Flax in Focus - Bakers Journal

Flax has been valued for decades by the bakery sector for its appearance and versatility and the nutty flavour it imparts to food products. More recently, the numerous health benefits being attributed to flax have increased its popularity. An in-depth look at flax and why it's so good for you.

Flax has been valued for decades by the bakery sector for its appearance and versatility and the nutty flavour it imparts to food products. More recently, the numerous health benefits being attributed to flax have increased its popularity. Flax contains approximately 40 per cent fat, 28 per cent dietary fibre, 21 per cent protein, four per cent ash, and six per cent carbohydrates such as sugars, phenolic acids, lignans, and hemicellulose. Flax possesses a unique nutritional composition of omega-3 fatty acid, phytoestrogens, antioxidants and fibre, and is a nutritious plant protein, with an amino acid composition similar to that of soybean protein.

FULL OF HEALTHFUL FATS

Flax has a unique and healthy fatty acid profile with very low saturated fat (approximately nine per cent) and moderate amounts of monounsaturated fat (approximately 18 per cent). Of the nutritionally beneficial polyunsaturated fats, about 16 per cent belong to the omega-6 family as linoleic acid (LA) and 57 per cent is the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linoleic acid (ALA).

Both LA and ALA are essential fatty acids, considered "essential to life" as they cannot be produced by the body and therefore must be obtained from the diet. The omega-6 and the omega-3 fatty acid families are precursors for different series of hormone-like substances known as eicosanoids. Omega-6 derived eicosanoids stimulate pro-inflammatory, pro-thrombotic and hypertensive events. Eicsoanoids synthesized from omega-3 fatty acids have opposite effects. For optimal health, Health Canada, for example, recommends an omega-6:omega-3 fatty acid dietary ratio of 4:1 to 10:1.

It is speculated that Western diets may have ratios of omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids as high as 20-30:1. Flaxseed contains an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 0.3:1.

Health Canada has established a Recommended Nutrient Intake for ALA, specifying the minimum daily intake should be 0.5 per cent of total energy. In the U.S., the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 1.6 g/day of ALA for men and 1.1 g/day for women.

DIETARY FIBRE

Total fibre accounts for about 28 per cent of the weight of full-fat flax seeds and is found in both soluble and insoluble forms. Water-soluble fibres, such as mucilage, which is found in flax, will delay transit through the stomach and small intestine. Because of their hydration characteristics, mucilage gums "trap" lipids and aid in excretion, thus helping to lower serum cholesterol level, an effect that ultimately benefits cardiovascular health.

Fibres that are predominantly water insoluble promote laxation and are either slowly or not fermented. Diets high in insoluble fibre result in good colon health, which may have protective effects against colon cancer.

Daily recommended intakes target amounts of 25 g for women and 38 g for men. However, in the North American population, usual intakes average only 14 to 15 g/day. One tablespoon of whole flax or milled flax contains 600 mg to 1.2 g and 440 mg to 880 mg of insoluble fibre, and 1.8 to 2.4 g and 1.3 to 1.8 g of soluble fibre, respectively.

FLAX LIGNANS

Lignans are phytoestrogens: estrogen-like compounds found in plants (hence, "phyto"). Flax produces 75 to 800 times higher levels of active lignans than other vegetables, fruit, legumes, cereals, or seeds. Lignans have shown promise in reducing growth of cancerous tumours, especially hormone-sensitive ones such as those of the breast, endometrium and prostate.

Flax lignans play a very important role in reducing the risk of diabetes. In a study of volunteers who consumed 50 g of carbohydrates from bread containing flaxseed, significant improvements in glucose absorption were observed. The consumption of 40 g of ground flaxseed for a two-month period also reduced postprandial blood glucose, insulin, and serum lipid levels.

The powerful antioxidant properties of lignans as well as the phenolic acids and flavanoids found in flax can reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals that are generated through oxidation in the body and are strongly associated with aging.

FLAX NUTRIENTS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Intervention studies have shown beneficial effects of ALA on cardiac health. In the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, a one per cent increase in ALA intake (as per cent of energy) has been associated with a 40 per cent reduction in the risk of non-fatal coronary heart disease. Another major study, the Lyon Diet Heart Study, included participants who had previously survived a myocardial infarction. The experimental group who consumed a typical Mediterranean-style diet rich in ALA had a 75 per cent reduction in non-fatal myocardial infarctions, and a 70 per cent reduction in total death compared to the control group.

Recent research is focusing upon the role that ALA can play in lowering inflammatory biomarkers. A diet high in ALA dramatically decreased C reactive protein in men and women with high cholesterol levels.

Flax nutrients such as fibre, lignans and other antioxidants also offer protection against cardiovascular disease. Milled flax levels of three to six tablespoons (30-50 g) for as little as four weeks reduced blood total and LDL-cholesterol significantly in clinical trials. Blood total cholesterol decreased six to 13 per cent and LDL-cholesterol decreased nine to 18 per cent in studies of healthy young adults, men and women with moderately high levels of blood cholesterol, postmenopausal women and men with prostate cancer.

REGULATORY STATUS

In Canada, food manufacturers may declare the omega-3 fatty acid content of their food products. For example, the label of a food containing flax can state the amount of ALA (e.g., 0.5 g of ALA) per serving. Flax-based products containing at least 300 mg of ALA per serving can also use nutrient content claims, which allow "Source of Omega-3 fatty acids" to appear on the label.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) define food or supplement products as "high in" omega-3 when they contain at least 130 mg per serving of EPA/DHA or 260 g or more of ALA. Additional guidelines are in place for products labelled a "good source" and "more." Additionally, products containing flax qualify for Structure/Function Claims that describe the effect that a food product has on the normal structure or function of the body. These need not be pre-approved by the FDA, but they must be true and not misleading to the consumer. An increasing number of food products are using packaging claims such as "Now with Omega-3 ALA To Help Support A Healthy Heart!"

Blending Fish Oil and Flax

A closer look at a new, omega-3-filled flaxseed ingredient.

MeadowPure Omega 3 Ultra^™ is a milled flaxseed and fish oil ingredient for use in bakery and cereal applications, available from Manitoba-based Pizzey's Milling. The fish oil is naturally encapsulated in the milled flaxseed, is shelf stable, has no taste or smell, and is easily incorporated into dry formulations. This product offers both the evidence-based health and nutrition attributes of flaxseed and fish oil while taking advantage of the natural antioxidant components present in flaxseed.

MeadowPure^™ is a granulated, free-flowing powder of milled flax in combination with either 2.2 per cent or 8 per cent fish oil intended for use in bakery and cereal applications. This unusual ingredient supplies the beneficial nutrients found in flaxseed as well as the long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from fish oil, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

THE SCIENCE

It is well accepted that while foods prepared with long chain PUFAs are healthier, they also have an increased vulnerability to rancidity, which is caused by oxidation, the chemical reaction of lipids with oxygen. Long chain PUFAs such as EPA and DHA are particularly vulnerable to oxidative breakdown, leading to the development of food deterioration that affects flavour, aroma, colour, texture, and nutritional value.

In a previous patent, Pizzey's Milling demonstrated that the lipid in full fat milled flaxseed is very stable when the seed has been carefully selected to remove discoloured and immature parts. This is due to a very active antioxidant system present in flaxseed, which includes lignans, phenolic acids, anthocyanin pigments, several flavonols and flavones, and phytic acid.

Pizzey's has shown that milled flaxseed provides excellent oxidative protection to a fish oil containing 18 per cent EPA and 12 per cent DHA in a flax/fish oil blend. In a number of experiments, under accelerated and real time conditions, the antioxidant system in the flaxseed provided a highly protective environment to both the fish oil and the indigenous flax oil. This protective environment was effective in maintaining lipid stability of the blend for at least one year under ambient storage conditions in standard polylined paper packaging. The result of these experiments led to the development of MeadowPure.

This ingredient has the added advantage of significantly improved stability with no detectable "fishy" tastes or odours. When used at various levels, desirable omega-3 label claims can be used on food packaging including "Qualified Heart Health" for EPA and DHA, "Excellent Source" for all omega-3s and a "Structure/Function" claim for ALA.

Because it's flaxseed based, MeadowPure provides food manufacturers with an ingredient that is tasty, easy to use and rich in dietary fibre, lignans, antioxidants and the essential fatty acid, ALA. The addition of 2.2 per cent or 8 per cent fish oil provides EPA and DHA in a highly stable, convenient to use application.

Kelley C. Fitzpatrick, M.Sc., is director of health and nutrition for Flax Canada 2015 in Winnipeg, Man. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

[ Back ]