Do you know the benefits of flaxseed?

My interest in flaxseed was sparked with one of my friends amazing pancake recipes and it has turned into a full blown obsession. Flaxseed is the best! I put it in everything now and I just want to share it's benefits with you. I know, I am silly but bare with me and you might learn to love it too. Flaxseed is very rich in fiber, lignans and omega-3 fats. It is believed to be the most powerful natural cholesterol controller yet discovered. Just two tablespoons of ground flaxseed delivers as much fiber as one and a half cups of cooked oatmeal. Flaxseed has high levels of lignans, a natural antioxidant and member of the family of plant estrogens. So it can maintain breast and colon health by binding circulating estrogens and other substances that might promote unchecked cell growth. Flax seed has 75 times more lignans then any other plant food. You would need to eat 30 cups of broccoli to get the lignans that only 2 tablespoons of flaxseed offer. Omega-3 fat is important in a diet and flaxseed is very high in the omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid. It has a robust, nutty flavor and I think it makes everything I cook taste better.
I previously mentioned it is great in pancakes and you can also add it to, waffles, breads, cold cereal, hot cereal, muffins, and as I just discovered cookies. One of its great benefits is that because of the oil in flaxseed it can be substituted for shortening, butter, margarine or cooking oil at a ratio of 3 to 1. I made cookies a couple of weeks ago and the recipe calls for shortening and butter. So I substituted flaxseed for the shortening and used Smart Balance butter (another great discovery) and they were really good. I also used whole wheat flour and oats so the only thing not good for you was the sugar and the chocolate chips. I have not decided if I agree with sugar substitutes like Splenda yet but if you were to use one it would end up being really good for you. Ayden loved them and they did the job on curbing my cookie craving.

Sorry if you already knew all of this, and if you didn't I challenge you to research the benefits of flaxseed for yourself. This entry may have bored you to death but I think you will start hearing about flaxseed more and more from doctors and in the news and I just want to be able to say " I told you so." I buy Bob's Red Mill whole ground flaxseed meal and you can read more about its benefits here.

These are the amazing cookies I am sure you are all dieing to taste!