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Flaxseed has up to 800 times the amount of lignans as any plant food tested to date. Lignans (a phytoestrogen) are natural compounds that may offer cancer protection (H. Adlercreutz, “Phytoestrogens: Epidemiology and a Possible Role in Cancer Protection”). Flax seed is also high in alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which has been found to be promising as a cancer fighting agent. The American National Cancer Institute has singled out flax seed as one of six foods that deserve special study.

Flax is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. One ounce of flax provides 32% of the USDA’s reference daily intake of fiber. It’s all natural fiber promotes bowel movements by helping to soften the stool, and thereby allowing it to pass through the colon quickly. Epidemiological studies have shown that increasing the amount of fiber in your diet reduces your colon-cancer risk. When adding fiber to your diet, it is important to make sure that you are drinking at least eight glasses of water daily.

Flax is high in Omega-3 essential fatty acids. Health experts, such as former Surgeon General C. Evertt Koop, recommend eating foods high in Omega-3’s for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis: the painful inflammation within the joints. The January 1996 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the participants in a study that took flax oil daily reduced inflammatory responses by as much as 30%.