Flax seeds: 11 beneficial properties you need to know

Flax seeds are rich in minerals and emollient and protective properties: they are a panacea for the intestine, they help digest, purify the organism and more! Here are all the properties of these healthy seeds.

Flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum) can be considered "healthy seeds" because they bring innumerable benefits to our organism, above all thanks to their emollient and protective properties and to the high content of mineral salts. In particular they are useful in case of constipation, to treat and prevent cystitis and they are also excellent for beauty, especially for hair care. But the beneficial properties of flax seeds do not end there, it is therefore important to include them regularly in our diet, to fully exploit all the nutritional properties and benefits to our health, also discovering any side effects.

Nutritive and beneficial properties of flax seeds

Flax seeds are purifying, they fight constipation and clean the colon: flax seeds are very useful in case of constipation, especially thanks to the fibers and mucilages contained in them with a laxative power that also help in case of irritable colon. To treat intestinal inflammation, prepare an infusion of flax seeds with calming affect: put a tablespoon of flax seeds in a glass of water, leave to infuse overnight and drink in the morning as soon as you wake up. The intestine has among its tasks to eliminate feces and parasites, unfortunately this does not always happen causing an accumulation of toxins that can lead to abdominal pain, overweight, indigestion, allergies. To cleanse the colon and the organism it is necessary to consume flax seeds or flax flour for at least three consecutive weeks: the flax seeds will behave like scavengers eliminating all the waste and purifying our organism.

Flax seeds help you lose weight: flax seeds help burn fat by converting it into energy. In addition, the sense of satiety increases, making it a good food to be included in a low-calorie diet. In addition to incorporating them into our diet, we can take one or two capsules of flax seeds oil a day by drinking at least two liters of water throughout the day. To have a flat stomach you can then prepare a herbal tea by boiling the water and inserting two teaspoons of flax seeds inside, filter it and drink it warm, or leave it to macerate for one night and drink it cold in the morning or place it inside a low-fat yogurt.

Flax seeds promote digestion: by mixing flax seeds, warm water and lemon juice you will help digestion. Another method to promote digestion is to take three tablespoons of ground flax seeds with a glass of water three times a week. Flax seeds oil, on the other hand, has a calming effect on inflammation of the digestive tract, as well as being useful for preventing hemorrhoids.

Rich in Omega 3 that stimulate the immune system, flax seeds lower cholesterol and more: thanks to the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, flax seeds are useful to strengthen the immune system also preventing intolerances and they are also a valuable help for the purification of the body and the skin. Just take 6 grams of flax seeds oil, preferably in the morning on an empty stomach, to meet the entire daily requirement of Omega 3. Flax seed oil helps to purify the organism by removing toxins even through kidneys and skin. Furthermore, thanks to Omega 3 fatty acids, flax seeds prevent the formation of plaque in the arteries preventing diseases of the cardiovascular system and lowering the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood: 5 grams of flax seeds per day are enough. They also stabilize heartbeats while avoiding the risk of heart attack.

Flax seeds are good against tumor: Constant consumption of flax seeds helps prevent colon, breast and prostate cancer. Flax seeds also contain lignans that block the growth of cancer cells. We can insert this precious anti-tumor food into our daily diet by adding it to bread, salads and yogurt.

Flax seeds fight diabetes and they are useful against hypertension: a spoonful of flax seeds seeds every day for a month improve fasting blood sugar level by helping those suffering from diabetes to control cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Consuming flax seeds helps to cure pressure disorders. Flax seeds have the ability to act only on people who have high blood pressure problems: two tablespoons of ground seeds per day is the ideal dose to fight hypertension.

Flax seeds treat inflammation of the tissues: but also the beneficial properties that treat inflammation of the throat and rheumatic pains are not to be underestimated. Moreover, flax seeds, thanks to their protective properties, are very useful for fighting internal inflammations, such as cystitis, and external inflammations on an epidermal level such as dermatitis.

Flax seeds fight menstrual pain and symptoms of menopause: by consuming a teaspoon of flax seeds three times a day for a month you will be able to fight menstrual pain. Taken during the menopause, flax seeds help to control hot flashes. They also have re-mineralizing properties that make it, together with the presence of vitamin K, a good food to prevent osteoporosis.

Flax seeds are excellent to treat coughs, bronchitis and colds: flax seeds can be a great help to cure seasonal illnesses: prepare a mixture with two portions of flax seeds flour and boil it with a little water. The mixture should be thick and compact, widen it with a thickness of one centimeter on a gauze, and fold it in two before placing it on the chest, then covering it with a woolen fabric. Leave it on your chest for at least 20 minutes. You can also prepare a quick remedy by boiling 8 grams of flax seeds in 100 grams of water. Cook for 15 minutes, filter and drink twice a day: it is very good to treat colds. Flax seeds are also used to treat sore throats, abscesses and rheumatism.

Flax seeds provide an anti-wrinkle and anti-acne action: thanks to their properties, flax seeds help cell turnover and improve oxygenation, thus ensuring the skin remains young and toned : Vitamin E gives these seeds antioxidant properties, countering the harmful effects of free radicals. The fatty acids make these seeds also excellent anti-aging especially if we use their oil. For an anti-wrinkle mask you can mix two tablespoons of flax seeds with a tablespoon of honey, a cup of warm water and two teaspoons of bran. To treat acne you can use the flax seeds flour: mix it with water to obtain a homogeneous mixture and apply with gauze on the affected areas leaving for half an hour.

Flax seeds make your hair brighter: flax seeds are also important for the health and beauty of our hair. If you want to have them beautiful and shiny you can prepare the flax seeds oil at home, soaking the flax seeds in water for half an hour, then cook them adding a few drops of olive oil. Filter everything and apply it on dry hair to have a luminous hair. On the other hand, if you mix 5 tablespoons of flax seeds oil with a teaspoon of lemon, you will get an emulsion to apply to your hair before the usual shampoo. Spread it on the strands with the help of a wide-toothed comb and leave it on for 20 minutes. After shampooing, your hair will be soft and shiny.