For those unable or unwilling to take cholesterol-lowering medicines, like Crestor, Zocor or Lipitor, there may be a natural alternative in flaxseed. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) comes from the seed of the flax plant and contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as lignans, which are plant compounds similar to fiber. They are also rich in B vitamins, magnesium and manganese.
A small U.S. study showed that just 3 tablespoons per day of flaxseed added to the diet for 3 months improved the cholesterol counts in the men by 10 percent. While you may not think this is significant, study leader Suzanne Hendrich of Iowa State University's Nutrition and Wellness Research Center says that the expected outcome from cholesterol-lowering drugs in the same span of time is approximately 10 percent to 20 percent. So there is not a big difference between the two cholesterol reducers.
The study examined the effects of flaxseed lignan in 90 men and women diagnosed with high cholesterol who were otherwise healthy. For three months they ingested 150 milligrams per day of flaxseed. At the end of the study, only the men benefited from the change in diet, although there is no clear reason for the gender difference.
Eaten whole or ground up, flaxseed can be sprinkled on fruit and yogurt, a bowl of oatmeal or cold cereal, and green salads. It can be incorporated into fruit smoothies and added to baked goods, in fact many whole grain breads can be found to contain flaxseed. For a tasty way to incorporate flaxseed into your diet, try making your own granola bars. They are easy, taking only about 15 minutes, and are not the rock-hard, break-your-teeth variety. You can substitute almonds, cashews or most any kind of nut for the peanuts, and use almost any kind of dried fruit-raisins, apricots, mango, pineapple, apple, cherry, cranberry. You can also add in carob or chocolate chips at the very end (mini chocolate chips work best).
Granola Bars
2 cups oats
3/4 cup flax seed
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup peanuts, chopped
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz. dried fruit. chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the oats, flax seed, sunflower seeds and chopped nuts and place on a baking sheet with sides. Toast for 10-12 minutes, turning periodically. Meanwhile, line an 11x13 pan with wax paper (with an extra length coming up the sides of the pan) and spray with nonstick spray.
Combine brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Into a large bowl, pour oat mixture, dried fruit, and liquid mixture and stir quickly, making sure to coat all the ingredients with the liquid. Pour the mixture into the prepared 11x13 pan. Spread out as evenly as possible with a spoon, and then fold over the extra sides and use to push the mixture down and compact it.
Cool for 2-3 hours, then turn out onto a cutting board and cut into individual bars (smaller for the younger kids, larger for the older ones). You can wrap them individually in plastic wrap, so they are ready for the lunch box. If you store in a container, make sure to layer the bars with wax paper so they do not stick together.
