hardening of the arteries. And, like the isoflavones in soy, lignans may be able to prevent breast and other cancers by muting the effects of estrogen in the body.
Laboratory studies in rats have found that flaxseed effectively lowers the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer. A study of 161 men with prostate cancer found that a diet supplemented with flaxseed helped to slow the progression of the disease. More research is needed before flaxseed can be recommended for this purpose, however.
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How can I use flaxseed?
Health food stores sell flaxseed in bulk as well as flaxseed meal and oils. The oils make good salad dressings, but they don’t contain any lignans or fiber.
To get the full benefits of flax, choose the seed or meal, both of which have a mild wheatlike taste. You can sprinkle whole seeds on cereal or casserole or mix the ground-up seeds with orange juice.
(Use a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder to grind the seeds.) You can also use freshly ground flaxseed or meal in place of wheat or oat bran when making muffins, pancakes, waffles, and bread.
Ground flaxseed will stay fresh for a day or two in the refrigerator and for a month in the freezer. But don’t eat more than two tablespoons in a day; any more, and all of that fiber may make you feel bloated.