Fwd: [asperger_autism] info on flax seed - for Stan

[Guest guest]

Contributed by a member who saw it on another list.

 

 

Anyway, this exact subject came up on a list for people dealing

with the asperger/autism spectrum of adventure

and she sights sources.

 

 

asperger_autism ,

 

More info on this:

 

" How much flaxseed is enough -- or too much? If you intend to incorporate

flaxseed in your diet, start with a tiny amount in case of potential, but

rare, allergic reactions. Most experts have set a safe upper limit of

about

25 grams (about 3 tablespoons) per day. Since the outer coating on

flaxseed

also has a laxative effect, that's another reason to proceed very slowly

with perhaps one teaspoon per day. Raw flaxseed contains cyanogenic

glucosides, a potential toxin in high doses, so the maximum amount used in

research studies has been 50 grams per day. "

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/newsrelease/2001/041201/03prairi.htm

 

" Flaxseed Cautions

Flaxseeds absorb 5 to 6 times their weight in water, so it is important to

drink plenty of fluids when consuming ground seeds.

Raw flaxseeds, but not the flaxseed oil, contain cyanogenic glucosides,

which are converted in the body to thiocyanates. These chemicals may

interfere with iodine uptake by the thyroid gland and may increase the

risk

of goiter (especially when dietary iodine is limited). It has been

suggested

that intake of raw flaxseed should be restricted to 3-4 tablespoons a day.

Cooking inactivates the cyanogenic glucosides, so there is less

concern with

flaxseed used in baking. "

http://www.andrews.edu/NUFS/essentialfat.htm

 

 

" Researchers from two universities evaluated flaxseed powder

consumption in

women and reported that the lignans, which they considered as protective

against certain cancers, were normally metabolized by the microflora

in the

gut. These researchers reported that the possible cyanide exposure from 60

grams of raw flaxseed in healthy individuals is not hazardous; further

they

indicated that raw flaxseed is traditionally consumed in 10-gram amounts

(approximately 1 tablespoon).7

So how much flaxseed, or flaxseed oil is appropriate and unquestionably

safe? The recommendation from the US government agencies is usually 2

tablespoons of flaxseed per day to supply omega-3 fatty acids for a 2000

kcal diet. (The flaxseed needs to be ground in order for the proper

digestion of the seeds to take place.) Two tablespoons of flaxseed is

about

20 grams of seed and since there is about 40 percent oil in the seeds and

about 50-60 percent omega-3 in the oil, 20 grams of seed could provide

about

8 grams of flaxseed oil and about 4 grams alpha-linolenic acid, the basic

omega-3 fatty acid. Four grams of omega-3 fatty acids is about 36

calories,

which is slightly more than the usual recommendation of 1.5 percent of

calories for a 2000 calorie intake. The amount of flaxseed oil needed to

provide this much omega-3 is about 1.5 to 2 tsp per day.8 If you are

getting

omega-3 fatty acids from other sources in your diet, then the recommended

amount of flaxseed oil would be less. "

 

And:

" 3 1/2 oz (100g) of the seeds eaten at once have been known to cause

poisoning. Do not exceed 2 oz (60g) internally. "

(http://www.holista.com/pharmacy/flax_seed_oil/)

 

Extensive research on flax seed can be found at:

http://www.gaiaresearch.co.za/flaxseed.html

 

--- End forwarded message ---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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