Whole Flaxseed May Prevent High Cholesterol

SHANGHAIA new study from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai suggests that adding just one tablespoon of whole flaxseed to a daily diet significantly reduces circulating total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations, but the changes are dependent on the type of intervention, sex and initial lipid profiles of the subjects.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined 28 studies and revealed total and LDL cholesterol reductions with whole flaxseed intake were stronger in women, particularly postmenopausal women, than men, and in people with higher cholesterol concentrations at the outset. No significant changes were found in the concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides.