What is Flaxseed Oil and where does it come from?

A very interesting question for a small blue or red flower which holds such wonderful healing powers.

The original name is in fact linseed a product I remember so very well in my youth, as I used it as a preservative for a wooden bench I made at school. A very interesting point here is that same bench is still in my parents garden nearly 30 years on, good as new not bad from surviving the cold and wet Manchester weather (I will have to get a photo at some stage).

I digress some what, but sitting here writing this entry with the thought of drinking linseed oil certainly turns my stomach. Interestingly this is partly the reason for the name change to Flaxseed oil due to the American FDA stopping its importation as it was not fit for human consumption back in the 1980´s. But thanks to a subtle name change to Flaxseed oil, a logical move as the plant was know as flax and importation resumed as as one says the rest is history.

So I suppose the next question is why has this small flower become so famous in the health foods market, well most probably as the result of its discover in healthcare benefits the most important of which is in its ability to Cure Cancer, yes amazing as it may sound a product as inexpensive as this could cure cancer and save the tax payer billions a year on expensive drug treatments, unless of course the pharmaceutical companies have their way who would prefer to charge hundred for their drugs, which there in lies the problem.

In truth this product really took off after a Dr Johanna Budwig discovered a way to digest FlaxSeed oil in a way that it could quickly be absorbed by the body, by simply mixing with cottage cheese.

Before I over develop this tile I should get back to the point, what is flaxseed oil or at this point what are its properties.

Flax Seed

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 530 kcal   2230 kJ
Carbohydrates         28.88 g
- Sugars  1.55 g
- Dietary fiber  27.3 g
Fat     42.16 g
Protein     18.29 g
Thiamin (Vit. B1)  1.644 mg       126%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2)  0.161 mg       11%
Niacin (Vit. B3)  3.08 mg       21%
Pantothenic acid (B5)  0.985 mg      20%
Vitamin B6  0.473 mg     36%
Folate (Vit. B9)  0 μg      0%
Vitamin C  0.6 mg     1%
Calcium  255 mg     26%
Iron  5.73 mg     46%
Magnesium  392 mg     106%
Phosphorus  642 mg     92%
Potassium  813 mg       17%
Zinc  4.34 mg     43%

On top of all this it is the high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids which give it its unique powers, which also can be found in Walnuts. pecan nuts, Strawberry’s and Broccoli plus of course oily fish salmon and herring