News from Linwoods Health Foods: HOW TO IMPROVE HEART HEALTH WITH FLAXSEED?

News from Linwoods Health Foods: HOW TO IMPROVE HEART HEALTH WITH FLAXSEED?

Flaxseed is one of those everyday foods with amazing health benefits, not least for heart health. Getting into the rhythm of adding milled flaxseed to your diet every day could do your heart good.

Research shows that some of the benefits of adopting a daily flaxseed habit include:

* Helping to lower cholesterol levels and balance our HDL and LDL levels
* Supporting healthy blood pressure
* Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
* Improved glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity
* May support artery health and elasticity

Flaxseed is a good source of omega 3 fats, lignans and fibre and this combination is thought to be why flaxseed shows such promise for supporting cardiovascular health.

* Flaxseed is one of the richest dietary sources of an omega3 fatty acid called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). Omega 3 has been widely researched for its benefits for heart health and is essential to support anti-inflammatory pathways and cardiovascular health. One20gserving of Linwoods Milled Flaxseed is a convenient way ofincluding4g of Omega 3 (ALA) into your daily diet

* Lignans, found in flaxseed have antioxidant and hormone balancing properties and have been found to improve cardiovascular risk factors, such as cholesterol levels, in both men and women. Consuming milled
flaxseed is key here, because lignans are found in the husk of flaxseed, so you will get more out of it if you eat your flaxseed milled or ground.

* Flaxseed is a lovely combination of both soluble and insoluble fibre. As well as helping to support digestive health, soluble fibre is well known for its balancing effects on cholesterol and its role in supporting and managing blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity. Dysregulation of blood glucose is a driver for heart disease, so maintaining blood sugar balance is vital for heart health

Getting into the habit of adding milled flaxseed to your diet every day is key.

It’s the little habits that we can stick to everyday that make all the difference for long term heart health. 20g of flaxseed – that’s about 2 dessert spoonfuls, is the perfect daily portion.

Here are five easy ways to get flaxseed into your healthy heart diet:
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START WITH A FLAXSEED BREAKFAST

Flaxseed is a versatile and tasty addition to overnight oats, porridge, or stirred into Greek yoghurt with berry compote for a protein based start to your day.

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USE FLAXSEED AS A SOUP TOPPER

Give your soup a boost with a spoonful of milled flaxseed on top. This tasty addition adds all the heart health benefits in an easy way.

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ADD FLAXSEED TO BAKING

Use milled flaxseed in breads, flapjacks, healthy muffins or homemade pancakes to add heart-healthy fats and fibre with a delicious nutty taste.

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ADD FLAXSEED TO SMOOTHIES

Blitz in your favourite smoothie recipe, or add to your protein shake for a quick and easy option.

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STIR FLAXSEEDS INTO CONDIMENTS

Try stirring flaxseed [2]into your favourite dips and sauces – perfect in houmous, guacamole, tahini, nut butter or salad dressings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR, JANE MCCLENAGHAN

Jane McClenaghan is Northern Ireland’s most recognised nutritionist with over 20 year’s experience. Her company Vital Nutrition specialises in developing and delivering group sessions for corporate and community clients both online and in-person as well as running an online membership club and offering one-to-one consultations.

Jane’s knowledge in the subject area of health and wellbeing is unrivalled as indicated by her qualifications, reputation and experience.

Jane’s sessions cover a range of health and wellbeing topics from mental health to stress, female and male health, healthy eating on a budget, heart health, sleep, family wellbeing and much more.

Jane is also the author of two books on nutrition, she writes a weekly column in the Irish News, has a monthly slot on radio U105 and is a regular contributor to the BBC, The Belfast Telegraph and man yother media outlets.

You can find out more and get in touch with Vital Nutrition here; Vital Nutrition