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Diet and Nutrition
A friend of mine has been touting the benefits of flaxseeds. She grinds them herself every day, which seems like a pain. Is it worth the effort?
--QTPIE
You’ll have to decide whether you’re up to grinding flaxseeds, but there is definitely something to be said for doing so, nutritionally speaking. Flax has gotten a lot of press because it is a vegetarian source of a nutrient called alpha linolenic acid, which is converted by the body into omega-3 fatty acids, the healthy fats that have been shown to help prevent stroke and heart disease (by reducing blood clotting). Though fish is a better source of omega-3s, flaxseeds are still a good bet. They are also a good source of fiber and lignans, phytochemicals that have been shown to prevent tumors in animals (although whether they have the same anti-cancer effects in humans is still unknown).
You can buy flaxseeds and grind them as your friend does (the seeds’ nutrients are more available to the body when you eat them ground rather than whole), then add them to baked goods, cereals, pancakes, and waffles. If you do this, make sure to refrigerate the leftover ground seeds, which otherwise can quickly turn rancid. (I haven’t seen pre-ground seeds in the markets.) Most health food stores also sell flax oil, which contains many of the nutrients of whole seeds, but not the fiber. My suggestion is that if you’re not up for grinding the seeds, simply look for products--breads and cereals, for example--that contain them or supplement your diet with a little oil. Go easy though because, like any oil, flaxseed oil is highly caloric.
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I’m trying to increase my fiber intake so I’ve started paying attention to the nutrition facts on bread and cereal labels. I know that whole-grain products have more fiber than refined ones, but how many grams of fiber per serving should I be looking for?
--Anonymous
Let’s start with bread. A slice of bread, even a whole-grain slice, doesn’t have that much fiber—four grams is the most I’ve ever seen—so don’t expect to see big numbers. But that said, don’t settle for a bread that has anything less than two grams of fiber per slice.
You’ll fare better in the cereals’ section. Some, like General Mills Fiber One, have as much as 14 grams of fiber per serving, which is great. Others have more like five to eight grams. If you enjoy a high-fiber cereal with over ten grams, terrific. If not, you might try combining it with another, lower fiber cereal like Cheerios, which only has three grams per serving, but is still a relatively healthy cereal. I often mix two or three cereals, just to keep the flavor interesting. If you’re going to choose only one cereal, though, buy one that has at least five grams of fiber per serving. And remember, fruits and vegetables [will] also contribute to your fiber intake.
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E-mail me with all your questions and concerns at writeme@getwiththeprogram.org
I receive a lot of questions, many of which are duplicates. I will answer as many of your letters as I can, but may select certain ones that best reflect the concerns of the majority of my clients.
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