Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There’s some evidence it may help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
That’s quite a tall order for a tiny seed that’s been around for centuries. Flaxseed was cultivated in Babylon as early as 3000 BC.
In the 8th century, King Charlemagne believed so strongly in the health benefits of flaxseed that he passed laws requiring his subjects to consume it.
thirteen centuries later, some experts say we have preliminary research to back up what Charlemagne suspected.
Flaxseed is found in all kinds of today's foods from crackers to frozen waffles to oatmeal. The Flax Council estimates close to 300 new flax-based products were launched in the U.S. and Canada in 2010 alone.
Not only has consumer demand for flaxseed grown, agricultural use has also increased.
Flaxseed is what's used to feed all those chickens that are laying eggs with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.