Flax Seeds–An Overview in Hypertension

Blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure. You can have high blood pressure (hypertension) for years without any symptoms. Even without symptoms, damage to blood vessels and your heart continues and can be detected. Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure generally develops over many years, and it affects nearly everyone eventually. Fortunately, high blood pressure can be easily detected. And once you know you have high blood pressure, you can work with your doctor to control it. One tablespoon of flaxseed (ground) has about 40 calories, 3 grams of fat (more than half of which is ALA), almost 2 grams of protein, and more than 2 grams of fiber. It’s better to consume the seeds ground, since the whole seeds pass through the body mostly undigested. You can buy flaxseeds already milled or, better yet, buy them whole and grind them yourself (a coffee bean grinder works well) just before using, as this will slow rancidity (the oils in flaxseed are highly unsaturated, so they are more susceptible to oxidation). Store the seeds, ground or whole, in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer to keep them fresh longer. Flaxseed has a nutty flavor, though some people describe it as unpleasantly fishy. It can be added to yogurt, cereals, and smoothies, sprinkled over salads and cooked vegetables, and used in baking. Milled flax can replace the oil or shortening in recipes (substitute it in a 3:1 ratio, the Flaxseed Council of Canada recommends).