Please feel free to contact us for recommendations on what size or type of treat might be a good choice for your specific companion bird - as well as how much to offer your bird at any one time.
Organic Flax Seeds: 1/4 Pound.
These are the highest quality Flax Seeds we can find! They are an excellent treat (when given in moderation) that most small to larger species of birds love!
General information about Flax Seed.
Because of its link to good health, flaxseed is fast becoming a new food in many diets. Bakers and commercial food companies use flaxseed as a unique ingredient in everything from yeast breads, to bagels and cookie mixes. Not only do muffins and breads baked with flax taste great, but studies also find that these foods provide health benefits.
Why Flaxseed Is Good Medicine?
Current nutrition research continues to identify various substances in foods that appear to act as protectors against chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease and cancer. Flaxseed is no exception. The reasons are many:
* Several studies confirm that flaxseed can be a cholesterol-lowering agent like oat bran, fruit pectin and other food ingredients that contain soluble fibre. By packaging both omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fibre together, flaxseed presents two ingredients that favour healthy blood lipid patterns.
* Flaxseed contains healthy amounts of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Scientists at the American National Cancer Institute singled out flaxseed as one of six foods that deserved special study. The reason: flaxseed shows potential cancer-fighting ability. Flaxseed is one of the richest sources of lignans, a type of phytoestrogen which may protect against cancer, particularly hormone-sensitive cancers such as those of the breast and prostate.
Nutrition Profile
While flaxseed is rich in protein, research suggests that its health benefits probably have more to do with its fatty acid and fibre profile. Part of the reason fats and oils have earned such a bad reputation in recent years is because people eat too much fat, particularly too much saturated fat. (Saturated fats raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk for heart disease.) Although about 41 per cent of flaxseed is oil, very little of that is saturated. More than 70 per cent of fat in flaxseed is of the healthful polyunsaturated type. In fact, a unique feature of flaxseed is the high ratio of alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) to linoleic (omega-6 fatty acids).
Nutritionists consider these two polyunsaturated fatty acids as essential because the body cannot manufacture them from any other substances. (Normally, the body converts carbohydrates, proteins and fats into fatty acids as needed.) That means they must be eaten as part of the diet.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids — more than half the fat in flaxseed is of the essential omega-3 fatty acid type. Scientific studies reporting health benefits for omega-3 fatty acids show that these fatty acids are required for proper infant growth and development. Cholesterol can be reduced by adding flaxseed to the diet. New research also suggests that alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid which is abundant in flaxseed, offers protective effects against both coronary heart disease and stroke. Omega-3s have been shown to also protect against hypertension, and inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.
Omega-6 Fatty Acids — an essential fatty acid, linoleic is the chief polyunsaturated fat in the North American diet. Most omega-6 fatty acids in the diet come from vegetable oils.
Cancer Prevention:
Lignans and alpha-linolenic acid are found abundantly in flaxseed. Population studies of diet and disease risk suggest an anticancer role for flaxseed.
Please take a look at all the variety of a Treats, Breads and Cook Mixes we offer by clicking on the underlined link.
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