Which Is Better To Lower Cholesterol Fish Oil Or Flaxseed Oil
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Moreover, will flaxseed oil reduce cholesterol?
Reducing cholesterolSimilar to flaxseed, flaxseed oil may help lower cholesterol levels. The ALA in flaxseed oil might play a role in decreasing low-density lipoprotein , or bad,cholesterol.
Also, does fish oil really lower cholesterol? Very high doses of pure fish oil can lower your triglyceride levels and increase your good cholesterol, but it really doesn’t lower your LDL. Check out the EPA plus DHA in each serving of fish oil those are the effective ingredients.
Also asked, how long does it take for flaxseed to lower cholesterol?
The results showed that consuming at least 150 milligrams of flaxseed lignans per day decreased cholesterol in men, but not women, by just under 10 percent over the three months that they were given the flaxseed.
Is it safe to take flaxseed oil everyday?
Flaxseed oil is LIKELY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth appropriately short-term. Allergic reactions have occurred while taking flaxseed oil. Some men worry that taking flaxseed oil might increase their chance of getting prostate cancer because of the alpha-linolenic acid that flaxseed oil contains.
Is Flaxseed Oil Good For Hair
When applied to your hair, any type of plant-based oil may help seal the cuticle, which helps prevent breakage and frizz for optimal growth. Flaxseed oil offers even more specific benefits based on its overall nutritional profile. The following ingredients can offer specific benefits for your hair: Omega-3 fatty acids.
Looking For Flaxseed Recipe Ideas
Flaxseed meal is commonly used as a replacement for eggs. You cant scramble it, but you can add flax eggs to baked goods. Just add 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal to 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for about 5 minutes or until its thick and egg-like just like this photo.
You can also add flaxseed meal to:
- Smoothies
- Pancake, muffin, or quickbread batter
- Meatloaf or meatballs
Just remember, it absorbs water so you might need to add a little extra liquid to your recipe.
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Whole Ground Seeds Vs Oil
Similar to whole ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil does not raise or lower triglyceride levels, according to MedlinePlus. Harvard Health Publications suggests that heart-healthy ALA is more concentrated in flaxseed oil compared with flaxseeds. However, the same source notes that flaxseeds provide additional health benefits from heart-healthy dietary fiber and lignans and may help protect against cancer. Ground whole flaxseeds are also lower in calories than flaxseed oil, which can aid in weight loss. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight reduces high triglyceride levels by about 20 percent, notes Johns Hopkins Medicine.
How Much Flaxseed Should You Take
There is no set dose of flaxseed. In studies of people with high cholesterol, about 30 grams of flaxseed per day has been used 40 grams have been used for mild menopause symptoms. Ask your doctor for advice.
Flaxseed can be mixed with liquid or food, such as muffins or bread. To be absorbed, however, it must be ground before using it to allow the oils to be available. Some people use a small coffee grinder to grind daily doses as needed.
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How To Take It
The dose depends on how much fatty acids you get in your diet and which condition you are taking flaxseed oil for.
Pediatric
Talk to your doctor or pediatrician before giving flaxseed oil to a child under 18.
Adult
There is no recommended dose for flaxseed oil. The best dose for you depends on a number of factors and should be determined in consultation with your doctor.
Flaxseed oil is often used in a liquid form, which contains approximately 7 grams of ALA per 15 mL , and contains about 130 calories.
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What Creates High Cholesterol Levels
It is as we mentioned earlier a waxy substance that your body needs. The problem comes though when we have too much of it in our bodies. What happens then is that this wax-like substance attaches itself to the walls of our arteries. This, in turn, can impede the natural flow of blood through our veins.
When that happens it can lead to serious medical conditions such as strokes and heart attacks. That is why it is so important to have your cholesterol level checked regularly.
Generally speaking a poor diet and overeating are the two main causes of high levels. This behavior leads to high blood pressure and also puts tremendous pressure on the heart and the cardiovascular system generally.
The video below from the Cleveland Clinic shows Cardiologist Michael Rocco MD explains why cholesterol is a good thing, and also what happens when we have too much in our bodies.
So you can see what we eat has a lot to do with the levels we will have in our bodies. In fact, the liver produces the most cholesterol in our body at around 75%, whereas what we eat impacts the cholesterol level at around the remaining 25%.
So, in summary, we want to have cholesterol in our bodies but we want to keep that at a level where it does what it is supposed to do. We never want to allow it to get to the stage though where it may partially start to build up or block the artery walls.
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Flaxseed Oil Can Do Wonders For Your Health Here Are 6 Benefits To It
Flaxseed oil is known for its benefit to heart health, but it is also good to boost your digestive system and brain health. It provides skin and hair benefits, helps weight loss, and reduces risk of canceras well. There are several ways to derive this benefit from flaxseeds, but the easiest and fastest way is from the intake of flax oil capsules.
Dolly Kumar, founder and director at Gaia, shares some health benefits of flax oil:
* Regulates healthy cholesterol level: Rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6, flax oil capsules regulate cholesterol levels in the body and are an essential medium to reduce the amount of unhealthy cholesterol in the body.
* Promotes a healthy heart: Flaxseed oil capsules help you in having a healthy heart. Laden with fatty acids, these capsules promote healthy artery functioning and prevent heart-related problems, be it a heart attack or stroke. The presence of these acids in flax oil also aids in reducing inflammation and blood clotting, as well as promoting overall heart health.
* Helps reduce the risk of cancer: Flaxseed oil is high on antioxidants, a direct benefit of which is that it helps prevent healthy cells from turning into cancerous cells. These seed oil capsules are bestowed with anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the risk of developing various forms of cancer.
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Why Do People Take Flaxseed
Flaxseed and flaxseed oil contain alpha-linolenic acid , one of the essential omega-3 fatty acids that partly and inefficiently converts into DHA and EPA — more active omega-3s — in the body. While flaxseed hasn’t yet been shown to improve heart disease risk, there’s good evidence that flaxseed and flaxseed oil may lower cholesterol levels.
Ground flaxseed — but not flaxseed oil — may also help with menopausal symptoms. One study showed that 40 grams per day may be similar to hormone therapy for improving mild menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats. But other studies contradict this finding. Ground flaxseed may also ease constipation.
Flaxseed has also been shown in some research to improve kidney function in people with lupus. If you have lupus — or any other medical condition — it’s very important to talk with your doctor about any supplements you take.
Flaxseed oil, like fish oil, has been studied for lowering triglycerides. However, most studies show they do not affect triglyceride levels and may even raise them.
Flaxseed is being studied for many other conditions, ranging from cancer to diabetes to osteoporosis. At this point, there is not enough evidence to support flaxseed for these conditions.
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What Vitamin Is Good For Lowering Cholesterol
Niacin is a B vitamin. Doctors sometimes suggest it for patients with high cholesterol or heart concerns. It benefits you by increasing the level of good cholesterol and reducing triglycerides, another fat that can clog arteries. You can consume niacin in foods, especially liver and chicken, or as a supplement.
Flaxseed Can Help In Battle Against Cholesterol
DOES IT WORK?Flaxseed and cardiovascular health
FLAXSEED COMES from flax, a plant with a very long history in the linen industry. The seeds have also been used for nutritional and medicinal purposes.
Flaxseeds themselves are edible, containing both fibre and an oil. The fibre is made up of both insoluble components and a water soluble mucilage, and has been used as a poultice for burns and other skin irritations.
Flaxseed oil is produced by separating the fibre and other components. Traditionally, this has been called linseed oil and used in paints and varnishes. Its strong odour and flavour make it unpalatable for many, but it is edible.
Its use as a dietary supplement has led to renewed interest because of its omega-3 fatty acids. More than half of the oil is alpha-linolenic acid , making flaxseed oil one of the richest sources of this particular omega-3.
Much of the interest in omega-3s has focused on two other types, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid . EPA and DHA are the main omega fats found in fish oils. Although our bodies can convert ALA into EPA or DHA, this does not happen very efficiently.
So, while flaxseed oil and fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids, they differ in their effect in the body. Products containing ground flaxseed will have the omega-3 fatty acids along with the fibre and other active ingredients called lignans. These plant sterols are known to affect cholesterol metabolism.
This beneficial effect may have occurred by the
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How To Lower Cholesterol With Flax Seed
Ground flaxseed is recommended over whole flaxseed. This is because it is easier for the body to digest ground flaxseed. Whole seed, on the other hand, may pass through the gastrointestinal tract undigested.
Both whole flaxseed and ground flaxseed are commonly sold in grocery stores. Although the whole seed is more stable than ground flaxseed, the latter can still be kept for months if it is stored in an airtight container.
To make your own ground flaxseed, use a coffee grinder to crush whole flax seed before it is used or stored.
On average, each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains 2 g of polyunsaturated fatty acids including omega-3 fatty acids and 2 g of dietary fiber. It will only add 37 calories to the food you are mixing it with.
There are different ways of taking ground flaxseed. Because it is heat-stable, it can even be mixed with baked goods. Generally, a tablespoon of ground flaxseed should be mixed with your breakfast cereal or yogurt. Use only one teaspoon when adding flaxseed to mustard or mayonnaise.
Dietary Sources Of Flax
Flaxseed is sold in bulk, and in powder and oil forms. The oil is best used in salad dressings and blended into smoothies. The oil also can be used to sauté foods briefly at medium heat however, it degrades at high temperatures. The oil becomes rancid quickly when exposed to heat, light, and oxygen, and should be stored in an opaque bottle and refrigerated after opening.
Whole flaxseed can be used in a variety of foods when crunchiness or a nutty flavor is desired. In addition to baking whole flaxseed in breads, muffins, pancakes, waffles, or bagels, it can be sprinkled onto cereal, yogurt, or salads. Grinding seeds in a coffee grinder allows the user to mix it into juices or low-fat milk. Whole flaxseed can be stored for up to one year in a dry place. Ground flaxseed can be stored in the refrigerator for approximately three months when frozen, ground flaxseed can be preserved for six months or longer.
Both flaxseed powder and oil also are sold as dietary supplements. The oil frequently is sold in either capsule form or as a liquid .
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How Does Flaxseed Affect Testosterone
While there may be some situations in which flaxseed will lower testosterone, its effects are more complex . Hormone levels overall can be affected by diet and exercise, of course. The impact of flaxseed on testosterone might be more complex.
Flaxseed is one of the biggest sources of lignans, a variety of compounds found in many plants . In your stomach, helpful bacteria turn lignans into two compounds of a type called enterolignans, which are named enterodiol and enterolactone.
Both compounds are similar to estrogen in some ways. It might be the ratio of testosterone level to estrogen level, not just the amount of testosterone, that makes a difference . Adding enterolignans could swing the balance too far toward the estrogen side .
An imbalance in the ratio has been linked to things like:
- Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
- Increased risk of stroke
- Loss of muscle mass
- Weight gain
Enterolignans arent estrogen and can take up resources that would otherwise be used to make more of that hormone. This is particularly relevant as testosterone can be turned into estrogen. As a result, their role isnt so clear-cut. In fact, flaxseeds may actually have the opposite effect, lowering the risk for the problems listed above.
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Avoid This Oil For Your Cholesterol Levels
A study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that palm oil is one of the worst oils for your cholesterol levels due to its high saturated fat content. Palm oil use significantly elevated LDL cholesterol levels when compared to lower saturated fat vegetable oils, according to the study. Studies have found that saturated fats, such as those found in palm oil, coconut oil, red meat, butter, and most ice creams, are damaging to your overall health and should be consumed in moderation.
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Adverse Effects And Drug Interactions
The Food and Drug Administration allows inclusion of up to 12% flaxseed in foods, but flaxseed and cold-pressed flaxseed oil have not attained GRAS status.
There are no known or suspected adverse effects or interactions with flaxseed oil however, the fiber and lignan components of flax may cause some problems. Human studies using up to 50 g flaxseed per day for up to one month revealed no adverse effects and that flaxseed was well-tolerated in one study.13 This same study noted a 30% increase in bowel movements with this flaxseed supplementation. Thus, clinicians may want to avoid recommending flaxseed for patients with a history of bowel obstruction, or in some patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Additionally, the small whole seeds could theoretically precipitate a bout of diverticulitis and probably should be avoided by patients with known diverticular disease. Grinding the seeds should remove this theoretical risk.
There is no published evidence concerning the safety of flax in pregnancy or lactation. However, flax has potential hormonal effects, which may result from bioactive lignans binding to estrogen receptors. There are no published reports of drug interactions. Because of their fiber content, flaxseed products probably should not be co-administered with prescription drugs to avoid interference with drug absorption.
Maintaining Healthy Triglyceride Levels
Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests that in addition to weight loss, cutting back on sugars, especially fructose, alcohol and saturated and trans fats helps achieve healthy triglyceride levels. The same source notes that increasing dietary fiber, exercising regularly and consuming omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and fish oil also help ensure triglyceride levels are within a healthy range.
References
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Study Identification And Selection
Two researchers independently searched PubMed , the Cochrane Library , clinicaltrials.gov , the World Health Organization ICTRP , and the ProQuest Digital Dissertations Database for English-language reports of clinical trials published from January 1990 to October 2008 and studies describing the effects of flaxseed or its derivatives in adult humans were selected. The key words flax* OR linseed* OR lignan* OR Linum usitatissimum, with the constraints noted above, were used in the literature search. Bibliographies of selected studies and relevant reviews were checked to ensure a complete collection. Attempts were also made to contact investigators for unpublished data. Studies were chosen for analysis if they met the following criteria: 1) the subjects consumed flaxseed or its derivatives for > 2 wk 2) the study was an RCT with either a parallel or crossover design 3) the study reported the dose of flaxseed, lignans, or ALA when whole or ground flaxseed, lignan supplement, or flaxseed oil were administered, respectively 4) the effects of flaxseed or its derivatives on lipid profiles could be extracted from the report and 5) the control regimen did not contain phytoestrogens, ALA, fish oil, or hormone replacements. According to these criteria, a total of 30 citations were identified .
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Does Fish Oil Raise Cholesterol
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They suggest limiting the following foods to achieve this:
- fatty beef.
- dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat milk.
- saturated vegetable oils, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil.
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Viscosity Of The Samples
The viscosity of the reference MCS and Flax drink was 6 mPas and 528 mPas, respectively, at the moment of ingestion . With a flow behavior index of n1 the MSC drink was Newtonian whereas the flax drink was shear thinning . At physiological temperature the viscosity of the flax drink dropped to 361 mPas, whereas the MSC drink remained at same level. Both solutions exhibited same flow behavior as for 10°C.