Low Carbohdrates

Our Golden Flax Crackers are very low in Carbohrates and very high in Fiber. See the "Nutrition Facts" for yourself. A "0" Net Carb snack packed with the benefits of Golden Flaxseed! A healthy combination.

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.

While other plant seeds — corn, sunflower, peanuts — contain omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, flaxseed is the only one that contains so much of the essential omega-3 fatty acids. Understanding how these two types of polyunsaturated fat differ, can help underscore why flaxseed has so many unique health benefits.

The body can synthesize some of the fats it needs from the foods you eat. However, two essential fatty acids cannot be synthesized in the body and must be taken in the diet from plant foods. Their names—linoleic and linolenic acid—are not important. What is important is that these basic fats are used to build specialized fats called omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important in the normal functioning of all tissues of the body. Deficiencies are responsible for a host of symptoms and disorders including abnormalities in the liver and kidney, changes in the blood, reduced growth rates, decreased immune function, and skin changes including dryness and scaliness.

Adequate intake of the essential fatty acids results in numerous health benefits. Prevention of atherosclerosis, reduced incidence of heart disease and stroke, and relief from the symptoms associated with ulcerative colitis, menstrual pain, and joint pain have also been documented. While supplements and added oils are not typically necessary in the vegetarian diet, good sources of omega-3 fats should be included daily.

Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), a common omega-3 fatty acid, is found in many vegetables, beans, and fruits. More concentrated sources can be found in oils such as canola, flaxseed, soybean, walnut, and wheat germ. Corn, safflower, sunflower, and cottonseed oils are generally low in ALA. Omega-6 fatty acids, such as gamma-linolenic acid, can be found in more rare oils, including black currant, borage, evening primrose, and hemp oils.

Fish oils have been popularized as an aid against everything from heart problems to arthritis. The bad news about fish oils is that omega-3s in fish oils are highly unstable molecules that tend to decompose and, in the process, unleash dangerous free radicals. Research has shown that omega-3s are found in a more stable form in vegetables, fruits, and beans.

Whether you are interested in promoting cardiovascular health, ensuring the proper growth and development of your child, or relieving pain, a vegetarian diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes can help you achieve adequate intake of the essential fatty acids. Adding flaxseed oil to your salad or flax crackers to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner are simple ways to incorporate extra omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.

Like all fats, EFAs provide energy. Their calorific value is similar to other fats and oils but, unlike saturated fats, they have important health roles. In fact, as their name suggest, they are essential and must be consumed regularly as the body has limited storage for them. Both of the important EFA families - omega-6 and omega-3 - are components of nerve cells and cellular membranes. They are converted by the body into eicosanoids, leukotrienes and prostaglandins - all of which are needed on a second-by-second basis by most tissue activities in the body.

EFAs are involved in normal physiology, including:


• regulating pressure in the eye, joints, and blood vessels, and mediating immune response
• regulating bodily secretions and their viscosity
• dilating or constricting blood vessels
• regulating collateral circulation
• directing endocrine hormones to their target cells
• regulating smooth muscles and autonomic reflexes
• being primary constituents of cell membranes
• regulating the rate of cell division
• maintaining the fluidity and rigidity of cellular membranes
• regulating the inflow and outflow of substances to and from cells
• transporting oxygen from red blood cells to the tissues
• maintaining proper kidney function and fluid balance
• keeping saturated fats mobile in the blood stream
• preventing blood cells from clumping together (blood clots that can be a cause of heart attack and stroke)
• mediating the release of inflammatory substances from cells that may trigger allergic conditions
• regulating nerve transmission and communication

If the diet is deficient in either omega-6 or omega-3 long-term degenerative illnesses will result.

Since they cannot be manufactured by the human body, they must be supplied in the diet. For this reason, they are often referred to as 'essential fatty acids' (EFAs). There is no doubt that the omega-3 fatty acids are essential to health. They are fundamental molecules in the structure and activity of the membranes of all cells throughout the body. They also have highly specialized functions in neurological tissues, especially the brain and retina.

Because of their role in cell membranes, omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the formation of new tissue and are therefore important for development and growth. Known to be essential to brain and vision development during the last three months of pregnancy, the omega-3 fatty acids continue to play a major health role at every stage of life through the prevention and management of certain diseases and chronic conditions. The omega-3 fatty acids are essential to life at every stage of life, even before birth. They are found in the membrane of every cell in the body and help to ensure that the cell membrane is ideally equipped to do its job.

They are also used in the regulation of all biological functions, including those of the cardiovascular, reproductive, and immune and nervous systems. It follows that optimum health can only be achieved when sufficient omega-3s are obtained from diet.They help maintain good health, promote brain and vision development and protect against disease.