Do you need to eat flaxseeds every day? Know all about its benefits and side-effects

financialexpress.com:

Flaxseed, a plant-based food, is a well-known source of healthy fats, antioxidants and fibre. Flaxseeds have a mild, nutty flavour and crispy consistency and they enhance the taste of almost any recipe.

Studies suggest that one serving provides a good amount of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, along with several important vitamins and minerals. Meanwhile, Flaxseed is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid that’s important for heart health.

“Flaxseed use may have some benefits in improving the lipid profile in those who are obese with high cholesterol. A dose of <30 g/d of whole seeds is usually considered effective, but is not recommended by any clinical societies worldwide. Similarly, the benefits of flaxseeds on constipation, lowering of blood sugar and improving heart health are based on weak evidence which requires further studies with large-scale and better designs for effective confirmation,” Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, a senior consultant and physician-scientist in the Department of Hepatology at the Liver Institute, Rajagiri Hospital, Aluva, in Kerala told Financial Express.com.

Flaxseeds comprises the following benefits:

According to Dr. Philips, raw or unripe flaxseeds contain potentially toxic natural plant compounds and must be avoided.

“Flaxseeds use in pregnancy and lactation is not recommended and flaxseed consumption in large quantities is not advisable because it has a very high fibre content, which can cause intestinal blockage in very rare cases,” he told Financial Express.com.

Here are some side-effects of flaxseeds:

According to health experts, major benefits can be observed with just 1 tablespoon (7 grams) of ground flaxseed per day. However, it is