Currently there is renewed interest in the potential health benefits of oil seeds, such as flaxseed, especially in relation to cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the interest in the medicinal effects of flax seed is marked throughout history and includes the Egyptians, Hippocrates, and even Kings.
Ancient records show that the human race has consumed flaxseed since the beginning of civilization. Before 5,000 BC, Egyptians carried flaxseed in their medicine bags. Much later in history, Hippocrates wrote about using flax for the relief of abdominal pains. In 8th century France, King Charlemagne considered flax so important for the health of his subjects that he passed laws and regulations requiring its consumption.
Over the centuries, the growing use of flaxseed has spread across Europe, Africa, and, finally, to North America. Flax was the first oilseed to be widely grown in Western Canada. Today, scientific findings are confirming the nutritional benefits of flaxseed in a balanced diet.
