Flaxseed Oil Benefits and Proper Storage

Flaxseed oil, also known as linseed oil, comes from a blue flowering plant grown in Canada, and is known as being nearly as important, if not more so, than a daily multi-vitamin. It's effects on your body are far reaching and help with nearly everything, and just the slew of fatty acids and vitamins it has is enough to make any healthy conscious person drool.

Though fish is known as the king of omega-3 essential fatty acids, it's time for fish oil to move aside. Flaxseed has 50% more omega-3, AND contains omega-6 and omega-9. Not only that, but we also have B vitamins, potassium, lecithin, magnesium, fiber, protein, and zinc. Enough to convince you to buy it yet?

It also helps prevent cancer, increases your body's recovery ability in terms of working out, and also bruises and sprains. Metabolic rate is stimulated, makes your body more apt to absorb calcium and strengthens toe and finger nails, helps moisten skin and thus may help dandruff, alleviate allergies, and sometimes is helpful with asthma.

There are many, many more improvements it can make in your life, and is definitely a helpful supplement for anyone's diet. Though a little pricey, for its benefits it is worth the cost. You should take it for about six to eight weeks before the effects are apparent.

However, unlike most oils, this has a high level of rancidity due to its amount of unsaturated fats. When you decided to get flaxseed oil, first make sure it is not out in the open on a shelf. If your supermarket is reputable at all, such as Whole Foods, they will store it in at least a semi-chilled area. Once at home make sure to place the flaxseed oil into your refrigerator to avoid the fat denaturing.

What if you ingest the oil when the fat is denatured? First of all, if too far along in that process you can get sick, as you would with any rancid food. But, there is more to it than that. If the fat is "simply" denatured, but the oil is still edible, then it is not worth ingesting. With the fat denatured it actually turns against you, as the unsaturated fats have come together in a cancer like clump know as trans fat (though you should know this from the hype, trans fat is horrible and messes up cholesterol levels in your body).

Flaxseed is among the best oils, but again make sure to store it correctly, and to use it promptly as possible. Even if stored correctly, the unsaturated fat content gives flaxseed a very low shelf life, so use it quickly.