When You Eat Flaxseeds Every Day, This Is What Happens To Your Body

What do King Charlemagne, Babylon, and flaxseed have to do with each other? Quite a lot. Nourish by WebMD says that, during Charlemagne's years of power, the 8th-century creator of the Holy Roman Empire actually made it a law for people under his rule to consume flaxseed because he considered the health benefits to be so incredibly important. And now flaxseed, which according to WebMD was first cultivated in the ancient city of Babylon around 3,000 B.C., is still one of the biggest health food marvels for the same reasoning. 

So, just what does it do to our bodies that makes it so revered? Doctors believe these seeds have a number of positive attributes that range from possible disease prevention capabilities to boosting digestive health. According to Medium, the soluble fiber and omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseed may not only help with digestion, but can even possibly balance out hormones, which is especially important for anyone going through menopause, dealing with rough sleeping patterns, or finding tendencies to over-drink.

Even if you're someone who sleeps perfectly and steers clear of regular wine nights, flaxseed's purported ability to protect against many of the most lethal diseases makes it something of a "wonder food," according to WebMD. Studies they reference have shown that the properties within flaxseed have been seen to protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers. On top of that, its omega-3 and amino acids may also help regulate blood pressure and mitigate the risk of cardiovascular problems. That's a lot of power packed into a tiny seed.

As if the health benefits weren't already amazing, the ease of using flaxseed in a variety of dishes also makes it a "wonder food." If you want to reap the benefits on a daily basis, Healthline suggests simply making a drink from ground flaxseed, lemon, and hot water. Thanks to all the fiber, doing so may also boost your metabolism and help lead to better weight loss, according to the article.

Taste of Home's guide to adding flaxseed in your life is even easier, suggesting to blend it into smoothies, add to granola, or swirl into salad dressings for an extra dash of health benefits. The article also details a simple but genius way to substitute flaxseed in place of eggs, a great tip for vegans especially. "Flaxseeds create a viscous liquid that mimics an egg," the article notes, instructing to mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water to get the same consistency. Once you have that trick down, use it to sub eggs in all kinds of recipes, including baked goods.

If baking isn't exactly your thing, the very same guide offers a perfect way to also sub out meat and get that same umami sensation in a veggie burger. It's noted that ground flaxseeds have a way of binding other ingredients together, so instead of basing your vegetarian meat substitutions in carb-heavy breadcrumbs, use ground flaxseed instead — and you'll get a gluten-free option too.