| Organic flax seed oil has become the choice of many | | | | Where is organic flax seed oil found in nature? ALA is |
| people in recent years. This once obscure product | | | | derived from plant based foods such walnuts, |
| only reserved at one time for the most extreme | | | | pecans, sunflower seeds, almonds, soybeans, olives, |
| health advocated with extra cash to burn, has now | | | | and leafy green vegetables. Additionally, many |
| both affordable and easily accessible. In fact, almost | | | | products are fortified or made with flax. An example |
| any grocery store, pharmacy, or superstore will have | | | | would be flax bread or flax muffins. |
| some type of organic flax seed oil on the shelf. | | | | Is there a downside to organic flax seed oil? There |
| Helpful tip: Prices do vary greatly so shopping around | | | | seems to be a couple of concerns most experts |
| might save you quite a bit of money over time. | | | | have expressed concerning flax for health. The most |
| Flax oil has some very respectable support. In fact in | | | | pervasive seem to be the high content of omega 6 |
| a recent article published in The American Journal of | | | | (linoleic acid). Some research suggests that the |
| Clinical Nutrition made the case that, when taken in | | | | balance between omega 3 and omega 6 is vital to |
| the optimal dose, organic flax seed oil may rival fish | | | | good health with a ration of 3 times more omega 6 |
| oil in terms of net benefits. | | | | (3:1) considered a healthy ratio. By some estimates |
| So what benefits are we talking about? Flax oil is | | | | the American style diet has a 20:1ratio due to its high |
| thought to help or reduce the severity of over 60 | | | | red meat intake and low consumption of fatty fish. |
| different health concerns including heart attack, | | | | While taking organic flax seed oil doesn't make the |
| stroke, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, arthritis, | | | | ratio any worse, it doesn't do anything to bring it |
| osteoporosis, depression, bipolar disorder, macular | | | | down either. |
| degeneration, and chronic fatigue, and that is just the | | | | The second concern is that flax seed oil contains no |
| short list. | | | | natural DHA and EPA, only ALA. Once flax is ingested |
| How does organic flax seed oil produce these | | | | ALA is then converted to the DHA and EPA for use |
| benefits? The simple answer is by reducing | | | | by the body. A lot can be lost in the conversion |
| inflammation in the body. How this happens is a far | | | | making finding the right dose paramount to receiving |
| more complicated issue. Organic flax oil contain an | | | | the anticipated health benefits. |
| omega fatty acid commonly known as ALA (alpha | | | | Is organic flax seed oil worth considering? While most |
| linolenic acid) which is converted to DHA | | | | people will derive more natural benefits from pure |
| (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic | | | | pharmaceutical grade fish oil, organic flax seed oil is |
| acid) by the body. DHA and EPA are thought to be | | | | definitely worth considering. Some people just don't |
| the source of the health benefits and seem to | | | | care for fish or fish oil supplements for that matter, |
| reduce inflammation at a cellular level by keeping cell | | | | and for this group flax oil is an excellent alternative. |
| membranes pliable and healthy. | | | | |