Flaxseeds have become very popular lately, because they are a rich source of
 the Omega 3 essential fatty acid, also know as Alpha Linoleic Acid (ALA).
 Because of its link to good health, flaxseeds are fast becoming a new food in
 many diets. Recently, two more studies have shown some additional benefit to
 flaxseeds in disease prevention. Along with the news and increased use has
 also come some myths and some misunderstanding.

 Flax is a blue flowering crop grown on the Prairies of Canada for its oil-rich
 seeds. The seeds of flax are tiny, smooth and flat, and range in color from
 light to reddish brown. Cultivated flax, L. usitatissimum, is of two types: one is
 grown for the seed and the other for fiber production. In North America, it is
 primarily the oilseed varieties which are produced commercially. They serve a
 variety of purposes, including baking and other food uses. Flax has been grown
 since the beginnings of civilization, and people have eaten flaxseeds since
 ancient times, and the first recorded uses of flax come from Southern
 Mesopotamia where flax was grown as long ago as 5,000 B.C. In the
 succeeding millennia, flax spread across Europe, Africa, Asia and finally to
 North America.

 So, what's the "buzz" on flax?

 Recent scientific reports point out that flaxseeds can have a positive influence
 on everything from cholesterol levels to constipation to cancer and heart
 disease. Scientists at the American National Cancer Institute singled out
 flaxseed as one of six foods that deserved special study.

 Here are some highlights:

 Relief from constipation

 Eating 50 grams of flaxseeds per day helped increase the frequency of bowel
 movements and the number of consecutive days with bowel movements in a
 group of older Canadian adults.

 A lower risk for heart disease

 Total cholesterol levels dropped 9 per cent and LDL (the "bad" cholesterol)
 decreased 18 per cent when a group of nine healthy women ate 50 grams of
 milled flaxseeds a day for four weeks along with their regular diets, according
 to a report from the University of Toronto.

 In a similar study with men and women, 50 grams of flaxseeds lowered total
 cholesterol and showed a constant trend of about 11 to 16 per cent lower
 serum lipids (fat in the blood).

 Cancer prevention

 Lignans and alpha-linolenic acid are found abundantly in flaxseeds. Population
 studies of diet and disease risk suggest an anticancer role for flaxseed.
 Long-term studies of flaxseed effects in women with breast cancer are
 underway.

 Recently 2 studies lend further support to the flaxseed/cancer prevention
 issue. The first is in relation to prostate cancer. The small pilot study was
 reported in the July issue of Urology (Urology 2001;58:47-52).

 Dr. Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, from Duke University Medical Center,
 Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues studied 25 patients with prostate
 cancer who were about to undergo a prostatectomy. The patients were placed
 on a diet in which only 20% of total calories came from fat. In addition,
 patients received 30 g/day of ground flaxseeds.

 Over an average of 34 days, the subjects experienced a significant decrease in
 mean total testosterone, free androgen index and serum cholesterol. In
 addition, men who had a Gleason sum score of 6 or less before starting the
 diet showed a trend toward decreased PSA.

 When the investigators looked at the prostates after prostatectomy, they
 found that prostate cancer cells were dividing much less rapidly and were
 self-destructing much more quickly in the treatment subjects compared with
 matched controls.

 The researchers are unsure which part of the diet produced this cancer-fighting
 effect. However, Dr. Demark-Wahnefried said that in cell-culture studies in
 which prostate cancer cells were exposed to the lignins from flaxseeds, they
 found significant decreases in cell growth. "It looks like these lignins may be
 responsible for the results we saw," she added. "If there is a synergistic effect
 [with] the low-fat diet portion of the diet, it is unknown at this time."

 (NOTE: Lignans are a type of fiber that is found in flaxseeds)

 Dr. Demark-Wahnefried noted that although this was a small pilot study, the
 findings were compelling. "We will be launching a larger study in January
 comparing the effects of a low-fat diet with and without flaxseed
 supplementation." Dr. Demark-Wahnefried and colleagues hope to be able to
 develop a diet that will retard prostate cancer. In addition, they are working
 toward using this strategy to prevent prostate cancer. "If these results hold,
 maybe 10 years down the road we will be testing this diet as a preventative to
 prostate cancer," she said.

 (NOTE: I will be reporting soon on a recently published study on the effects of
 the Pritikin Program on the growth rate of prostate cancer cells)

 The second recent study is in relation to breast cancer and was presented last
 week at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in St. Paul, MN
 and showed that flaxseeds can help protect post-menopausal women from
 breast cancer.

 In the study, funded by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes
 of Health, twenty-eight postmenopausal nuns from a convent in central
 Minnesota. They took daily supplements of zero, 5 or 10 grams of ground
 flaxseeds in seven-week cycles over the course of a year. "We don't know
 exactly how flaxseed does what it does. But we do know that it is considered
 to be the most concentrated food source of lignin," said Dr. Joanne Slavin,
 lead investigator and professor of nutrition and food science. "Lignan appears
 to lower estrogen in humans by inhibiting enzymes that are involved in
 estrogen synthesis."

 Flaxseeds provides 75 to 800 times more plant lignans, a type of
 phytoestrogen, than most other plant sources. Phytoestrogens are compounds
 that appear to interfere with estrogen metabolism in animals and humans.

 The 5- and 10- gram groups showed a significant decrease in estrogens
 common to postmenopausal women, estrone sulfate and estradiol.

 Some research suggests a correlation between estrogen metabolism and an
 increase of the chemical markers in the blood associated with development of
 breast cancer. "Since previous studies show that increased levels of estrone
 sulfate and estradiol may increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer,
 reducing levels of these hormones could be protective against breast cancer,"
 Slavin said.

 "The results are encouraging. Flaxseeds appears to change the way that
 estrogen is metabolized by the body, making the metabolized product less
 estrogenic," said Dr. Lillian Thompson, professor of nutrition science at the
 University of Toronto. "Estrogen is known to promote tumor growth. So the
 reduction of the estrogenic effect can be beneficial.

 Other proposed benefits of flaxseeds:

 Flax and Arrhythmia

 Flaxseeds are the richest source of Omega 3 fatty acids. These fats appear to
 enhance the mechanical performance and electrical stability of the heart and
 to protect against fatal arrhythmias. The mechanism of action likely includes
 modifying the fatty acid composition of cell membrane phospholipids, affecting
 cell signaling and controlling ion transfers across the cell membrane (Journal
 Of Nutrition, 1997; 127:383-393).

 Flax, Inflammation, Heart Disease And the Immune System

 Flaxseeds have been shown to reduce many of the markers of systemic
 inflammation, including pro-inflammatory eiconosoids, cytokines, and platelet
 activating factor. Flaxseeds may help reduce coronary heart disease and
 stroke by reducing blood cholesterol levels and by retarding the progression of
 arteriosclerosis by reducing inflammatory responses. This reduction in
 pro-inflammatory factors, flaxseeds may show benefits in many
 "hyper-stimulated" immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis,
 multiple sclerosis, and systematic lupus, erythmatosis.

 Over the last few years that I have been recommending the conservative use
 of flaxseeds. Many questions have arisen about flaxseeds. Therefore, I will
 answer the most common ones here.

 Q. Where can I buy flaxseeds?

 A. You can buy whole flaxseeds and packaged ground flaxseeds at many bulk
 food, and health food stores. Conveniently, many supermarkets are also
 selling flax seed in their bulk food sections. Check your local stores, as more
 outlets are carrying flaxseeds now than ever before. This trend will continue as
 flaxseeds becomes a more popular food item.

 Q. Which is better for me, whole or ground flaxseeds?

 A. Ground flaxseeds provide more nutritional benefits than does whole seed.
 That's because flax seeds are very hard, making them difficult to crack, even
 with careful chewing. Grinding flax seeds breaks them up, making them easier
 to digest when eaten. Then the body can profit from all that flax goodness. If
 whole flax seeds remain unbroken, they may pass undigested through the
 body, reducing the nutritional advantage of eating flax seed in the first place.

 Q. How can I grind the seeds?

 A. Flax seeds are easy to grind, and you likely have the right tool in your
 kitchen. Grind flaxseeds at home using a coffee grinder, food processor or
 blender. Like coffee beans, you can grind flaxseeds coarsely or finely and if
 using in cooking, most recipes call for finely ground flaxseeds.

 Q. What is the difference between brown flax seed and golden or
 yellow flaxseeds? Is one better than the other?

 A. No, one flaxseed is not better for you than another. Brown flaxseeds
 provide the same nutritional benefits as golden (or yellow) ones. Both brown
 and golden flaxseeds have plenty of lignans and dietary fiber, and both contain
 more than 50 per cent alpha-linolenic acid. This is an omega-3 fat which offers
 you health and heart fitness. While some people may prefer yellow-colored
 seed, brown flaxseeds add the same nutrition to your diet as do golden ones.
 This means you can choose your flaxseeds freely. Brown flaxseeds may be
 more commonly found than golden, as more brown than golden flaxseeds are
 grown commercially.

 Note: There is another yellow seed that looks like flax, but is not flax. It is
 most likely solin seed, a crop developed from flax. Solin seeds do NOT provide
 the same nutritional benefit of flaxseeds. Solin seeds contain less than
 one-tenth of the alpha-linolenic acid found in flaxseeds. Thus, the important
 omega-3 advantage of flax is missing in solin.

 Q. How should I store flax seed and for how long will it keep?

 A. Whole flaxseeds - Whole flaxseeds come with Nature's own finest
 packaging - its natural hard hull keeps it fresh. You can store clean, dry, good
 quality whole flaxseeds at room temperature for up to a year. Some people
 keep a jar of flaxseeds handy on their kitchen counter.

 Ground flaxseeds - Any food that is high in vegetable fat requires some care in
 handling and storing. Once you grind flaxseeds, there is greater risk of it
 developing an off-flavor and taste. That's why it's best to grind whole flaxseeds
 as you need them. This ensures its freshness. After grinding, you should
 refrigerate it in an airtight, opaque container. Ground flaxseeds handled this
 way will keep for up to 90 days.

 Q. Does flax contain gluten?

 A. Flax contains no gluten.

 Q. How many calories are in flaxseeds?

 A. 1 Tablespoon of whole flaxseeds (11 grams) contains about 50 calories, 2.5
 grams of protein, 3.5 grams of fiber, 23 mg of calcium, 33 mcg of folate, and
 2.5 grams of essential Omega 3 fatty acid. Although flax seed is over 82%
 fat, over half (57%) of the fat in flaxseeds are in the form of the Omega 3
 essential fatty acid.

 Q. What about flaxseed Oil and/or flaxseed oil supplements?

 I do not recommend the use of flaxseed oil or flaxseed oil supplements. Like
 all oils, flaxseed oil is a concentrated source of calories. Also, there are other
 benefits to consuming whole flaxseeds that would not be available in the oil.
 One of these is a type of fiber found in flaxseeds called lignans. Lignans have
 been shown to have anticancer effects and are associated with a reduced risk
 of breast cancer. Additionally, flaxseeds are a good sources of iron, zinc,
 calcium, protein, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and folate. These
 important nutrients play many beneficial roles in health maintenance and
 disease prevention. Flaxseed oil is pure fat and virtually void of all or most of
 these nutrients (except for vitamin E). Flaxseed oil is also a Poly-Unsaturated
 fatty acid (PUFA), and there is evidence that extracted PUFA oils can suppress
 the immune system, and possible increase growth rate of certain cancers
 and/or tumors. If you want the benefit of flax, eat the seed and avoid the oil.

 Q. Is there any research linking flaxseed oil to cancer?

 A. Research from Charles Myers, MD, at the University of Virginia Medical
 School in Charlottesville showed that flaxseed oil causes a 300% increase in
 the growth of prostate cancer cells. Dr Myers said, 'It is the most powerful
 stimulus we know of for prostate cancer cells.' This information appeared in an
 article in the February 2000 issue of his Newsletter, Prostate Forum

 I wrote him personally and was sent the following references.

 P.K. Pandalai, et al. "The effects of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids on in
 vitro prostate cancer growth" Anticancer Res 16: 815-820, 1996

 E Giovannucci, et al. " A Prospective study of dietary fat and risk of prostate
 cancer" Journal National Cancer Institute" 85: 1571-1579, 1993.

 P Gann, et al "Prospective study of plasma fatty acids and risk of prostate
 cancer" Journal National Cancer institute" 86: 281-286, 1994

 S.O Anderson et al, "Energy, nutrient intake, and prostate cancer risk: a
 population-based case-control study in Sweden" International Journal of Cancer
 68: 716-722, 1996

 P.A Godley, et al "Biomarkers of essential fatty acid consumption and risk of
 prostate cancer carcinoma" Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.
 5:889-895, 1996

 S Harvei, et al. "Prediagnostic level of fatty acids in serum phospholipids:
 omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and the risk of prostate cancer."
 International Journal of Cancer. 71: 554-551, 1997

 He says that while there is no benefit shown to flax oil, these studies do show
 a negative effect. He also states that the whole flaxseeds may offer some
 benefit.

 Q. Are there any downsides to consuming the whole seed?

 A. Yes. Like all nuts and seeds, flaxseeds are very high in calorie density.
 Therefore, if we are going to use flaxseeds, we must do so in moderation and
 be careful about the portion size. 1 tablespoon of whole flaxseeds, or 1 1/2
 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds will provide an adequate amount of the omega
 3 fatty acids and has only 50 calories. I wouldn't recommend anyone to
 consume more then 2 tablespoons of whole flaxseeds or 3 tablespoons of
 ground flaxseeds in a day.

 Q. What's the easiest way to use flaxseeds?

 A. Simple, add the ground flaxseeds to your morning oatmeal or other cereal.
 If you do any baking, flax seed can be added to many baked products.
 Personally, I blend whole flaxseeds in a fruit smoothie each morning. Some
 people like to eat the ground flaxseeds by themselves and say they have a
 sweet nutty flavor.

 In summary, flaxseeds have many nutritional benefits and can be a valuable
 addition to a healthy diet. If you are someone who doesn't consume any fish,
 or doesn't eat enough green leafy veggies, then flax seed is a vitally important
 source of omega 3 fatty acids for you. But remember, go easy on the flax, a
 little goes a long way.