Cinnamon for cholesterol and omega 3 fats in flax seed

Everyone likes shopping at a sale now and then, so today's column is two questions for the price of one. Here we go ...

Q: I read about using cinnamon for cholesterol and blood sugar in your July column on spices. You mentioned that one study used 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon. What type of cinnamon, and how does that translate into teaspoons?

A: Cinnamon comes in lots of varieties. The study I mentioned used Cinnamon cassia. The other type you may find in stores is true cinnamon, also known as Cinnamon verum. This kind has not been studied for cholesterol or blood-sugar lowering.

One teaspoon is equal to 4.75 grams. So one teaspoon of cinnamon a day would be plenty for most people.

Q: I am wondering about using whole flax seed for constipation. Do you still get omega 3 fats when you eat flax seed that way, or should you use ground flax seed meal or flax seed oil for that?

A: Both whole and ground flax seed will give you fiber, which helps constipation. But if you are eating flax for the omega 3 fats, I would use ground flax seed or flax seed oil from a bottle, because it is hard to absorb the oil from the whole seed.

The benefit to ground flax seed meal is that it contains other nutrients in addition to fiber and omega 3 fat. For instance, it is high in magnesium; B vitamins; and special compounds called lignans, which act as antioxidants.

The downside to ground flax seed is that once you grind the seed, the oil in it is exposed to air and other elements. This can damage the oil by oxidizing it. That is why some people recommend buying whole flax seed and grinding it fresh in a coffee grinder once a day. If your life is too hectic to do this, look for ground flax meal that is in an opaque, vacuum-packed bag. Both flax seed oil and flax seed meal are best stored in the fridge.

If your goal is simply to get more omega 3 fat in your diet, flax seed oil is an excellent source. It contains a specific type of omega 3 fat known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is converted by our bodies into longer-chain omega 3 fats known as EPA and DHA. These longer-chain fats are found in fish oil.

In certain situations, fish oil may be a better choice. One reason is because there are specific cases — like with diabetes, for example — in which people have trouble converting ALA into EPA.

Dr. Astrid Pujari is a Seattle M.D. with an additional degree as a medical herbalist; she practices at the Pujari Center and teaches as part of the residency programs at Virginia Mason and Swedish/Cherry Hill hospitals. Send questions to apujari@seattletimes.com for possible use in future columns. All information is intended for education and not a substitute for medical advice. Consult your doctor before following any suggestions given here.