Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseeds are the golden yellow or reddish-brown seeds of the flax crop.

But where does flaxseed come from? Flax is believed to be native to Egypt but it is also cultivated in many other places around the world including Europe, South America, Asia and some parts of the USA.

Flaxseeds can be bought whole or ground, or you can buy flaxseed oil or a flaxseed oil supplement.

Flaxseed oil is made with flaxseeds which have been ground and pressed to release their natural oil.

Flaxseed has a great nutritional profile and flaxseed oil has very similar benefits.

Let’s explore a few of them here:

High in omega 3 fatty acids

A tablespoon full of flaxseed contains around 2g of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which includes omega 3.

Your body cannot make its own omega 3 and so you need to get them from the foods you eat and so flaxseed is a great source of this.

Omega 3 fatty acids have been associated with numerous health benefits.

Alpha Linoleic Acid (ALA) is one of the omega 3 fatty acids that flaxseeds and flaxseed oil contains. It contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels*.

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to our health but it can be difficult to get this through your diet alone as it is mainly found in oily fish.

If you do not think you are getting enough, then taking a flaxseed oil supplement may be a good idea.

Flaxseed benefits for hair

Plant based oils, such as flaxseed oils, may have benefits for the hair when they are applied directly to it.

It may help to seal the cuticle, controlling breakage and frizz, which helps to keep the hair growing normally.

You can add flaxseed oil to your diet in a number of ways.

Although you cannot use it as a replacement for cooking oil, you can use it in instead of your usual oil in salad dressings, sauces and dips.

You can also add a tablespoon to shakes or smoothies or simply take a spoonful of it to get some added nutrients.

As well as consuming flaxseed oil, it can also be applied directly to the hair as a hair mask.

Simply massage a small amount of oil into your hair and leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing it out and washing your hair as normal.

And it is not just for your hair. You can also apply flaxseed oil topically to your skin, to increase moisture levels.

Flaxseed oil is also available as a supplement in capsule form. Holland & Barrett Flaxseed Linseed Oil are rapid release soft gel capsules that can be taken twice daily.

This supplement contains omega 3, 6 and 9 and contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels*.

*This beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 2 g of Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA).