Flax porridge: health benefits and harms

Flaxseed as such does not exist in nature. It is made from pre-processed flax seeds. Oil is squeezed out of them, and the resulting waste (cake) is used to make porridge.

Composition and calorie content

Thanks to its rich vitamin composition, flax is ideal for people with vegetarian food. It is able to make up for the shortage of almost all useful substances necessary for the human body. It consists of:

• vitamins of groups A, E, B, PP;
• minerals magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium;
• boron, zinc, aluminum, copper;
• plant hormones;
• niacin, thiamine;
• pantothenic acids;
• amino acids;
• cellulose.

The calorie content of the finished dish is 312 kcal per 100 g of porridge. Even with the addition of honey or milk, it rises by only 3 kcal. And its hypoallergenic nature makes it possible to use flax as a prophylaxis or main treatment for almost any disease.

What is useful flax porridge

Flax porridge is a unique dish. If you use it daily, then in the offseason it is able to protect the human body from colds and viral diseases. This, experts say, will make life easier for people with low immunity. Also, flax seeds are very useful in the fight against various parasites (for example, tape helminths). The healing effect of porridge extends to teeth, cartilage, bones and skin integuments.

For women

Flax porridge has established itself as a tool for the prevention and treatment of cancers in the mammary glands, ovaries, and uterus. The lagnans contained in it (plant hormones) block the access of blood to cancer cells and do not allow malignant tumors to spread further. In addition, the following beneficial properties are inherent in flax:

• normalization of the hormonal background;
• regulation of the menstrual cycle;
• reduction of pain during PMS;
• improving the condition of hair and nails;
• many women also use it as a means to enlarge their breasts.

For men

The product brings undoubted benefit to the male body. With regular use, the possibility of developing cancer of the prostate gland is significantly reduced. Potency and libido increase, testosterone production returns to normal. This product is of particular value to athletes as a valuable biological supplement. Also, flax seeds have the following properties:

• help strengthen the muscles of the heart;
• normalize the endocrine and immune systems;
• stimulate collagen production;
• normalize blood sugar;
• have an expectorant effect.

During pregnancy

Flaxseeds include hormones similar to women’s, so eating them helps increase skin elasticity. And this in turn reduces the risk of stretch marks during pregnancy and gaps during childbirth.

Regular use of seeds has a positive effect on the development of the fetus, reduces the risk of intrauterine pathologies and prevents spontaneous abortion.

But with all its benefits, cereals can also cause harm, since some of the components of porridge, if excess, can increase the tone of the uterus, which will provoke a miscarriage or premature birth. Therefore, before starting use, you should always consult your doctor about the dosage and frequency of use of this dish.

When breastfeeding

For breast-feeding flax and dishes from it are of great benefit. When it is consumed, milk production is enhanced, it is filled with a huge amount of nutrients needed by the body of the newborn. Among other things, the components of flax porridge normalize the state of the nervous system of the young mother and prevent her from developing symptoms of postpartum depression.

From what age can flax porridge be given to a child?

For a child, this product is of particular value. It brings valuable vitamins and minerals to the body, protects joints. It normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Flaxseed decoction can be given to children almost from birth. In pediatric practice, information about the negative reaction of the body to it is practically absent. However, flax seeds and their derivatives are not an official medicine, but a biologically active additive. The main thing is not to exceed the allowable dosage:

• from 0 to 12 months - 10-15 drops;
• from 1 to 7 years - 1 tsp;
• after 7 years - 1 tbsp. l

To clarify the required volume of decoction for a particular disease, it is better to consult a pediatrician.

In addition to the broth, the seeds can be ground into flour and added to food as a seasoning. And linseed oil is unique in its scope. In addition to eating, it can be used for massage in newborns and infants. Its use helps to soften and moisturize the skin of the child, eliminate diaper rash and contact dermatitis.

Useful properties of flax porridge for weight loss

Flax porridge gives a fat-burning and cleansing effect. Its use helps to eliminate toxins, toxins and other decay products from the body, and also speeds up the metabolism, so extra pounds go away. Also, flax dulls the feeling of hunger, due to which there is no need for frequent snacks.

It is not prepared like the usual porridge. For 100 g of seeds, 250 ml of boiled water is taken, after which they are infused for 11-12 hours. After cooking, if you want to improve the taste of porridge, you can add salt, honey, various fruits, berries or spices to it. You can mix the seeds with any other cereals or cook in the form of a decoction or jelly. The effectiveness of the treatment from this in no way will suffer.

Using the product on fasting days will bring excellent results. Once a week, you can even eat exclusively flax porridge. It should be consumed in small portions (5 tablespoons per meal) 5-6 times a day.

You can also apply a special diet on flax seeds. For a week, eat only those foods that to one degree or another contain flax:

• breakfast - healthy porridge;
• lunch - in 30 minutes. before meals, a decoction of seeds;
• dinner is at your discretion.

The main thing - do not forget to take in 15 minutes. before meals, 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil. All of the above products have a strong cleansing effect, as well as normalize metabolism.

In the diet menu, you can include low-fat kefir or ryazhenka, fruits, vegetable or fish broths.

Flax porridge in medicine

Fasting days on flaxseed are not only an excellent means for losing weight. They can also significantly improve the condition of the body in certain diseases. Intestinal and heart diseases, oncology, diabetes - these are just some of them.

First of all, when buying seeds, it is important to pay attention to their quality. They must be fresh and without any damage. Before cooking, they need to be sorted out, remove all garbage and rinse thoroughly under running water.

With diabetes

The glycemic index of cereal from flax seeds is only 35 units. Her medicinal properties contribute to the normalization of glucose in the blood of patients, do not allow her to make sudden jumps.This eliminates the need for frequent use of insulin injections.

With pancreatitis

In the diet of patients with pancreatitis, various cereals occupy one of the first places. And flaxseed is the most useful of them. And although flax is hard enough to call cereal, porridge from it has a beneficial effect on the human body as a whole and on the damaged gastrointestinal tract separately.

Doctors strongly advise the methodical use of a decoction of flax seeds for prevention and treatment, as well as to increase immunity in patients. The peculiarity of the plant is that it contains a unique natural substance - linamarine glycoside. This is the name of the liquid that is released during brewing or steaming flaxseed meal. It can envelop the walls of the intestinal tract and stomach with a protective film, due to which the load on the pancreas is reduced. It also has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, due to which it has a calming effect on the pancreas.

Prepare a medicinal infusion is not difficult. You need 3 tablespoons of seed and 1.5–2 cups of boiling water. Pour and let it brew for 4–5 hours, occasionally thoroughly shaking. Drink 1 tablespoon before each meal for 15-20 minutes.

With gastritis

As a preventive measure, flax seeds can be added to ready-made dishes. For example, in salads or cereals. For this purpose, both whole and crushed grains are suitable. At the same time, it is strongly not recommended to buy the product in ground form; it is better to grind the seeds with your own hands.

Equally effective is the use of linseed oil. It helps to accelerate the regenerative processes in the body, and is also an excellent prophylactic in the presence of inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

Flax for gastritis has a therapeutic effect both with high and low acidity of the stomach. However, there are several nuances to which you should pay attention.

1. Preparing porridge in plain water. It is allowed to add a small amount of milk, depending on the stage of development of the disease.
2. In the finished state, the seeds should be well-boiled and have a relatively liquid consistency. In extreme cases, to achieve the required level of viscosity, you can use a blender.
3. The dish is used exclusively in the form of heat.
4. If desired, a small amount of butter, fruit or berries can be added to the porridge.

For constipation

Flaxseed oil gives a pronounced, but at the same time sparing laxative effect. Its use normalizes peristalsis and the work of the gastrointestinal tract. And also significantly helps in the fight against atonic constipation (in the absence of muscle contractions) and spastic type (when blocking the passage of feces).

Due to the content of a large number of vitamins, minerals and acids, flax reduces the manifestation of painful sensations in acute and chronic constipation. Strengthens muscle contractions, due to which there is no stagnation of feces. It facilitates their exit from the body thanks to the enveloping action. It also normalizes digestion, promotes the formation of a soft food lump, which contributes to an easier defecation process.

Beneficial substances help the body timely empty the intestines. The tool is highly effective in combating prolonged and chronic constipation. However, if used improperly, the product, like any medicine, can harm the body in the form of a long-term upset stomach. And besides that, harm the liver. To avoid this, one should take into account the recommendations of specialists.

1. The daily norm for an adult is 2 teaspoons.
2. The use of flax in combination with other oils or laxatives is strictly prohibited.
3. It must be consumed strictly according to the schedule - 30 minutes before a meal.
4. Do not dilute the oil with boiling water or add to the dishes at the boiling stage.

It is worth remembering that, in addition to treatment, it is first necessary to find out and eliminate the cause of the disturbance in the gastrointestinal tract. Flaxseed oil or liquid porridge is recommended as a treatment and prevention if constipation is caused by:

• improperly composed diet;
• postoperative period;
• high or low blood pressure;
• intestinal atony;
• exacerbation of hemorrhoids.

For people older than 50 years, taking flax without consulting a doctor is extremely undesirable due to the fact that it is possible to have any chronic diseases, and the oil can enter them into the acute stage.

For men, prolonged use of flax seeds is also undesirable. It can increase estrogen levels.

With gout

Traditional medicine offers a huge amount of rubbing, ointments and infusions, which, according to the patients themselves, perfectly cope with gout no worse than pharmacy drugs. One of these pain relievers is an activated carbon ointment. To prepare it, you need to grind two packs of this product, mix with 1 tablespoon of flax. Then add a small amount of water and mix the resulting mixture thoroughly. The drug is rubbed into the joints every day, preferably at night. Then polyethylene and some warm tissue are applied to the painful area.

Flax also has the property of significantly lowering the lactic acid content, due to which it is remarkably suitable for the manufacture of various decoctions. For example, 2.5 tablespoons of seeds are poured into 250 ml of boiled water and simmer over low heat for 15–20 minutes. After which the resulting mixture is infused for 10 minutes, poured into a glass dish with a lid and shaken thoroughly for another 5 minutes. You need to take the broth 5 times a day for 1 tablespoon.

And with an acute form of the course of the disease, the following recipe is ideal. For 500 ml of boiling water, 1 tablespoon of seeds is poured, which are then infused for an hour. Drinking the infusion is recommended no more than 2 times a day for 1 glass.

How to cook flaxseed porridge: recipes

To serve additional ingredients on the table, everyone can choose according to their taste. The advantage of this dish is that the dietary fiber of flax after eating it swells in the stomach. Thanks to this, a feeling of fullness comes much sooner, and hunger is not felt for a sufficiently long period.

It is better to eat such a treat before the main breakfast to stimulate appetite. 2-3 tablespoons will be enough. And flax with the addition of wheat germ starts the digestion process and helps food to be absorbed better with less consumption.

With wheat

In a separate container, 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds are steamed. You need to insist for 12-13 hours. Then the excess liquid is drained, and the seed is crushed using a blender. Wheat germ is added to the resulting mass, and everything is thoroughly mixed. You need to take such porridge at a minimum, 2-3 tablespoons are enough. Ideal for use in the morning, before breakfast.

With sesame seeds

Pour the seeds of flax and sesame in one plate. Pour in warm boiled milk and cover. Insist 10 minutes. If desired, honey, a small amount of butter or condensed milk can be added to improve palatability. In addition, the addition of any jam, chopped fruit or raisins is permissible.

With oatmeal

Flax seeds are poured with boiling water, infused for 12 hours and chopped.After that, 2 tablespoons of flakes are also poured with hot water and set aside for 10 minutes. Everything is thoroughly mixed, 1 teaspoon of honey, cottage cheese or fermented baked milk is added. This dish is ideal as a first breakfast.

With dried fruit

Dried fruits are soaked for 30 minutes in water. Prunes, raisins or dried apricots are suitable. Then finely chopped with culinary scissors. Flaxseeds are crushed with a coffee grinder and mixed with fruits. If desired, you can add a slice of banana, pear or apple.

With amaranth

Amaranth flour is very rich in biologically active components. It is mixed with carefully chopped flax grains in the same ratio. The resulting mixture is poured with 250 ml of milk and brought to a boil over low heat, after which it is cooked for another 5-7 minutes. To improve the taste, you can add a little honey or berries.

What is useful for instant flaxseed porridge

Most people believe that instant cereals practically do not contain any useful substances, and therefore they are not suitable as a healthy diet. However, flaxseed is an exception to all the rules due to the fact that the seeds are not subjected to complete heat treatment, but simply steamed with hot water.

In the manufacture of such semi-finished products, a special technology is used, in which the crushed flax seed is subjected to steam treatment. And therefore, the finished product retains its useful qualities almost in full.

Instant flax porridge is ideal for people who simply do not have time to pre-soak and chop the grains. You just need to choose a natural product without chemical preservatives, dyes and flavor enhancers.

Is it possible to eat flax porridge every day

Despite all the benefits and the absence of visible harm to this product, doctors and nutritionists strongly do not recommend consuming it daily. The problem is that flax contains substances such as cyanogenic glycosides. They are quite toxic and with regular use tend to accumulate in the body, which over time can lead to poisoning.

Harm and contraindications

Flax grains are extremely rarely able to harm the human body. Nevertheless, there are several factors, in the presence of which it is necessary to refrain from eating them:

• individual allergy to flaxseed;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage;
• gallstone disease with the presence of stones in the body;
• diseases of the genitourinary system.

Among other things, the product is recommended to be used infrequently and in small quantities to prevent the accumulation of cyanide substances in the body. The porridge eaten at night will not cause harm, but it is better to take it in the morning or at lunch.

Whether flaxseed will be beneficial or harmful depends on how well it is cooked and how often to use it. If you introduce flax into the diet gradually, as necessary, the health condition will improve, and the body will gain strength.