Antioxidant
Flax Oil
We’ve read about them, read about them, and perhaps even
talked about them with our friends. Antioxidants, it seems,
have created quite a huge wave in the scientific community
that is devoting countless journals and magazine articles
about their many benefits.
Antioxidants are substances that work on free radicals, or
more particularly work to counteract the damaging effects of
these harmful oxygen byproducts. Scientists have linked free
radicals to the development of degenerative
diseases, causing massive cell damage that ultimately
results in various disorders, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s,
Parkinson’s, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, heart
disease, and much, much more. By neutralizing free radicals,
antioxidants actually prevent the onset of these diseases
and at the same time keep the body healthy and strong.
Being natural substances, antioxidants are derived from
various plants, including vegetables and fruits. Blueberries
and cranberries are usually the fruits that are often touted
by nutrition scientists as the top antioxidant
rich foods. In the vegetable variety, russet potatoes,
red beans, and red cabbage are topping the list as well.
However, there are also other fruits and vegetables that may
contain more essential benefits to our health. One such food
product is flax seed where we get the beneficial flax oil.
What is Flax Oil?
Flax oil is the essential oil that is derived from flax
seeds, which are a great source of fiber. Flax seed have
been used long before as an herbal remedy that is good for
digestion. But flax has certainly more benefits in store for
us. Flax oil is said to contain a high amount of lignans,
protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Lignans especially is
that substance in flax oil that has antioxidant properties.
The Benefits of Flax Oil Lignans
A natural plant chemical, lignans are antioxidant molecules
with anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties.
Flax oil is the richest source of lignans. Diets high in
lignans can lead to a lower chance of getting colon,
prostate, and breast cancer.
As an antioxidant, the flax oil’s lignans can help boost
the body’s immune system, keeping harmful, disease-causing
germs from damaging the cells. These plant hormones are also
believed to block the formation of hormone-based tumors.
Lignans also boost the productions of a substance attached
to estrogen and carries it out of the body.
Researchers have found that flax oil has 75 to 800 percent
more lignans than other vegetables and grains. This makes
flax oil the best source of antioxidant-acting lignans.
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