Muffins or Medicine
High blood pressure stalks many Americans, especially as we age. And it’s not just Americans. It has been suggested that hypertension could be the single most important determinant of death in the world today.
We have known for years about a few well-established nutritional strategies for treating hypertension. But some fascinating research suggests that there might be one additional weapon for the nutritional arsenal.
Researchers gave either flaxseed or a placebo to patients with peripheral artery disease. The flaxseed was ground and hidden in various baked items, and those in the placebo group ate similar products but without the flax.
After 6 months, blood pressures rose slightly in the placebo group. But they dropped significantly among those who ate the flax. These patients enjoyed a 10 point reduction in their systolic blood pressure and a 7 point reduction in their diastolic blood pressure.
There were even more dramatic results in those with hypertension. Those who started with a systolic reading of 140 or more, saw a drop of 15 in their systolic blood pressure. This amount of reduction is similar to what is seen with many medications.
So, what’s in the flax that is so powerful? Researchers suggested several possibilities. First, flaxseeds are high in fiber. Flax is also rich in lignans, a food compound that is a powerful antioxidant. And flax has a high concentration of the omega 3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid, which provides anti-inflammatory benefits. Any or all of these may be the secret to the blood pressure lowering effects of flax.
Those who received the baked goods with flaxseed, consumed 30 grams per day in the form of flaxseed meal (ground seeds), which is roughly equivalent to ¼ cup, or 4 tablespoons. (Whole seeds have a tough outer shell and are not well digested or absorbed.)
So how would you incorporate ground flaxseed into your daily meals? One way is to sprinkle it on your cereal, salads, or vegetables. Four tablespoons is a lot to hide, though. It might be easiest just to cook it all into your morning oatmeal. Or try some pineapple flax muffins with walnuts and dried cranberries. (Recipe coming!!)
And what if you don’t have high blood pressure? Interestingly, those who started the study with normal blood pressure did not see a drop in their readings. So, you can still get the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits.
And if you do have high blood pressure? Don’t stop your medication without working with your doctor. But maybe this will be just the thing to help you reduce your need for that medication!
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Rodriguez-Leyva, D., Weighell, W., Edel, A., LaVallee, R., Dibrov, E., Pinneker, R., Maddaford, T., Ramjiawan, B., Aliani, M., Guzman, R., & Pierce, G. (2013). Potent Antihypertensive Action of Dietary Flaxseed in Hypertensive Patients. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979), 62(6), 1081–1089. https://doi.org/10.1161/hypertensionaha.113.02094