Abstract
Background: Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) is an oil-based seed which contains high amounts of alpha-linoleic acid, linoleic acid, lignans, fiber and many other bioactive components which is suggested for healthier life. Nowadays flaxseed is known as a remarkable functional food with different health benefits for humans and protects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and altogether metabolic syndrome. Objectives and Methods: To review the bioactive components of flaxseed and their potential health effects, PubMed and Scopus were searched from commencement to July 2019. Keywords including: “flaxseed”, “Linum usitatissimum”, “metabolic syndrome”, “obesity”, “inflammation”, “insulin resistance”, “diabetes”, “hyperlipidemia” and “menopause” were searched in the databases with varying combinations. Conclusions: Consumption of flaxseed in different forms has valuable effect and protects against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, inflammation and some other complications. Flaxseed can serve as a promising candidate for management of metabolic syndrome to control blood lipid levels, fasting blood sugar, insulin resistance, body weight, waist circumference, body mass and blood pressure.
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