A simple seed, but with so many benefits. If flaxseed isn’t part of your diet, you’re missing out whether you have diabetes or not. For diabetics, there is an incredible connection between flaxseed and diabetes for those looking for a natural cure (type 2 diabetes) or a way to control blood sugar levels naturally.

The many health benefits of flaxseed

Before cotton was affordable, linen (Linum usitatissimum) also known as flaxseed, it has a fibrous stem that was woven into cloth and is still used this way despite the prevalence of cotton, but the oil that was produced from flaxseed has been used medicinally for thousands of years . It wasn’t until about a thousand years ago that people started eating flaxseed for health and wellness. Flaxseed health benefits include but are not limited to;

1. Cancer

Flaxseed contains the highest amount of lignans compared to other plants. The amount of lignans in flaxseed is about 7 times that of its closest competitor (sesame seeds) and up to 3,200 more than peanuts.

Lignans contain very powerful antioxidants that are crucial in preventing the damaging effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that, in order to stabilize or “heal themselves”, “steal” particles from healthy cells, but this only ends up creating more free radicals. The effects of free radicals in the body are believed to increase the risk of developing various diseases and chronic conditions, including cancer.

Lignans are particularly beneficial in reducing the risk of breast cancer. Estrogen, which is the female hormone, can stimulate cancer growth, but lignans, in addition to antioxidant benefits, also contain phytoestrogens (plants), which mimic the action of estrogen produced by the body but are less potent.

These chemically weaker phytoestrogens bind to estrogen receptors in the body and this helps stop the effects of the much stronger estrogen produced by the body in the body, allowing excessive amounts of this much stronger estrogen to be eliminated from the body. strong, which helps reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Studies have shown that women who consumed lignan reduced their risk of developing breast cancer by about 62 percent compared to women who did not consume lignan.

Lignans are also beneficial in fighting prostate cancer as has been shown in several research studies.

Other cancer-fighting properties of flaxseed emanate from the polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, and the fiber it contains. These compounds, in addition to lignans, help promote health and well-being and reduce the risk of developing various diseases, including cancer. The anti-inflammatory properties of flaxseed also help protect against cancer and many other chronic diseases.

2. Heart attack

Lignans not only provide antioxidant benefits, but as mentioned above, they are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, of which alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the main type, and ALA may reduce the risk of having a fatal heart attack.

3. Cholesterol

Flaxseed can also lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is dangerous and can lead to heart disease. Flaxseed is rich in a type of soluble fiber that is beneficial to the body and is known as mucilage. This mucilage is related to the cholesterol-lowering properties of flaxseed.

4. Kidney disease

Research has shown that the lignans and omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed can reverse kidney damage caused by lupus, an autoimmune disease.

5. Hot flashes

The lignans or phytoestrogens contained in flaxseed may be beneficial for women facing the various symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes. Estrogen levels in women going through menopause typically begin to decline, and instead of undergoing hormone therapy, phytoestrogens are a natural alternative, as they can be used to replace some of this estrogen that the body no longer produces because estrogen can help reduce the severity of hot flashes and phytoestrogens can help with this.

Flaxseed and diabetes

Abundance of soluble fiber

The connection between flaxseed and diabetes is related to the mucilage discussed above, which is the soluble fiber that is available in high amounts in flaxseed. Several studies have shown that this soluble fiber can lower blood sugar levels, which is important not only for controlling diabetes but also for curing it naturally.

Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin or the insulin produced becomes ineffective and/or ineffective (insulin resistance), leading to a buildup of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. Insulin is supposed to remove this glucose from the blood and transfer it to the various cells of the body where it is used as fuel or energy for daily activities.

When insulin is unable to perform its functions, this buildup of glucose in the blood can increase the risk of developing diabetes or lead to diabetes-related complications (heart and kidney disease, limb amputations, diabetic coma, etc.).

One aspect of natural diabetes management is following a personalized diabetic diet to help control the amount of glucose deposited in the blood.

This is what is amazing about flaxseed and why it is so important for the natural treatment of diabetes. The soluble fiber in flaxseed helps slow down digestion, which means it will slow down the digestion of carbohydrates and sugars in the food we eat and the conversion of these into glucose for deposit in the bloodstream, which helps prevent spikes. of blood sugar. This shows the importance of flaxseed for the natural treatment of diabetes.

If you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, one of the ways to prevent you from developing type 2 diabetes is to increase your intake of this soluble fiber.

weightloss

Another connection between flaxseed and diabetes is weight loss. Many people with diabetes, especially those with type 2 diabetes, are overweight. Managing your weight is an important aspect of natural diabetes treatment and this is another area where flaxseed can help.

In addition to soluble fiber, flaxseed also contains insoluble fiber (fiber). Both types of fiber are important for weight loss because they help you feel fuller faster and keep hunger pangs away longer, which can help you eat less and help you with your weight loss goals. Overweight diabetics trying to lose weight should always increase their fiber intake for the reasons discussed and flaxseed can help with this.

It’s also important to remember that many people with type 2 diabetes also deal with high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, heart disease, etc., and as discussed above, flaxseed can also help with these various health issues.

The connection shown above between flaxseed and diabetes makes this amazing seed crucial and an important part of any diabetic diet.

getting the most

1. Flaxseed oil and diabetes

Flaxseed oil is made from the seeds and many people skip the seeds and go for the oil, but you might want to think again. You may want to consider going through the oil firstly because you won’t get the all-important fiber and secondly because while the oil may contain some health properties, most of the lignans, proteins and minerals are found in the seeds real and not in the oil. Since you need fiber as a diabetic, pass on the oil and go for the seeds instead.

Flaxseed oil is also easily perishable and should be stored in the refrigerator once opened.

2. Must be processed

Flaxseed is available in two varieties, namely brown flax and golden flax (also known as yellow flax), which generally have similar nutritional compositions.

While some people love to sprinkle whole flaxseeds on salads or freshly baked bread, the body cannot process whole flaxseeds. They will simply pass through your body undigested, meaning you won’t get all of the benefits of flaxseed, including the soluble fiber.

Flaxseed needs to be processed, but ground flaxseed goes rancid very quickly, so store it in the refrigerator but don’t use it after 30 days or so. While you can easily find ground flaxseeds in grocery stores, they’re not as fresh as freshly ground flaxseeds, so consider getting a cheap spice or coffee grinder or other seed-grinding tool so you can grind two tablespoons or more of whole flax seeds and have them. fresh to use every day to add to smoothies, oatmeal, sprinkled on hot or cold cereal, sprinkled on salads, etc.

While ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal) does not last more than 30 days when stored in the refrigerator, whole flaxseed can last 6 to 12 months or 1 to 2 years when stored in the refrigerator.

Safety precautions

Flaxseed is generally safe, but it does contain a small amount of cyanide that is not enough to harm an adult, but could harm a fetus or infant, so avoid flaxseed if you are pregnant or nursing and do not give it to children under two years old. .

The trace amount of cyanide in flaxseed should not be harmful for most people if you only consume the recommended daily amount, which is 2 to 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed. It is also important to remember that there are usually very small amounts of cyanide that are constantly present in human tissue and constantly being metabolized, so cyanide in flaxseed should not be a cause for concern. Other plants such as cruciferous plants also contain small amounts of cyanide.

One tablespoon of flaxseed contains about 5 to 6 milligrams of cyanide, but for cyanide to be dangerous to the human body, it would have to be in amounts of at least 1,000 milligrams.

Other precautions with flaxseed relate to allergic reactions. Some people may be allergic to flaxseed and if so, stop using it or reduce the dosage.

Some people may also experience bloating and flatulence when they first start consuming flaxseed. If so, start with small amounts and gradually increase.