"Flax oil vs. fish oils While much of the research has featured fish oils, recent evidence indicates that flaxseed oil, nature's richest source of omega-3 oils, may have far greater benefit at a much reduced price. Hundreds of detailed scientific studies have shown supplementation with fish oils demonstrates many impressive effects, especially in improving cardiovascular function including lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Fish oils are composed of two fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA; and docosahexanoic acid or DHA) which can be manufactured in the human body from alpha-linolenic acid, the chief fatty acid found in flaxseed oil.
A recent clinical study demonstrated that approximately 1.5 tablespoons of flaxseed oil increased tissue levels of EPA com-parable to those levels achieved in studies using fish oils. The key to achieving high tissue levels with flaxseed oil is restricting omega-6 oil intake. To do this, simply eliminate or avoid vegetable oils rich in linoleic acid. The results of this recent study are significant for several reasons with the most important being that flaxseed oil can be used instead of fish oils.
The primary benefits of flaxseed oil over fish oils are cost and safety. In order to achieve dosages used in the positive clinical studies with fish oils, a person would have to spend over $70 a month for fish oils while a month's supply of flax oil is only $12.
The safety question is based on several studies showing fish oil supplements to be contaminated with toxic derivatives known as lipid peroxides. While extra vitamin E and other antioxident nutrients offer some protection against these compounds, in general, it is a good idea to avoid the intake of lipid peroxides"
"Lignans:
An extra benefit of flax
Flaxseeds are the most abundant source of compounds which can be converted by bacteria in the gut to lignans, special compounds which are demonstrating some rather impressive health benefits. These ben-efits include positive effects in relieving menopausal hot flashes, as well as anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activity.
Perhaps the most significant of these actions of lignans are their anticancer effects. A substantial amount of research has shown that flaxseed lignans are changed by the bacteria in the human intestine to compounds which are extremely protective against cancer, particularly breast cancer.
Flax oil high in lignan may be the best choice of flax oil for women going through menopause or women at risk for breast cancer. It is currently estimated that as many as one in seven women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. "
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