Your heart is one of the most important organs in your body. It’s a specialised muscle that works hard to keep you alive. As the core of your circulatory system, it pumps blood throughout your body, providing oxygen and nutrients to your tissues while simultaneously removing waste.

A healthy, pumping heart is the first step to a thriving body. Keeping your heart healthy is crucial for your overall well-being. Fortunately, it’s easy to make good choices that keep your heart working as it should.

One of the best ways to support your heart health is through the foods you eat and today we're focusing on one specific superfood: flax.

Flax is a nutritious seed packed with omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, and other great building blocks for your health. Let's dive into why flax seeds are so beneficial for your heart.

Flax and your blood pressure

The first way that flaxseed can improve your heart health is through your blood pressure.

Some people with high blood pressure, or hypertension as it’s commonly called, will actually see improvements in their blood pressure levels after adding flax to their routine, according to a number of studies.

The American Heart Association notes that potassium, which can be found in flaxseeds, can also help to maintain normal blood pressure levels.

Adding flax to your routine is an easy and natural way to help keep your blood pressure in check.

Flax and your cholesterol

Flaxseed is also great for managing cholesterol levels. In a study by the Roman City Hospital, participants with high cholesterol who consumed 20 grams of ground flaxseed daily saw similar cholesterol-lowering effects as those taking statin drugs, which are commonly used to treat cardiovascular disease.

The high fibre content in flax helps you feel full quickly, preventing overeating and promoting lower LDL cholesterol levels. Both soluble and insoluble fibre in flaxseed contribute to these benefits.

Flaxseeds and the oil pressed from them are a great source of alpha-linolenic acid or ALA which, according to HealthCentral, is a plant-derived omega–3 fat, “which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, as well as triglycerides levels.” When you consume flax oil you absorb more of the omega–3s than when you eat the ground seeds so a teaspoon or two of flax oil a day is a healthy choice in addition to the ground seeds. 

You can put both in your morning smoothie or yoghurt parfait and get all of the flax benefits you’re looking for in one fell swoop!

Flax for your heart muscle

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Daily flaxseed intake can also improve the function of your heart muscle. The Department of Physiology at the University of Saskatchewan reports that flaxseed and its components may improve cardiovascular health due to their numerous attributes. Flaxseed, especially its ALA content, can reduce the development of hypercholesterolemic atherosclerosis.

A study by the University of Maryland Medical Center found that people who eat a diet high in ALA are less likely to have a fatal heart attack. Women who consumed high levels of ALA had a 46% lower risk of sudden cardiac death than those with lower ALA intake. 

Flax oil is the top source for absorbable ALA, making it a powerful ally for your heart.

Between lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and generally improved heart function your heart will thank you for adding flax to your daily routine.

Adding flax to your diet

To keep your heart as healthy as possible, we recommend taking both flax oil and ground flax seeds, in order to get the full range of benefits.

The reason we recommend ground flax over the whole seed is becauseThe whole seeds are too hard and tiny for your system to break down, which means your body won’t absorb any of the seeds’ nutrition.

When you’re looking for ground flax, you should buy whole organic seeds and then grind them yourself, immediately before you use them. Buying them pre-ground or grinding them too far in advance can lead to the oils in the seeds going rancid. Rancid flax can be harmful to eat.

Choosing a high-quality flax oil is equally important. Proper pressing and storage are critical when it comes to this delicate oil.

Perfect Press®  Flax Oil is Perfectly Pressed and stored in UV-protective Miron glass bottles.

Discover more about how flax can help your heart now!

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