If you're a health-conscious individual, you're no doubt aware of the nutritional and health benefits of flax. Flax seeds are commonly baked into bread and other cooking, often mixed together with oatmeal, yogurt, or wafer (like Metamucil for example).

If you're knowledgeable about flax, you're probably familiar with flax seed oil (or linseed oil as it also known) as one of the oldest commercial oils. Brown flax has been in use for thousands of years, mostly as an ingredient in paints, fibre and cattle feed. Yellow flax, or golden flax is the one you know about for its omega-3 fatty acids, which are a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, which is one key benefit of flax seed oil.

These claims are not without merit. The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a qualified health claim for the omega-3 fatty acids commonly found in flax seed and flax seed oil, and these can be found in products such as dietary supplements. The fatty acids found in flax seed oil are the same compounds that are also commonly found in fish oil (herring, salmon, tuna, lake trout), algae, and hemp. The FDA supports the scientific evidence that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can reduce coronary heart disease (as claimed).

The presence of these fatty acids in a normal healthy diet can help promote heart health by reducing cholesterol, blood pressure and plaque formation in arteries. Flax seed oil has also been shown to have health benefits in relation to diabetes, arthritis, eczema, and the prostate. With the ease of use, flax seed and flax seed oil can easily be implemented into your normal eating habits, so that you too can enjoy the health benefits of these wonderful natural seeds.