Flax seeds are a fairly popular product among supporters of a healthy lifestyle. This is not only a useful nutritional supplement, but also a means of getting rid of a wide range of diseases. It is used raw, used to prepare infusions and decoctions, added to baked goods, salads, cereals, and used internally for medicinal purposes. Let's figure out what flax seeds are good for and how to use them correctly.
Proper use of flax seeds in food
Morning is the best time to eat flax. The course of administration is 3 weeks: in the first week, take 1 tablespoon of the product, in the second and third dose increase to 2 tablespoons. After this course, take a break of 2 months.
If you want to lose weight, get rid of cellulite and improve the general condition of your skin, nails and hair, the seeds are mixed with a glass of kefir. You can add berries to improve the taste.
When using flaxseed as a course, it is recommended to start the day with a glass of water with lemon, then you can have breakfast with oatmeal or boiled eggs and finish your morning meal with a glass of kefir with the product.
Reference. Nutritionists emphasize that flax goes well with honey or jam.
How to properly consume flax seeds for weight loss
The effectiveness of taking flax for weight loss has been tested for many generations. Take them 2 times a day, 2 tablespoons in crushed form, with plenty of water. It is recommended to drink 2 liters of liquid during the day. Liquid enhances the effect - the seeds in the stomach swell and occupy all its space. This makes you feel full, and fiber stretches the intestines, which leads to rapid emptying. Acids stimulate rapid fat metabolism.
In combination with these actions, the body is cleansed. Along with the harmful substances that leave the body, the extra pounds also go away.
Proper use of ground flax seeds
Taking ground flax seeds differs from taking whole grains in that they must be taken immediately after grinding. You should not prepare them for future use - this way they quickly go rancid and lose their beneficial properties.
Kissel is prepared from ground seeds. After cooking fruit or berry compote, add crushed flax to it: take 1 tablespoon of the product per glass of hot compote. After cooling, a hearty jelly is obtained, which is drunk half an hour before the main meal.
A vitamin cocktail is also prepared from crushed seeds: to do this, add a tablespoon of seeds and a teaspoon of flax oil to a glass of freshly squeezed carrot juice and mix thoroughly. After 5 minutes the drink is ready to drink. It is recommended to drink it on an empty stomach half an hour before breakfast.
Crushed flax is also suitable for preparing porridge as a separate dish. To prepare, grind a glass of buckwheat and flax, and pour boiling water over the resulting mixture. Wrap in a terry towel and leave for an hour. To improve the taste, add butter, salt, honey, and raisins to the dish. You can eat this dish no more than once every 2-3 days.
Basic rules and storage periods
Product selection rules:
- Decide on the purpose of the purchase. When consumed fresh, it is recommended to purchase crushed seeds, as they are quite difficult to chew. If you want to add a product to any dish, you should stop at ground raw materials.
- Pay attention to the date of collection and packaging. You should choose a fresh product, as it spoils quickly.
- Examine the packaging for damage and moisture ingress. The seeds absorb liquid well and swell quickly. A musty smell appears.
- At room temperature storage, the packaging must be vacuum sealed.
- When choosing between whole grain and crushed grain, you should keep in mind that the former is stored longer. In a cool, dry place it can be kept from six months to 12 months. The crushed product, after opening the package, can be stored from 6 weeks to 3 months.
- You should also choose based on the appearance of the product. The seeds should be brown, glossy, and have the correct shape. You should not purchase sprouted seeds, as this fact indicates non-compliance with storage conditions. When fresh, the product has no pronounced odor.
- The seeds should be dry and smooth. You should not buy glued ones, because they have already absorbed moisture.
We recommend that you read the Description of beans
After purchase, pour the contents of the package into a dry, airtight container and place in the refrigerator. The crushed product should not come into contact with moist air. When exposed to sunlight, the seeds begin to germinate, so it is recommended to choose a dark storage location. Only a high-quality product will benefit the body.
How to properly consume flax seeds for gastritis
Pain, heartburn, nausea and other manifestations of gastritis are successfully relieved thanks to flax infusion. It is prepared as follows:
2 tablespoons of seeds are cleaned of impurities and other foreign objects, poured with a liter of boiling water and left to infuse overnight in a thermos.
Note. If it is not possible to use a thermos, pan or other container in which to prepare the infusion, wrap it in a warm towel.
Drink a glass of the resulting liquid before meals.
How to properly use flax seeds for worms
Lignans contained in flax seeds have an antihelminthic effect. In addition, the laxative effect, which is expressed when consuming flax, promotes the removal of dead parasites, their eggs and larvae.
Note. Roundworms are the only type of worms that are not affected by flax.
Infusion for getting rid of worms. Ground flax in the amount of 1 tablespoon is poured with a glass of boiling water and left for 12 hours. It is better to prepare the infusion at night. Drink the infusion, without straining, 100 ml 30 minutes before eating.
A recipe based on flax and cloves will get rid of roundworms. Treatment takes approximately 1 month:
10 tbsp. spoons of flax and 1 tbsp. A spoonful of cloves is ground in a coffee grinder. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day for 3 days. After a 3-day break, the course is repeated. Use in powder form or can be diluted with half a glass of water. The recipe for flax with aloe has proven itself to be an effective means of combating any type of parasites:
2 tbsp. l. crushed seeds are poured with a liter of boiling water and simmered on fire for 20-25 minutes. The broth is filtered and 1 tbsp is added to it. l. aloe juice Take the medicine 3 times a day, half a glass, 30 minutes before meals.
Brief summary
- Flax seeds, the properties and uses of which have been known for thousands of years, are an affordable food product that is no less useful than more expensive cereals.
- The chemical composition is rich in B vitamins, magnesium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, which indicates a normalizing effect that extends to the functioning of the nervous system.
- A special role should be given to dietary fiber, which, when exposed to liquid, forms a gel-like mass that adsorbs waste and toxins on its surface.
- The enveloping properties are used to treat diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract, but the benefits are limited to strict adherence to the daily norm.
- Excess dietary fiber can cause side effects.
- Flax seeds are used in cosmetology as a way to cleanse skin pores, lighten pigmentation, rejuvenate, and eliminate irritation.
- With all the advantages, there are also disadvantages - a pronounced choleretic effect indicates the presence of contraindications that must be observed.
Flax seeds for diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which it is recommended to use this product with extreme caution. However, if you take it correctly, there will be no harm, and diabetes will go away. There are several recipes for treating the disease:
2 tbsp. l. seeds, pour half a glass of boiling water and leave for several minutes, add cold boiled water until the glass is full; The same amount of seeds is poured into a glass of cold boiled water and allowed to brew for a couple of hours; 2 tbsp. l. flax ground in a mortar, pour 100 ml of hot boiling water and boil for 5 minutes, after cooling the product is ready for use. Take diabetes medicine 20 minutes before meals or before bed.
Possible harm and contraindications
The product has not only medicinal properties, but also contraindications:
- Taking blood thinning medications, as the plant affects clotting.
- Allergy. Before use, you should check your body for sensitivity to this product.
- Tumors. Antioxidants accumulate excess fluid and slow down excretory processes.
- Diabetes (due to severely low blood sugar).
- Pregnancy (possible risk of premature birth).
- Breastfeeding period.
- High triglyceride levels.
- Stones in the bladder/gallbladder and kidneys. There may be a risk of blockage or rupture of the outflow ducts.
- Inflammation of the stomach, intestinal obstruction.
- Liver problems (pancreatitis, cholecystitis). The oil causes pain in this organ. The product has a choleretic effect.
- Thyroid diseases.
- Children's age (up to 14 years).
Despite the benefits, it is recommended to consult a herbalist before using the product.
Flax for the treatment of prostatitis
For this disease, 5 teaspoons of seeds are mixed with 10 roots of barberry, hemp, wheatgrass root, celery seeds, wheatgrass and crushed horehound. The amount of mixture will be enough for the full course.
A couple of tablespoons of the mixture are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water, simmered for 20 minutes in a steam bath and allowed to brew for 8-12 hours. On an empty stomach before breakfast, drink 2 sips of the infusion.
Flax seeds actually lose some of their nutrients when exposed to high temperatures. But! In case of inflammatory processes, it is necessary to brew them - jelly, which is formed in this case has a calming effect. So, if the goal is to lose weight, then the seeds can simply be ground and chewed in dry form, washed down with plenty of water. In cases where it is necessary to fight inflammation, the seeds are brewed or steamed.
Indications for use
For oral administration:
- stomach and duodenal ulcers, esophagitis;
- inflammatory processes of the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract, colitis, enteritis;
- constipation, indigestion;
- increasing immunity;
- pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
- some mental disorders: stress, depression;
- sexual disorders in men and women;
- prevention of oncology.
External use:
- thermal burns;
- radiation damage to the skin,
- frostbite.
Is it possible to eat flax seeds during pregnancy and lactation?
Flax contains strong active substances that can cause uterine tone, which leads to premature birth or miscarriage. If the pregnancy proceeds normally, without threats, the attending physician may allow the expectant mother to eat flaxseed. But at the same time, you must strictly follow the recommendations of the gynecologist and not exceed the permitted consumption rate.
In the case when a woman is breastfeeding, she also needs to be extremely careful. Mother's milk, what the baby eats, absorbs all the substances that enter the body. The fragile body of a baby is not ready to become acquainted with such active substances in the early period of development.
Flaws
The advantage of flaxseeds is combined with a number of features. So, contrary to popular belief, the product does not promote the breakdown of fat masses. It helps activate metabolism. And the accumulated reserves begin to go away when you combine diet with exercise.
In addition, violation of the rules for using the products leads to diarrhea, intestinal problems and other side effects. And the accumulation of toxic substances can cause poisoning. Monitor compliance with the expiration date and compliance with the conditions on how to use the medicine correctly.
Having considered how to eat flaxseed correctly, let’s summarize: thanks to the minerals and vitamins included in the composition, this product has a cleansing and strengthening effect on the body. Flax is used for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. However, the rules for taking the product are different depending on the expected results.
There are several ways to eat flax seeds correctly. These include consumption of the product in whole or crushed form, as part of food and drinks. The main thing is to follow the dosage and monitor the quality of the product.
