber -- are being studied for their health benefits as well, says Diane Morris, PhD, RD, spokesperson for the Flax Council of Canada. Lignans, for example, act as both phytoestrogens and antioxidants, while the fiber contained in the flaxseed is of both the soluble and insoluble type. "Flax is an interesting mixture of nutrients and other components," says Morris.

So......it seems flaxseed may be the new wonder food. It's been around for years and clearly has significant health benefits - it fights everything from heart disease and diabetes to even breast cancer. You might be asking where can I get some of this to incorporate into my diet?

Visit Bad Ass Coffee and try their exclusive Body Bomb Smoothie. The Body Bomb Smoothie is a super healthy drink and one of my favorite drinks from Bad Ass Coffee (well, besides their coffee). The Body Bomb is made up of flaxseed, bee pollen, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, yogurt, protein, wheatgrass and honey or splenda. This delicious drink is great as a meal replacement or for recovery after a workout! And you get to enjoy the incredible benefits of flaxseed!

Try it today and let us know what you think. In fact, there are SOO many delicious drinks at Bad Ass Coffee, let us know your favorite Bad Ass picks. The 10th person who emails us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it will win a Bad Ass prize!

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