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For those among us who, for whatever reason, are trying to shift a few spare pounds, this new research may be of interest. A new study has concluded that eating flax seeds and sesame seeds may be beneficial, thanks to their weight-preventing compounds. Though more in depth research will be required, this piece of work found that women who consumed more foods with this compound – known as lignan – weighed less and, more importantly, gained less weight over time, than women who did not.
According to Live Science, The Harvard School of Public Health say that their findings “support the notion that increased lignan consumption might potentially lead to less weight gain.”?Urine samples from over 1000 women were analysed once at the outset of this study and again ten years later, when their weight gain over time would have been measurable. Researchers looked closely at the presence of two compounds, enterodiol and enterolactone, which are produced when bacteria in the gut break down the aforementioned lignans.
Those with the highest level of these compounds in their urine had the lowest body mass index. Commenting on their findings, the researchers say “our data suggest that higher urinary excretion of lignan metabolites, especially enterodiol, is associated with modestly slower weight gain.”
So we know that they are potentially preventing weight gain (when included as part of a balanced diet of course) but as far as how these lignans are contributing towards stabilising our weight, further study will be required.
Nevertheless, packed full of nutrients, there’s no reason not to consume these as part of your daily intake of food.