Flaxseeds: A Midlife Superfood

You’ve probably heard that flaxseeds are healthy. But did you know that flaxseeds may have specific benefits for women in midlife, including relieving menopause symptoms? Here’s what the research has to say.

Flaxseeds are tiny, brown or golden seeds that are high in fiber and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fat. Flaxseeds are also rich in lignans, a phytoestrogen (a plant-produced, estrogen-like compound).

Lignans naturally occur in plant foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and other seeds. However, the lignan content of flaxseeds is almost 100 times higher than any other food.

This is part of what makes flaxseeds so intriguing when it comes to women’s health. In a time when many women are seeking alternatives to medications for menopause symptoms, the potential healing properties of plants like flaxseed are even more interesting.

5 Benefits of Flaxseeds for Midlife Women

Though promising, the benefits of flaxseeds during menopause can vary significantly. More research needs to be done to determine how flaxseeds can best be used to benefit menopausal women. Until then, they likely work best in conjunction with other therapies for specific menopausal effects.

Here are a few ways that flaxseeds may be especially beneficial for women in midlife:

1. Breast cancer protection. Lignans act as a weak estrogen by binding to the body’s estrogen receptors, but can also inhibit the growth of cancer cells by blocking estrogen acting on them. Studies have shown that the use of flaxseeds alongside tamoxifen can increase the drug’s effectiveness in inhibiting cancer cell growth.
2. Bone health. Flaxseeds may reduce your risk for postmenopausal osteoporosis (very low bone density). The loss of estrogen around menopause causes a steep drop off in bone density, which greatly increases osteoporosis risk.
3. Genitourinary health. Though research shows only a very slight effect, phytoestrogens may also positively impact genitoruinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and boost sex hormones for some women.
4. Alleviate hot flashes. Some studies have shown the ability of phytoestrogens to reduce the frequency of hot flashes for some menopausal women.
5. Heart health. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among postmenopausal women. Consuming flaxseeds may improve your cardiovascular health by reducing your blood pressure and preventing hardening of the arteries.

Incorporating Flaxseeds Into Your Diet

Flaxseeds are easy to sprinkle on salads, oatmeal, or yogurt, blend into smoothies, or use in stir-fries. You can substitute ground flaxseed meal for regular flour and even sneak it into casseroles, soups, dips, and sauces.

Research shows that the nutrients in ground flaxseeds, especially ALA, are more bioavailable than whole flaxseeds. Freshly grinding the flaxseeds in a coffee or spice grinder or buying already ground flaxseed meal makes it more likely you’ll get all the healthful components.

Many supermarkets now carry whole and ground flaxseeds in the flour and grain aisles. You can even buy whole and ground flaxseeds on Amazon. Store ground flaxseed in the freezer to preserve its nutritional value.

Try ground flaxseed mixed with water as an egg replacer for baking. Flaxseeds create a viscous liquid that mimics an egg, so if you’re out of eggs, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds and 3 tablespoons of water; let the mixture rest while you gather your recipe ingredients.

Just a couple of tablespoons per day of flaxseeds could positively impact your overall health, including your midlife journey. Try this yummy recipe for gluten-free banana blueberry flaxseed muffins to get you started!