Flax seeds are known to be one of the oldest crops in the world. They’ve been used in textile and food industries since 3000 BC.
The seeds are 45% oil, 35% carbs, and around 20% protein.
A tablespoon of flaxseed has around 55 calories, 3 grams of carbs, 2.8 grams of fiber, 1.8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 2.4 grams of omega-3 fatty acid.
Flax seeds are one of the main sources of omega-3 fatty acid in plants and are an essential fatty acid you must get from foods as your body doesn’t produce it.
They also contain enough omega-6 fatty acids for your improved well-being.
Flaxseed Oil and Flax Seed Differences
Flaxseed oil is what you get from dried flax seeds, either through pressing them or extracting solvent.
So, flaxseed oil is made purely from flaxseed fat content, but its protein and carb content are almost non-existent. It also doesn’t have any fiber.
A tablespoon of flaxseed oil has 14 grams of fat. In the same amount, flax seeds have 4 grams of fat, 3 grams of carbohydrates, and 1.8 grams of protein.
Both flax seeds and flaxseed oil have positive benefits for people who have diabetes, as they take care of many risk factors.
Flax seeds are said to promote better blood sugar control.
Having healthy blood sugar levels is extremely important for people with diabetes.
Due to flax seeds’ high fiber content, they don’t cause blood sugar spikes, but they make the blood sugar rise steadily.
This is partly because of their soluble fiber content, which slows food digestion and decreases the absorption of sugar in our bodies.
Flaxseeds Improving Our Insulin Sensitivity
The hormone that regulates blood sugar is insulin.
If your body is having difficulty responding to insulin, it will require a greater amount to lower blood sugar levels. This phenomenon is called insulin resistance, and is what happens in people with type 2 diabetes.
Insulin sensitivity is how sensitive your body is to insulin. Bettering your insulin sensitivity treats and prevents type 2 diabetes.
Flax seeds have an antioxidant called lignan which slows the development of diabetes.
The gel-like substance that flaxseeds generate affects fat metabolism, and decreases the absorption of cholesterol in our body.
The lignan in flaxseeds is an antioxidant and phytoestrogen that has an important role in reducing blood pressure.
The Disadvantages of Consuming Flaxseeds
Although flaxseeds have a ton of health benefits, they can also interact with some of our medications for regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
The omega-3 content of flaxseeds have a lot of blood-thinning properties, which increases the effects of aspirin and warfarin for preventing blood clots.
There is also a ridiculous chance of the omega-3 fatty acid in flaxseeds to decrease your blood sugar levels too much, so you have to change your blood sugar meds.
Flaxseeds can be easily added to recipes. Especially desserts. They’re eaten whole, roasted, milled, as an oil, and as a flour.
You can also find them in dairy products, juices, and beef patties.
They can also be used as thickening agents for your soups and sauces.
A great flaxseed cracker recipe is a cup of ground flaxseeds, 2 tablespoons of onion powder and garlic powder, water, a tablespoon of whole flax seeds, a half cup of water, and some salt. Mix these in a bowl and form a dough. Place the dough on a baking sheet and put it in the oven at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
You can also simply add flaxseeds in dressings and smoothies.
Summary
Flaxseeds have a lot of benefits that will help people with diabetes manage their disease. Because they are packed with omega-3, they improve blood sugar control, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce your risk for heart disease.
But be aware of how they interact with your medications.
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