Incorporating a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains provides essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that sustain your energy and ensure your body functions efficiently. Healthy fats play a crucial role in maintaining heart health and combating inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, can be found in foods such as salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds.
Additionally, seed oils like flaxseed oil are rich in omega-3s. To illustrate, an ounce of walnuts contains about 2.5 grams of omega-3s, whereas a tablespoon of flaxseed oil offers approximately 7.25 grams, almost triple the amount.
Think olive oil is high in omega-3s? Think again. Although olive oil is a healthy monounsaturated fat, it contains merely about 10 milligrams of omega-3s. Omega-3s enhance heart health by reducing triglycerides, boosting circulation, and aiding in the prevention of blood clots. Flaxseed oil might also contribute to lowering blood pressure, making it a wise choice for a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Flaxseed oil has ALAs that may help reduce blood pressure and inflammation
Although fish is widely recognized as a source of omega-3s, flaxseed is abundant in a plant-based variant known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA aids in reducing inflammation by competing with linoleic acid (an omega-6 fat present in many vegetable oils), which the body can convert into inflammation-triggering compounds. While you might already add ground flaxseed to oatmeal or smoothies, flaxseed oil offers a more concentrated dose of ALA. A tablespoon of flaxseed oil contains about three times the omega-3s found in the same amount of ground flaxseed.
(Compare the difference between fish oil and flaxseed oil.)
In a 2018 study published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology, individuals with metabolic syndrome consumed 25 milliliters (approximately 1.5 tablespoons) of either flaxseed oil or sunflower oil daily for seven weeks. Both groups experienced improvements in cholesterol and triglyceride levels. However, the flaxseed oil group showed significant reductions in blood pressure and waist size, a key indicator of unhealthy belly fat.
How to include flaxseed oil into your diet
Before replacing your preferred cooking oils with flaxseed oil, consider its smoke point, which is around 225 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, it can produce toxic compounds when it smokes. Using oil beyond its smoke point can result in a bitter taste and the loss of some healthy properties.
Instead, drizzle flaxseed oil over cooked vegetables or beans for extra flavor and a boost of omega-3s. It also makes an excellent dressing for salads or a healthier alternative in dips and sauces. Flaxseed oil can substitute for olive oil or butter on fresh bread or grilled bruschetta. If you’re a smoothie enthusiast, try adding a tablespoon of flaxseed oil for added heart-health benefits (and to lower your risk of early death).
While flaxseed oil offers numerous health benefits, it is also quite delicate. When purchasing flaxseed oil, ensure the container is opaque since light can cause the oil to degrade and become rancid. Although olive oil in a cruet might appear elegant on a dining table, flaxseed oil can deteriorate if exposed to excessive oxygen. If you’d like to offer flaxseed oil as a dressing, pour just enough into the cruet for that meal (per Stony Creek Oil).
