What if I told you there's an ingredient you can add to any meal which drastically increases the healthiness of that meal in just seconds? What if there was a simple ingredient you can sprinkle on to t__urn up the fat-burning effects of any food__?
Well, there is! And today I'm going to tell you all about it and about why I add this ingredient to all of my meals. I put it on my chicken, fish, and veggies. I put it in my lentils, smoothies, juices, cottage cheese, yogurt–everything. In fact, it's very rare for me to make any meal without sprinkling this special ingredient on top.
So what is it?
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I'm talking about flax seed or "linaza," as it's called in my home country of Colombia. And it comes with so many health benefits.
I remember growing up, my sister used to have trouble going to the bathroom. So my grandmother would grind it up and put it in our smoothies. And once she added this to my sister's diet, her problems disappeared.
The reason it worked is because flax seed is loaded with fiber! In fact, just one ounce of flax seed contains 32 percent of our daily required fiber. Fiber acts as an intestinal broom, scrubbing up toxins and keeping you regular. This is priceless when you're trying to lose weight. With all the toxins and useless food being swept away, it makes it much easier for your body to process nutrients.
But that's only half of how it helps you fight fat. Fiber takes up space in your stomach, causing you to feel full longer, so you're much less likely to overeat and start craving junk foods. It's a safe, healthy appetite suppressor that can make it much easier to stick to eating responsible portions.
Those two benefits alone make it an effective fat loss tool. But that's not even considering all the other incredible health benefits flax seed gives you. It's been shown to effectively lower bad cholesterol. It contains compounds called lignans, which have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain kinds of cancers. Plus, the fiber it has helps to further reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Flax seeds are also a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. These special fats are known for their incredible ability to reduce inflammation in the body, making them helpful with many painful conditions like arthritis. They increase your circulation and help you recover from your work outs.
When you add up all of these amazing factors, you can begin to see why flax seeds are one of my favorite super foods. And the best part is how easy it is to enjoy their benefits. It doesn't require any complicated preparation. You don't have to spend time cooking them or anything. They're a great addition to any meal you already have prepared.
So be creative and start working flax seeds into your daily eating. Put them in your smoothies. Sprinkle them on your oatmeal. Experiment the possibilities are truly endless with this incredible food.
This post was originally published on March 21, 2013
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