The essential immune system support you should add to your diet

Linwoods have developed this milled flax blend to aid the immune system and improve gut health. It’s designed to be added to food daily as a convenient way to support your immune system through your diet.

Linwoods Flaxseed, Bio Cultures and Vitamin D is a cold milled flaxseed blend enriched with Vitamin D₃ and live gut friendly cultures. We explore how the nutrients it contains could benefit your health.

Flaxseed: a powerhouse of goodness

Flaxseeds are naturally high in fibre, plant protein rich and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium. In order to preserve their goodness and aid with absorption the flaxseed in this blend has been cold milled.

Fibre is something many of us don’t consume enough of. It’s an essential part of a balanced diet and recommended that we consume 30g a day. Adding ground flaxseed to your diet is an easy way to increase your fibre intake.

Omega 3 contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. It’s found in oily fish, of which two portions a week is recommended. But if you find yourself eating less, then daily flaxseed is a great substitute.

Magnesium is essential in transforming food into energy, therefore if you have a deficiency you may feel tired and sluggish. Women between 19 and 64 require 270 milligrams of magnesium daily, although supplements are not recommended. Instead naturally adding magnesium to your diet through foods like flaxseed may contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

The importance of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for bone and muscle health and vitamin D₃ is beneficial for a healthy immune system. Our bodies synthesise vitamin D from sunlight, however in the UK in autumn and winter, when the sun is scarce, it’s impossible to get sufficient from sunlight alone. The NHS advises adults require 10 micrograms (10μ or 400 IU) of Vitamin D per day and suggests considering taking a daily supplement from October to late March/early April. You could, of course, relocate to the other hemisphere for half the year, but costing £4.19 for 200g Linwoods Flaxseed, Bio Cultures and Vitamin D is a more cost-efficient and practical option!

There are two types of vitamin D: D₂ and D₃. Linwoods use D₃ as it’s beneficial for a healthy immune system. A study from the University of Surrey found that “a healthy vitamin D₃ status may help prevent viruses and bacteria from gaining a foothold in the body.” Adding vitamin D₃ to your diet is a great way to fortify yourself against the lurgies doing the rounds at this time of year.

Vitamin D naturally occurs in foods such as oily fish, red meat, liver and eggs. However it can be tricky to measure or naturally consume enough vitamin D through a regular diet, so the most convenient option is to add it in the form of a supplement. 20g or two dessert spoonfuls of Linwoods Milled Flaxseed with Bio Cultures & Vitamin D contains 5μg of vitamin D₃.

What Bio Culture does Linwoods Flaxseed, Bio Cultures and Vitamin D contain?

We all know how important maintaining a healthy gut is, and the best way to do this is to eat a diet rich in probiotic ingredients such as bio yoghurt and live fermented foods but not all probiotics are equally effective. This mix contains Ganeden BC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086), a natural probiotic that has been found to support digestive health and immune health.

How to use Linwoods Milled Flaxseed with Bio Cultures & Vitamin D to support your immune system

Linwoods Milled Flaxseed with Bio Cultures & Vitamin D is incredibly versatile so it’s easy to incorporate the recommended two dessert spoonfuls into your daily diet. Available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Morrisons so you can add it to your basket.

Kick off the day by adding it to your breakfast. It can be mixed into porridge or cereal for a fibre filled option, sprinkled over bio yoghurt for a double dose of gut boosting goodness, or even whizzed into a morning smoothie for a fruit-filled start to the day. If that’s not your style it can easily be added to a host of other dishes such as soups, dips and salad dressings, making it a convenient way to get your daily dose of vitamin D and support your immune system.