FLAXSEED AND OMEGA 3 I thought I was reinventing the wheel when adding flaxseed to my salads, assuming it was a habit carried over from contemporary vegetarian ways of eating. But alas, the ancient Greeks knew of the flaxseed and used it as both food and medicine – food was medicine in ancient Greece. There is evidence of its use from as early as 800 BC. It turns out that they knew a little something about the wonders of these tiny nutrition-packed seeds, which are one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids in the plant world. Flaxseed helps control cholesterol levels and prevent inflammation; it’s a good-mood food for fighting the blues and helps improve metabolism and enhance the immune system. That’s a lot of good in a tiny seed!