Flax seed oil

[pibikay]

I saw flax seed oil in a speciality store
Hema has her qutoa of flax seed
I am wondering flax seed oil is better and can be used in her diet
I will apprecaite some guidance

[Jackie07]

Livestrong website has some information on flaxseed oil:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/243894-foods-containing-the-highest-omega-3/

[Jackie07]

This abstract shows the different effect on the serum cholesterol level:

J Med Food. (http://javascript<b></b>:AL_get(this, 'jour', 'J Med Food.');) 2011 Mar;14(3):261-7.
Flaxseed but not flaxseed oil prevented the rise in serum cholesterol due to ovariectomy in the golden Syrian hamsters.

Lucas EA (http://her2support.org/pubmed?term=%22Lucas%20EA%22%5BAuthor%5D), Mahajan SS (http://her2support.org/pubmed?term=%22Mahajan%20SS%22%5BAuthor%5D), Soung do Y (http://her2support.org/pubmed?term=%22Soung%20do%20Y%22%5BAuthor%5D), Lightfoot SA (http://her2support.org/pubmed?term=%22Lightfoot%20SA%22%5BAuthor%5D), Smith BJ (http://her2support.org/pubmed?term=%22Smith%20BJ%22%5BAuthor%5D), Arjmandi BH (http://her2support.org/pubmed?term=%22Arjmandi%20BH%22%5BAuthor%5D).
1 Department of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State University , Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.
Abstract

Abstract This study was designed to investigate whether flaxseed oil (FO) exerts hypocholesterolemic effects similar to ground whole flaxseed (WF) and to gain insight into its hypocholesterolemic mechanism. Forty-eight 6-month-old female Golden Syrian hamsters were either sham-operated (Sham) or ovariectomized (Ovx) and randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups (n = 12/group) for 90 days: Sham, Ovx, Ovx+WF, or Ovx+FO. Hamsters in the Sham and Ovx groups were fed a semipurified diet (control), whereas Ovx+WF and Ovx+FO received the same basic diet supplemented with either WF (15% wt/wt) or FO (amount equivalent to the oil contribution of WF). Ovariectomy significantly (P < .05) increased serum total concentrations by approximately 15%. WF, but not FO, prevented (P < .05) the ovariectomy-induced increase in serum total cholesterol concentration (12% and 4% reduction by WF and FO, respectively). Hamsters fed FO or WF had high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol concentrations similar to those of the Ovx hamsters receiving the control diet. Non-HDL-cholesterol concentrations were lowest in the WF group, albeit not statistically different from the other treatment groups. There were no significant differences among groups in serum triglyceride concentration and liver lipids. Both WF and FO more than doubled the hepatic protein levels of 7α-hydroxylase in comparison to the Ovx hamsters receiving the control diet (P < .05). Our findings suggest that increased bile acid synthesis is one of the major cholesterol-lowering mechanisms of flaxseed and that other flaxseed components, aside from its oil, contribute to its hypocholesterolemic property. The cholesterol-lowering effects of other components of flaxseed and their mechanisms of action need to be further explored.

[R.B.]

Hi Pibikay

Please search the board for flax seed.

There are conflicting argument on the benefits of flaxseed v flax oil.

A researcher said this in an email to me (which I have posted before - a long while ago (-:

There seems to be a lot of confusion on the website below. I will
attempt to answer some of the questions posted on this site: firstly,
flax oil does not contain any lignans as they do not dissolve in oil.
Lignans are present in every plant food that we eat only more
concentrated in flax and therefore commercially more viable to extract.
There is products available on the market that do deliver specific
quantities of flax lignans.

Lignans are phytoestrogens but they are very weak and only elicit a
very weak estrogenic response. The current research suggests that the
advantage of this is the body detects them as estrogens (which produce a
strong estrogenic response) and therefore produces less harmful
estrogens (homoeostatic process) though inhibition of the aromatase
enzymes, more SHBG to bind estrogens (for elimination from the body) and
increases the conversion of estrogens to the 2OHE metabolism pathway
over the 16OHE (by increasing CYP1A1 enzymes). This whole process has a
cyclic effect with the end result being less bioavailable estrogen
(harmful), increased 2OHE (protective), and decreased 16OHE (harmful).

[ElaineM]

The Livestrong article is very easy to understand. I saw that they have several other articles on the subject to read. I buy the smallest amounts I can of flax meal and flax oil and alternate between the two. Flax meal probably gives us some fiber which has benefits of its own and the oil can be used when the flax meal is not convenient to use. I add a little flax meal to some cereals or use a little flax oil in some smoothies, especially when I have not had any salmon or unsalted walnuts for several days.
It is probably best to keep flax in the refrigerator, especially in warm climates like India and Hawaii.
Perhaps our dietician, Tanya would like to comment on this topic for us.

[TanyaRD]

Pibikay,
Flax seed can be a nice addition to the diet. I prefer ground flax seed/meal because it provides the benefit of adding extra fiber. Flax is a good source of Omega-3s but our bodies aren't very efficient in converting it to the active form. The Omega-3s in fish are more readily available to us and do not require the extra conversion. Flax oil may also be used but I don't feel strongly about adding it into the diet. Olive oil would be the preferred oil for cooking.

[pibikay]

Thanks for all of you.
I will continue with flax seed which she has on alternative days along with her B/F kanji
As we are veg fish oil is out of the question

[R.B.]

Hi Pibikay

^ There are products sold for vegetarians based on algal sources. Seaweeds are algae, but I do not know how you view algae as a vegetarian.

A web search will list a number of algal based EPA and DHA.

[ElaineM]

Hi Pibikai,
What is B/F kanji? Is it a food, beverage, medicine, spice or supplement available in India?
The only kanji I know are the style of writing in China, Japan and Korea.
If you want to add more omega 3 you might want to add nuts like a small handful of walnuts a couple times a week. Some other nuts have omega 3 oil, but I think walnuts have the most. I eat a small handful of nuts a couple times a week. I am vegetarian, but I do eat a small serving of wild Pacific salmon which has omega 3 oil once a week. It is the only food with a face that I eat.
Since algae are plants (seaweeds) you might want to decide whether or not you want to add that to your diet. Some algae has omega 3 oil, but I don't think all of it does, so you might want to check the ones you might want to consider.
Take care.

[pibikay]

Dear ElaineM
B/F is short for breakfast
Kanji is akind of gruel made witn powders of Ragi(a kind of millet),fried oats, whet, alomonds.It is called sattu mavu in Tamil
Sattu means nourishment and mavu means powder.It is given to elderly persons normally.I add flax seed to the mixture stir it a bit of diluted milk.

[Jackie07]

'Kanji' (in Japanese) is not just a 'style' of writing. It (literally) means 'Chinese (Kan) character (Ji = word)' Before the modern era, most official documents in East Asian countries were written entirely in Chinese. People spoke their own regional dialects, but wrote everything in Chinese. After they were exposed to the Eropean culture and the phonetic system, these countries devised their own 'alphabets' and 'written' form. (Japan did it first in 810 AD - devised by a Buddhist monk, way ahead of her neighbors.)

The Japanese use 1500-4000 Chinese characters (Kanji) in their language system for practical reasons. They are so good at it, many of the 'modern' Chinese terms - new concepts borrowed from the West - were first 'created' by the Japanese and later adopted/modified by the Chinese. This language tie possibly was one of the reasons why the Japanese military leaders thought they could invade China and other Asian countries to create an 'East Asia Mutually Prosperous Circle' to 'counter the Western invasion/colonization'.

Highly educated Japanese esteem themsleves for their ability to write poems in the traditional 'Chinese' way (using 'Kanji' in calliography and Japanese paintings) Kind of a 'stylish' way, I guess.

[Sorry for being off topic. Am just following the teaching of Confucius - "You've got to get the definition right!" :)

Here's a link to 'Kanji' as a 'style' of food: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congee
ps. Can't help but think of the terrible sufferings the Japanese are now enduring from the earthquake and tsunami. Sending my prayers...

[ElaineM]

Thanks Pibikay.
It is interesting how a word can mean something different in each language. The hot cereal you make for your wife sounds nourishing. I use most of those grains, but in different ways.
I read some Japanese kanji which is written along with two kinds of kana characters (hiragana and katakana). Japanese people have adapted Chinese kanji to fit their language.

[pibikay]

Tol british spelling for kanji was conjee

[pibikay]

Hi All
I forgot to add that the mix without flaxseed was recommended by the dietecian in the Hospitak and the brand by the One.I made another mistake in my earlier post.Norma; practice was mentioned by me. But for Hema as suggested by the dietecian seperated diluted butter mik is used instead of milk.Hema feels that the mix also controls diaorreah