Unrefined Flax Oil Benefits

Unrefined flax oil is one of the only unrefined cold pressed oils available in stores. Not only that, but unrefined flax oil is also one of the cheapest cold pressed oil supplements able to be bought in stores. I say cold pressed oil supplement, because unrefined flax oil isn't really meant to be used in cooking like other oils, but as a supplement or on salads. Unrefined flax oil has a number of unique benefits, which we'll talk about in the next section, but the main one, I want to mention here first -- the high Omega 3 fatty acid content. Unrefined flax oil is high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids and if you haven't yet read my hubs on Omega 3 Deficiency Causes and Omega 3 Deficiency Symptoms, definitely check those out before you go. You'll be surprised at what you find.

1. Cost -- Probably the biggest benefit to unrefined flax oil is the cost. It's very cheap in relation to fish oil, which is another main source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Fish oil has gotten a lot of acclaim in recent years, but unrefined flax oil benefits the body in similar ways, but for less cost. So if you're looking for a high quality Omega 3 supplement at a cheaper cost, unrefined flax oil is about half the cost of high quality fish oil.
2. Cancer Fighting -- Dr Johanna Budwig was once the premier doctor on cancer and nutrition. She theorized that much of the cancer that afflicts modern man is caused by malnutrition at the cellular level, and that restoring that nutrition can help the body properly reproduce cells instead of growing unhealthy tumors. She created many powerful anti-cancer recipes using flax oil to help restore the body's balance of healthy fats. Based on the Budwig Diet, I've written another article about the powerful cancer fighting properties of Unrefined Flax Oil and Cottage Cheese. Check it out.
3. MS Fighting -- Dr. Roy Swank, who was Professor of Neurology at the University of Oregon, did much research into multiple sclerosis and diet. He even performed a test that lasted 34 years! Through his research, he came up with a diet that he showed could help to effectively halt the progression of MS. The general guidelines of his diet are to eliminate most saturated fats from the diet, including butter and the majority of animal fats, and to instead, supplement heavily with polyunsaturated fats like unrefined flax oil. I'll be writing a longer article about this in the near future as well, so stay tuned.
4. Anti Inflammatory Benefits -- Omega 3s have been shown to have an anti inflammatory effect on the body. This is especially important in the modern age, where so many foods have been shown to heighten the body's inflammation response and increase pain in the joints and the predisposition toward arthritis. Omega 3s help the body to produce hormone like compounds called prostaglandins, which help to regulate the various functions of the body, and also help to reduce inflammation. Unhealthy fats and oils can produce inflammatory prostaglandins, and also an increase in arachidonic acid, which leads to systemic inflammation. Unrefined flax oil supplementation, as well as other Omega 3 oils have been shown to reduce conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, lupus, asthma, and more.
5. High Lignans -- Flax oil is much higher in lignan content than any other edible plant source. Lignans are classified as a phytoestrogen, which are estrogen-like compounds that can exert an estrogenic effect on the body. They have the special function of being able to bind with estrogen receptors in the body, and to help block certain cancer causing effects. So apart from flax oil being beneficial at preventing cancer, flax oil can be especially effective at preventing breast cancer.