How to Use Flaxseed Oil for Weight Loss


Healthy oil for a flat tummyBoth flaxseed oil and ground flax can help with weight loss in ways that most people wouldn’t expect and it has nothing to do with dieting.

Ahead is a look at how taking flaxseeds can help suppress appetite, improve metabolism, enhance digestion and increase thermogenic fat burning.

Extreme Diets Don’t Work

The most important thing to remember when you want to lose weight is do not fall for fad diets that go to extremes. They simply do not work.

In fact, it’s more problematic than that. When you significantly reduce the amount of food you eat on a diet you are telling your body there will be a period of restriction and training it to conserve energy and store fat.

It gets worse. Even after you come out of a diet, you’ve taught your body to become more efficient at storing fat.

Very few people actually lose much real body fat on a diet that starves them. Instead, any weight lost is primarily water loss and some muscle wastage.

Invariably they end up putting it back on and weighing even more several months later. There is a much better way to go about reaching your ideal weight.

Simply getting a higher level of nutrition in your meals, by eating foods that are rich in important nutrients like superfoods, or taking a concentrated source like Organifi Green Juice, often results in effortless weight loss.

How Omega-3’s Help You Lose Weight

Any fat reduction program will benefit from keep in mind the importance of the omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio in your diet.

Flaxseed oil is over 50% omega-3 alpha linolenic acid. That’s a fat, but in contrast to the misinformation most of us have been fed about weight loss, healthy fats like omega-3s help us lose weight, not gain it.

In fact, it would actually be far more difficult to lose weight without a good intake of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.

The alpha linolenic acid found in flax oil is an essential fatty acid (EFA). Your body needs it to function correctly but cannot make it itself. You have to get it from your diet and most experts think we are not getting nearly enough of it.

Big belly from bad fats

Omega-6 Vs Omega-3

Omega-6 fats like linoleic acid are also considered essential, but modern Western diets are generally very high in omega-6. In fact, it’s quite likely we are getting far too much of them.

The ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 is cited as at least 1 to 5, preferably even 1 to 2. The average American is estimated to be consuming a ratio of around 1 to 20 in favor of omega-6 fats.

This dramatic imbalance in our intake of the essential fatty acids, that are involved in so many vital processes at a cellular level within our body, is theorized to be a major factor in a variety of health issues.

Inflammation conditions such as arthritis, asthma and skin disorders are commonly discussed, but many experts now also believe they play a central role in the current epidemic of obesity.

Essential Fatty Acids and Fat Storage

The fatty acids in flax meal and flaxseed oil are considered essential because your body needs them and will stimulate more hunger when it doesn’t have enough of them.

Unfortunately, most of us are not very good at recognizing hunger after we have already eaten as a request by the body for nutrients, rather than more empty carbohydrates.

Having healthy ground flaxseeds in a meal, or taking flax oil when you eat also increases satiety — that feeling of satisfied fullness after eating. Its benefits for weight loss don’t stop there though.

Flax Oil, Metabolism and Fat Burning

Taking flaxseed oil regularly is believed to improve metabolism and increase thermogenesis (fat-burning). Thermogenesis is a very beneficial process for weight loss wherein specialized brown fat cells increase their fat-burning capabilities.

Ironically, one of the best ways to stimulate thermogenesis is by eating more essential fats, like those found in flaxseeds.

Given this, it would be beneficial to take the oil or the ground seeds with each main meal of the day if you are trying to lose weight.

Which One is Better for Weight Loss?

Flaxseed oil is very beneficial for losing weight for all of the reasons detailed above.

Ground flaxseeds though have the added benefit of being a great source of dietary fiber. This helps improve digestion and slows down sugar spikes.

While they wouldn’t provide as much essential omega-3 fatty acids, cold milled flax seeds are also an exceptional source of anti-estrogenic lignans. These nutrients are extra important for women as they can reduce the risk of common imbalances.

A good compromise would be a high lignan flax oil. It has added flaxseed particles and is still very rich in omega-3 alpha linolenic acid.

Ideally though, if you’re serious about weight loss, you could take both flax oil and freshly ground flaxseeds daily and get the best of both worlds.


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Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 18 comments
AGNES JAMES

very good infirmation on weight loss and the value of flax

Reply
Sarah

This is some really good information – I understood that I needed to take flaxseed for my omega 3 ( as I am vegan now I don’t use fish as a source anymore ) but was worried that would ruin my diet ( I have shed over two stones so far ).
I will use the oil at my main meal , and incorporate some ground seed into my daily routine and see what happens as I am still just over half a stone away from the top end of my ideal BMI.
I’m looking forward to reading more on this subject.

Reply
Jim Dillan

Hi Sarah and thanks for your comments.

Flaxseed oil and ground flaxseeds are especially good for vegetarians, though it’s important to make sure they’re fresh. Cutting right back on inflammatory omega-6 vegetable oils can also help with weight loss and better health in general.

Reply
SWAMY ELANJELIAN

Dear Readers,
first understand the climate of your respective countries. Then go for a strict vegetarian diet. Stop eating packaged foods and all those non vegetarian foods including cow meat, beef etc. Cleanse your body through juices and yoga. Have lots of ghee prepared in the indian vedic procedure. Have organic foods. Stop consuming refined oil at any cost. Go for oil churned from wooden churner. This will help you in eliminating almost all the diseases one may be suffering from. Last but not the least try consuming 50 ml of filtered fresh cow urine (Cow should strictly be of Indian Origin) twice daily once in the morning and once in the evening. This should suffice for anybody’s goodhealth.

Reply
Michael S.

When ever I try to lose body fat (especially on my stomach), the only thing that works for me is lowering my carbs. I still perform all my core exercises, but for me to see my abs, I still need to lower calorie and carbs intake. I up my protein and consume more fats (like omega 6 fatty acids and flaxceed oils). Everybody has heard of low carbs, but if they tried to just have steak, chicken, and salad for dinner, they would see a huge difference in a couple of days.

Reply
clay

I was pretty sure you were joking when you said use a wooden churner, then when you said to drink. cow urine I was sure of it

Reply
Jim Dillan

I absolutely agree Michael and have written about this in many articles like this https://superfoodprofiles.com/health-benefits-of-stevia-sugar-substitute

Cutting carbs by switching grain based foods to protein, healthy fats and mixed vegetables (excluding potato, corn and similar) is the simplest way to lose weight. There’s no need to starve yourself. Just eat the right kind of foods that don’t store bodyfat.

All the best,

Jim

Reply
faiza kashif

Can we use this oil.in cooking also .plz give me suggestions how I use oil daily thx

Reply
Jim Dillan

Hi Faiza,

This page has dosage instructions https://superfoodprofiles.com/flaxseed-oil-side-effects-dosage

You should never heat or cook with flaxseed oil and keep it in the fridge.

Hope this helps,

Jim

Reply
burnice

Hi. Do we have to keep flax seed capsues in fridge to?
The ones we buy in drugstore are they any good?
You are helpful thanks

Reply
Jim Dillan

Hi Burnice,

Yes, I would keep them in the fridge. They may be ok but it would be worth cutting one open and smelling it. If it smells rancid I would advise not taking them. I’ve read good reports of the ones in this article https://superfoodprofiles.com/where-to-buy-flaxseed-oil-online though I prefer the bottled liquid.

All the best,

Jim

Reply
April

This really helped me.

Where can I but flax seed oil?

If at Wal-Mart, what aisle?

Reply
Jim Dillan

Hi April,

The recommended flaxseed oil here https://superfoodprofiles.com/where-to-buy-flaxseed-oil-online is better and cheaper than at wal mart.

All the best,

Jim

Reply
siraj

Hello is it ok can I use flaxseed capsules instead of oil
If its ok how many mg need to use per day

Reply
Jim Dillan

Hi Saraj,

1 gram in the morning and 1 gram in the evening is an often recommended starting dose https://superfoodprofiles.com/flaxseed-oil-side-effects-dosage

Check the capsules you have to see how many are needed to reach this.

All the best,

Jim

Reply
Phedra

Can I PUT MY GROUND flaxseed in my daily drink of powdered beets and powdered super greens?

Phedra

Reply
Jim Dillan

Hi Phedra,

Yes, this would be a healthy combination that would increase nutrient absorption.

All the best,

Jim

Reply
Stacey McGregor

Great article. Flaxseeds are one of the best natural appetite suppressants for weight loss.

Reply

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