"
Where flax is eaten...health abounds!" - Mahatma Ghandi.
These little seeds pack a quadruple-whammy of protein, omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs), soluble fibre/fiber, and minerals, vitamins and co-factors.
What's in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil?Click
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3163/2 and set serving size to 100g to see what nutrients there are in flaxseeds.
Click
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fats-and-oils/7554/2 and set serving size to 100g to see what nutrients there are in flaxseed oil.
How do I eat flaxseeds and flaxseed oil?Flaxseeds have a fibrous seed coat which swells-up when wet and passes through our guts undigested. To get the benefit of the protein, omega-3 essential fatty acids and minerals in flaxseeds, the seeds need to be crushed, cracked, chopped-up, sliced-up or ground-up using a coffee grinder, adjustable pepper grinder or most simply, a blender with a sharp blade. The resulting powder can be mixed with liquids or sprinkled on foods, though extra fluid must be drunk as the soluble fibre/fiber absorbs lots of water. Although whole flaxseeds will keep fresh at room temperature, once powdered, it's advisable to keep them in a cool dark place to minimise oxidation of any exposed fat*. Flaxseed oil must be kept refrigerated with the cap screwed on the bottle at
all times after opening and it must
never be used for cooking. It's O.K. sprinkled over hot food as long as the food is eaten shortly afterwards. Oxidised flaxseed oil tastes bitter and has lost any health benefits it had when fresh, so it should be discarded or used to varnish something or thin down putty. Unoxidised flaxseed oil has a nutty taste or it may taste slightly like tea. Ground-up flaxseeds hardly taste of anything.
*NEW!
Milled flaxseed stability information.
How much flaxseeds and flaxseed oil do I need to eat each day?Men are much poorer converters of alpha-linolenic acid (the omega-3 fatty acid in flaxseeds) into the longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids than women. See
Eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids are the principal products of α-linolenic acid metabolism in young men ,
Conversion of α-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in young women and
Extremely Limited Synthesis of Long Chain Polyunsaturates in Adults: Implications for Their Dietary Essentiality and Use as Supplements. Therefore, vegan men should eat ~50g of ground flaxseeds a day and women should eat ~25g a day. The daily amount of flaxseed oil for men is ~20g and the daily amount for women is ~10g. Vegan men should also supplement with vegan DHA.
Where can I buy flaxseeds and flaxseed oil?Flaxseeds/linseeds come in different colours. The cheapest linseeds are brown/bronze ones which are often sold as bird seed in pet shops, but they can also be found in small independent health food shops. There are also golden linseeds, which is the type most often found in supermarkets. Linusit and Granovita are two well-known brands. Granovita organic flaxseed oil is a good brand and it comes in dark bottles to keep the light out as light causes photo-oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids.
