By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
Health Canada has approved a health claim for flaxseed, showing that it can lower blood cholesterol levels, says William Hill, President of the Flax Council of Canada.
Health claims educate consumers about the nutritional value of a product. According to a Flax Council of Canada Jan. 14 press release, the daily consumption of five tablespoons, or 40 grams, of ground flaxseed can help to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Now that a cholesterol health claim has been accepted by Health Canada, it could increase demand for an already important crop for Western Canadian farmers. “This health claim will help encourage the development and demand for products containing flax,” said Eric Fridfinnson, Board Chair of the Manitoba Flax Growers Association.
Canada is the first country in the world to allow a health claim for flaxseed.