Flaxseed oil, also known as linseed oil, is obtained from the flaxseed plant, which is rich with omega-3 fatty acids. The oil’s compounds are similar to the seed in that it is filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids which have been associated to promoting heart health, decreasing inflammation and promoting a much healthier skin, hair and improved mood levels!

Ultimately, this vegetable-based oil is an alternative to fish oil if you are looking to increase your omega-3 intake levels. But besides that, it also contains many other impressive health benefits that extend beyond its high omega-3 content. Read on to find out more!

Health Benefits of Flaxseed Organic Oil:

1. Promotes Heart Health

As abovementioned, flaxseed organic oil contains abundant levels of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically about 50-60% of it. These come in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA helps to lower cholesterol levels, thus preventing and treating heart diseases. This is because omega-3 fatty acids are considered the good form of fats, and it helps to scrape off LDL cholesterol (which is the bad form that clogs up your arteries) from your body.

As such, flaxseed oil helps to reduce the amount of plaque in the arteries, and thus reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases and cardiac arrests. According to the University of Maryland Medical Centre, one study suggests that those who have a high diet of alpha-linolenic acid are less likely to develop a fatal heart attack. Another study found that women who ate high levels of alpha-linolenic acid (1.5g per day) had a 46% lower risk of sudden cardiac death than those who ate lower amounts of ALA (about 0.5g per day).

2. Exhibits Cancer-Preventive Potential

Besides being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed oil also contains an abundant supply of antioxidants. These compounds are highly useful in reversing the damage done to the cells in our body by free radicals.

A 2015 research study published in Experimental Cell Research found that the ALA compound rich in flaxseed oil reduced the growth of breast cancer cell lines and increased apoptosis (cell death) in several breast cancer cell lines by modifying signalling pathways.

Another 2015 study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer shows how flaxseed can be used as a complementary breast cancer therapy as ALA significantly inhibited growth of the cancer cells and induced apoptosis in them during the experiment.

3. Supports Digestive Health

One of the traditional uses of flaxseed oil is its ability to provide relief from constipation as it acts as a natural lubricant and laxative for the colon. This is due to the presence of fibre in the oil, although the seeds contain a lot more fibre than the oil itself.

Fibre helps prevent stools from hardening excessively and allows for their easy passageway through the intestinal tracts and out from the body. Thus, if you are suffering from constipation, try increasing the amount of fibre in your diet and using flaxseed oil too.

Moreover, it helps to relieve bouts of diarrhea as well, in addition to relieving constipation woes. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that flaxseed oil exhibited laxative activity and antidiarrheal activity, thus rationalizing medicinal use of flaxseed oil in both constipation and diarrhea.

4. Promotes Skin Health

Flaxseed oil is also great for alleviating eczema, which is a common skin problem characterized by dry, red and itchy skin which can lead to blisters and cracks. The fatty acids present in flaxseed oil greatly helps to improve the skin elasticity and texture.

In addition, consumption of flaxseed oil helps to increase collagen production, thus tightening the skin and preventing sagging. This is especially important as we grow older, because collagen production by your skin naturally decreases once you get older. As such, flaxseed oil also helps to conceal and fight cellulite on the skin. Therefore, incorporating flaxseed oil is a great supplement to promote improved skin health!

5. Aids in Weight Loss

Because it acts as a natural laxative and lubricant agent, flaxseed oil helps to remove food and wastes more easily as it stimulates the detoxification process within your body. As such, it is able to help your body shed excess weight.

Of course, weight loss comes with lifestyle and dietary changes as well, but flaxseed oil can be a useful aid to supplement and augment your weight loss plans!

6. Treats Sjogren’s Syndrome

Sjogren’s syndrome is a condition characterised by a disorder in the immune system, and symptoms usually include dry eyes, dry mouth and dry skin as it affects the parts of the body that produce fluids like tears and saliva.

Flaxseed oil has been known to help alleviate such conditions. A 2007 study conducted by Brazilian researchers found that therapy of 1-2g per day of oral flaxseed oil capsules led to reduced inflammation and ameliorated the symptoms of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eyes) in Sjogren’s syndrome patients. Thus, this illustrates how flaxseed oil has potent anti-inflammatory abilities and able to alleviate symptoms of this syndrome.

Because of its anti-inflammatory abilities, flaxseed oil is also great to be used as a pain reliever agent to alleviate the ache and soreness from muscular conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

How to Use Flaxseed Organic Oil?

Now that you know about the amazing benefits of flaxseed organic oil, here are some of the most common ways you can use the oil in your daily lives to reap its benefits!

• Topically: Flaxseed organic oil is considered a carrier oil which can be used to dilute essential oils, thus, you can use this oil topically as a massage rub with essential oils.

• Internally: Flaxseed oil is great to be taken internally as well. You can add one drop of it to a glass of water, a cup of tea or even to your smoothies and protein shakes! In fact, you can mix a drop of the oil with yogurt or cottage cheese, as this helps to emulsify the oil and improve your digestion and metabolism rates further.

Safety Precautions:

• Do note that if you have pre-existing health conditions and are under prescription drugs or other dietary supplements like blood-thinning medications, blood sugar-lowering medications and cyclosporine, you should always speak to your doctor first before consuming or using the oil. This is because the omega-3 fatty acids in the oil can potentially interact with these drugs to produce unwarranted side effects.

• If you are pregnant, you should avoid using flaxseed oil and if you are nursing, then you should speak to your doctor first before using it.

• When in doubt, always consult your doctor first before using or consuming flaxseed organic oil.

• Always purchase high-quality, top-grade, 100% pure flaxseed organic oil from a reliable and reputable seller.

References:

“Alpha-linolenic acid”, University of Maryland Medical Centre, n.d.

Wiggins AK, Mason JK, Thompson LU, “Growth and gene expression differ over time in alpha-linolenic acid treated breast cancer cells”, Experimental Cell Research (2015); 333(1)

Wiggins AK, et al., “a-Linolenic Acid Reduces Growth of Both Triple Negative and Luminal Breast Cancer Cells in High and Low Estrogen Environments”, Nutrition and Cancer (2015); 67(6)

Hanif Palla A, Gilani AH, “Dual effectiveness of Flaxseed in constipation and diarrhea: Possible mechanism”, Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2015)

Pinheiro MN Jr, et al., “Oral flaxseed oil (Linum usitatissimum) in the treatment for dry-eye Sjogren’s syndrome patients”, PubMed (2007); 70(4)